Shocking Facts about Make up that you Never Knew

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Make up is a crucial part of our life now. Women all over the world spend a huge amount of money on cosmetics and make up. Ever wondered how it all started?? Interestingly make up is as ancient as you can imagine. It has existed for thousands of years. Makeup, according to archeologists has been there for over two thousand years and was initially used for cosmetic as well as health purposes. Fascinatingly, the most interesting things were used to apply on your face in old time. Things like lead, tar and a line of similar elements were use that we wouldn’t even dream putting over face now. The range in cosmetics has evolved and is now much more skin friendly. Here are some very interesting, yet shocking facts elaborated by makeup artist “Michelle Phan” about makeup:

They say that in the olden days, makeup was used to frighten enemies, show a social ranking or simply to use magic. Some tribes still follow this ritual in the world.

During the great queen of Egypt “Cleopetra’s” reign, she would soak her ship sails into perfume so that the Romans would smell her scent before her arrival. Sort of like a pre arrival warning don’t you think?

Neon nail polish is illegal in the United States. While many brands tout neon shades, their colors do not possess the true neon colorant. Neon within nail polish is not approved by the FDA.

There was a most disgusting way of dying hair black in old times. The artists would take healthy well fed leeches and put them in vinegar flasks. The substance would ferment for two months until it turned into a thick paste. The paste was then applied to hair and left on the hair to dry. Imagine that!!

In the 18th century, England almost passed a law that allowed men to divorce their wives if they caught them wearing makeup.

Every year there are close to 900 million lipsticks sold worldwide. That means almost every single person in the US could own three tubes of lipstick!

The first ever nail polish was created in China in 3000BC. Unlike the formula today, the original version was a mixture ofbeeswax, gum, egg whites and colored powder.

For a woman to wear makeup in Morrisville, Pennsylvania she must get a permit first. Luckily, no one is enforcing this law! 

In Renaissance Italy women created the ultimate red lip and cheek stain by mixing cochineal, sandalwood or cinnabar with wax or grease. The application process was difficult, but the red color lasted for over a week, even if she washed her face every day.

Women used to pinch their cheeks to give themselves rosy cheeks before blush was invented.

The ancient Romans considered wrinkles, freckles, sunspots, skin flakes and blemishes to be unfavorable. To soften wrinkles, they used swan fat or donkey milk. Sores and freckles were treated with the ashes of snails.

Interestingly, Nightingale feces are used in geisha facials. It is applied wet and allowed to dry.  It’s supposed to diminish wrinkles and said to be a great exfoliation.

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