Women have been pressured to wear makeup for hundreds of years.
There have been many changes over the years on what these makeup products are made from and what style of makeup is considered trendy.
-Makeup in the 1800’s
Mascara was made by burning a candle and putting the dish close to the flame. Mix that with oil and there’s your mascara. In addition to mascara, women were also told to look very pale with flushed cheeks. This was done by putting powders on the face and rouge on the cheeks.
During this time, women had to hide the fact that they were even wearing makeup. As in hiding powders in pill bottles to disguise them. Concealers used on the skin had to be recommended by a doctor to cover “impurities.” Otherwise, women resorted to making makeup products at home. Some of these homemade makeup products contained poisonous ingredients such as lead and mercury.
-Makeup in the 1900’s
Makeup trends changed quite frequently in the 1900’s, especially in America.
Each decade seemed to have different makeup trends.
During the 1900’s, makeup was no longer something that women had to hide. Mainstream companies like Maybelline came around and started making pre-packaged makeup products such as lipstick, powders, eye shadow, etc. Women no longer had to get makeup concealers through their doctor. Advertising for makeup products also became prominent through radio stations, television and magazines during this time.
-Makeup in the 2000’s
During the beginning of the 2000’s, bronzer was a big deal. Instead of trying to look the palest you possibly could, the goal was to look the tannest. Blue shimmery eyeshadow and lipgloss were trendy. Hence, Lil Mama’s song released in 2007, titled “Lip Gloss.”
Since 2010, there having been many changes to makeup, including bold brows and a wide range of lipstick colors. We have also seen a trend of men wearing makeup. Youtuber James Charles is a very famous makeup artist and model who does makeup tutorial videos.
I think that there has been a message in the way women have been told to wear makeup over different centuries. Some women risked their lives in the 1800’s (some using makeup products that contained mercury or lead) just to follow the standard of beauty at the time. It was ingrained in them from a young age that they had to wear makeup, or they wouldn’t be accepted or beautiful if they chose not to wear it.
The message changed in the 1900’s with large companies pre-packaging makeup to make it more accessible for women. But there was also heavy advertising for these makeup products directed to women. Magazines, radio stations, and television shows telling them what the “in” and trendy looks were for each year/season.
The 2000’s has been a different time for makeup. There are more messages now than ever before about loving yourself and embracing your natural beauty. Makeup trends are very versatile nowadays. But you also still see the continued advertisements for makeup in magazines and television.
I personally only wear mascara most days. But I have been learning more about makeup recently and find it very interesting. I think it takes skill and talent to be able to know what products and shades look best on yourself.
The questions are…in the year 2019:
Is society more accepting of women wearing NO makeup?
Are women still pressured by society to wear makeup?
Is society more accepting of men wearing makeup?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
For more information on makeup trends please check out these sources below:
Makeup Timeline – 1900 to 1960s
Topics We Often Think About 