Bew

• Cosmetics are articles intended for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance of the human body
• Cosmetics have a history spanning at least 7,000 years and are present in almost every society on earth
• Cosmetic body art is argued to have been the earliest form of ritual in human culture
• Evidence of cosmetic use includes red mineral pigments (red ochre) associated with the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa
• Cosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament and in the book of Esther
• In ancient Rome, cosmetics were used, including lead-based formulas to whiten the skin and kohl to line the eyes
• In Egypt, cosmetics were an integral part of hygiene and health, with the use of scented oils, ointments, and various oils and creams for protection against the sun and dry winds
• Egyptian women used mesdemet and malachite for color and definition on their faces, as well as kohl for eye adornment
• Chinese royalty used ingredients like beeswax, egg whites, and flowers to tint their nails, with colors representing social class
• Grecian women used white lead, crushed mulberries, and fake eyebrows made of oxen hair for beauty
• Chinese and Japanese citizens used rice powder to make their faces white, shaved eyebrows, and applied dyes to hair and faces
• In Rome, people used barley flour, butter, and mud baths for skincare, and some men dyed their hair blonde
• Henna was used in India for hair dye and mehndi, and in some North African cultures
• Perfumes were imported to Europe from the Middle East in the 1200s, and cosmetics manufacturing centers emerged in Italy and France
• Queen Elizabeth I of England used white lead and popularized blonde hair, while mixtures of black sulfur, alum, and honey were used for hair
• In the 1800s, zinc oxide replaced deadly mixtures of lead and copper in facial powders
• In Edwardian Society, there was pressure on middle-aged women to appear youthful, leading to an increase in cosmetics use
• Beauty salons rose in popularity, but patronage was not widely accepted, with Queen Victoria publicly declaring makeup improper