Now, we know you’re here to shop for makeup. But while you’re still choosing from our selection, here are 5 things that you probably don’t know about makeup:
1. One of the first documented uses of makeup was in Ancient Egypt. They had everything from wrinkle remedies, henna products, and setting lotions made of beeswax and resin. Cleopatra had red lipstick made from carmine beetles, while a bust of Nefertiti had eyeliner. There were even makeup kits buried with mummies!
2. However, in the Middle Ages to the early 19th century, makeup fell out of favor. Queen Victoria of England even declared that using it was vulgar and improper, as it was mostly used by prostitutes during that time. This changed with the introduction of portrait photography. Since it was expensive, people wanted to look nice for their first (and only) portrait photograph. Hence, they started to apply makeup before the shot was taken to ensure a perfect look.
3. That said, one of the original uses of makeup was to accentuate the features of stage actors so that they can still be seen by audiences who are sitting at the back of the theater. This meant thick, heavy layers of makeup; definitely far from the barely-there looks that are popular today.
4. Max Factor, who originally supplied wigs for Hollywood studios, helped popularized the term “makeup.” He was also one of the first to market makeup to the public in the 1920s, promising buyers that using these products would make them look like film stars.
5. According to a 2013 InStyle magazine article, women spend an average of $15,000 on makeup in their lifetimes. The three most popular items? Mascara (worth $3,770), eye shadow ($2,750), and lipstick ($1,780). Globally, the cosmetics industry rakes in around $40 billion every year.
