15 Makeup Trends That Have Appeared Throughout History

Makeup can be a routine practice and at the same time magical for many women, but it did not appear a few decades ago. In fact, it is an ancient habit inherited from our ancestors, including the most distant ones. Among the customs are from highlighting the eyes with black eyeliner like the Egyptians, to coloring the cheeks and lips like in the Rococo style. Each era reflects the trends present in the tradition and customs related to personal care in each region of the world.

O incredible.club researched the evolution of makeup from the time of Ancient Egypt to the present, pointing out different trends, colors and cosmetics used in each era.

In antiquity, the Egyptians outlined their eyes with a black ink called kohl, to obtain the almond-shaped shape that characterized them so much. This product was made with a mixture of lead sulfide, galena and other substances, and was applied with thin sticks of ivory, wood and even some kind of metal.

The eyes were also painted with a green pigment obtained from a stone called malachite and used as eyeshadow. They used red ocher to color the lips and yellow to give the skin a golden tone.

The Greeks appreciated pale skin, so they smeared it with a substance known as white lead, whose components were actually toxic to health. Therefore, they also used honey-based moisturizers.

In addition, they applied ground charcoal to their eyes as eyeliner and colored their lips with red ocher or pigments extracted from blackberries. Apparently, flavored makeup has been produced for centuries.

As in Greece, in Rome lead was also used to lighten the skin (even though it was harmful to health). They also experimented with other whitener alternatives, such as chalk and white powder. In addition, they preferred to show a rosy tint in their cheeks to convey “good health” and they painted their eyebrows with soot, to appear very dark.

Although lead was still used to lighten skin during the Middle Ages, it was mixed with asparagus and goat’s milk to prevent its lethal effects. The custom of leaving the forehead wide also emerged, as a synonym for beauty.

With the exception of ladies of high social status, makeup fell into disuse by a large part of the European population, as it began to have negative connotations.

During the Renaissance, the first cosmetics laboratories were created, offering more sophisticated products than in other historical periods. As in the Middle Ages, fair skin was still appreciated, so many women used to smear their face and neck with white lead. In addition, they shaved the upper part of the forehead in order to make it very broad.

The eyes still continued to be lined with kohl, but women opted to color the lids with blue and green. And since they liked big eyes, they dilated the pupils, using a special substance. They also chose to wear red lips, and the custom of painting moles on the face or neckline arose.

During Marie Antoinette’s reign in the mid-18th century, Rococo make-up consisted of wax bases and white skin powder. After a first coat of white foundation, women would color their lips and cheeks with a shade of red blush. With these substances, they were able to cover any imperfections on the face, obtaining a perfect appearance.

Japan stands out mainly for the use of white face powder and intense red lips in traditional makeup. It is believed that this custom goes back to the 3rd and 6th centuries and that, initially, red lips would symbolize, above all, protection against evil.

In the ninth century, they continued to use the white face accompanied by long, loose hair, but they shaved their eyebrows to paint false ones a little higher. Another curious practice of married women was to paint their teeth black.

During Victorian times, the obsession with fair skin reached an extreme, and women used various cosmetic formulas to achieve the desired pale tone. Only the areas of the lips, cheeks and eyelids were allowed some color, the eyes being painted with castor oil to get that effect of big, bright eyes.

Cosmetics of the 1920s were characterized by the predominance of metallic lip colors and the use of mascara on eyelashes. Eyebrows used to be thin and arched.

Some women applied blush to get blush not only on their cheeks but also on their knees. In the 1930s, dark red, brown and raspberry lips became popular.

While in previous decades the focus was on the eyes, in the 40s makeup turned to the lips, with shades of intense red. In addition, the eyebrows had to be neatly aligned, and mascara was applied only to the upper eyelashes. It was also common to use the foundation in liquid or creamy form.

In the middle of the 20th century, the manufacture and use of face powder in beauty salons was common. Among the pigments used were green, pink, lilac and beige, which were placed in a compressing machine to obtain a packaged cosmetic. In addition, intense red lips, coffee colored cheekbones and dark eye shadows became popular.

Although in the first half of the 60’s women followed the trend of the 50’s, makeup became simpler during these years. They opted to color their lips in shades of pink and peach, with a little powder to cover just a few imperfections on the face. As for the eyes, they began to apply false eyelashes and use blue, green, gray and white shadows.

In Indian culture, women used to make up their faces with a powder known as Sindoor. This product, usually in red or orange tones, used to be applied to married women along the hairline.

Single women, on the other hand, place a dot on their forehead, known as a bindi, usually using the colors red and black. For them, the important thing is to highlight the look, so they outline the eyes in black.

It is believed that in the Mayan culture, colors were of great importance and were obtained from pigments of different materials. As for cosmetics, they were in the form of powder and were applied all over the body for ritualistic purposes.

On the other hand, the Aztecs liked yellow skin, so they smeared it with a yellow substance known as axin, in the form of a cream. They also used bitumen on their faces.

Starting in 2020, makeup trends started to vary. As a result, many girls opt for brighter skin and others opt for a more natural style. Furthermore, it is estimated that within a few years cosmetics made with natural products will become popular, due to the ecological trend in the fashion and beauty sector.

What makeup trends have you tried? Which style do you prefer?