Here’s 5,000 years of makeup trends, all in seven minutes
Lisa Eldridge knows her makeup history. The artist and author took to YouTube to experiment with all the different beauty trends since the beginning of time, showing us the ups and downs of makeup, as well as the way it was used by different cultures. It’s fascinating, and will make you feel like a part of history the next time you dab some concealer over a zit.
She starts with the Egyptians, who were the first to use makeup, as well as the most experimental. This stemmed from their interest in chemistry, and actually made them pretty advanced for their time. Both women and men would wear it, and the opportunity to create different looks gave women a certain amount of freedom compared to later cultures.
Next came ancient Greece, where women who wore makeup were frowned upon by the male elite. This is because women were supposed to be “virtuous,” and wearing makeup was seen as frivolous compared to their duties in the home.
When it came to the Medieval period? Forget it. Makeup was seen as a kind of deception, mostly because of religion. A person was supposed to be pure and ethereal, with nothing covering or altering their face.
But then the Venetian period rolled around, and aristocrats went heavy with the makeup. Pale skin, rosy cheeks, all this was crucial to the culture. While before, the less makeup the better, now, makeup was an indicator of class. They loaded it on.
Next up, the Victorian era, when makeup was once again out of vogue. It was considered vulgar, thanks to a proclamation by Queen Victoria.
These trends fluctuated throughout the rest of history until we get to present day, when makeup changes from decade to decade, and gives us the power to choose exactly how we want to express ourselves.
(Image via YouTube)
Related:
