Makeup and Cosmetics Fun Facts

cosmetics history
cosmetics history

Fun Facts about Makeup and Cosmetics

1. The word cosmetics comes from the Greek word kosmos, which means “of this world, worldly.”

2. The world’s first EVER cosmetics were created from copper and lead ore by ancient Egyptians.

3. The first makeup was used when Egyptian women painted their eyes, applying dark color under the eyelid and blackening their eyelashes.

4. Make up regime of ancient Egyptian women – A beauty regiment began with a walk and applying incense pellets to her underarms as a form of deodorant. Then she would sit with a mirror, and call for her servant to bring applets and grinders necessary for applying her daily makeup. Once the pallet was brought, she would watch her servant mix malachite with an oil derived from animal fat to create a eye-shadow. She would close her eyes as her servant applied the green powder with sweeps of a small ivory stick carved on one end. When the eye-shadow was finished, the lady would sit perfectly still while her servant lined her eyes with black kohl. Then red ochre would be used as lipstick and then she would dab her wrists and breasts with perfume. After the makeup application, the lady would dress up for the day.

5. The ancient Romans detested wrinkles, freckles, sunspots, skin flakes and blemishes. To soften wrinkles, they used swans’ fat or asses’ milk. Sores and freckles were treated with the ashes of snails.

6. Nail Polish originated in China in 3000 BC. Egyptians used Henna to stain their nails before nail polish invented, but it was the Chinese who created nail lacquer from egg whites, beeswax, gum and coloured powder.

7. There was a phase around 3000 BC where ‘pale look’ was considered fashionable. This was achieve by bleeding themselves. Leeches were used. Or an extreme ‘cupping’ method was used. A vein was slashed and blood was drained into a bowl. Demi Moore admits to using Austrian leeches to look young and beautiful.

8. In the 1400, hairless look was in. To the extent that women shaved their foreheads, plucked their eyelashes and brows.

9. In the Elizabethean era (1550 AD) , coat tar was used as eye liner, mascara and eyebrow pencil. The downside? It smelled bad, caused blindness and is flammable.

elizabeth
elizabeth

10. During Victorian times (1800 AD), upper class society women did not wear any makeup. This was because make up only befitted stage actresses, working class women and prostitutes!

11. Nightingale feces is used in ‘geisha facials’. Moistened nightingale feces is applied and allowed to dry , it is said to diminish wrinkles and said to be a great exfoliater. This is dated to 21st century.

12. Rosewater was invented by Ibn Sina, an Arab who extracted floral attar with steam. This when mixed with water becomes rosewater.

13. Ground fish scales has been used for years in the western societies to add shimmer to lipsticks and eye shadows.

14. Coco Chanel made tanning fashionable after she tanned herself on a cruise.

15. After Coco Chanel popularized tanning, fake tan started to flood the market. But in the Asian region, the skin whitening products were more popular since Asians prefer paler skin. This just goes on to show that the grass is always greener on the other side.

16. According to the U.S. Food and Drug- Administration mouthwashes are considered cosmetic.

17. The founder of Maybelline named the company after his sister Maybel who inspired him to create make up products.

18. The Swiss food company Nestle owns 1/4 of the world’s largest cosmetic company – L’Oreal.

19. Lakmé was named after a French opera, but in itself means ‘Goddess Laksmi’.

20. MAC stands for Make-up Art Cosmetics, was founded by two men, both named Frank, in Canada in 1985

21. A popular therapy called ‘urine therapy’ is used by many celebrities and personalities to stay healthy and beautiful. This includes rubbing your first urine of the day on your face, and \ or drinking a few drops.

22. Michelle Yeoh (of Crouching tigers, Hidden Dragon fame) attributes her beauty to washing her face every morning with a few drops of lemon juice.

23. Water therapy – The day before any big event celebrities will drink lots of water, sometimes lemon which is to said to add a instant glow to their faces. Aamir Khan has admitted to this youthful skin in 3 idiots to drinking 4 litres of water a day!

Also See: Makeup Trends in Countries, Fun Makeup Trivia Questions

Sources –
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25 thoughts on “Makeup and Cosmetics Fun Facts

    1. yeah it IS popular.. ask ur nanis or dadis , they just might surprise u by saying this was their very own beauty secret.
      whys is :sick: :sick: for some of u :-/ ? isn’t cows pee supposed to be sacred in our culture ? that is some othe creaters pee.. while this therapy is ur own pee… sorry to gross you guys out but its true hehehe

            1. 😐 😐 Runs awayyyyyyyy 😮 I didn’t find any good articles online to copy from Sanjeev 😮 😮 😐 Me found idea..me write..me searching for articles to copy 😐

  1. Lovley fun post, Smita. :)) 5th one is like 😯 😯 😯 😯

    And thank you for MAC cosmetics fact. Never bothered to find out who created the brand. 😐 😐

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