We’ve been painting our faces forever (literally)
Makeup is not new.
It is one of mankind’s oldest art forms – a universal language of power, beauty, protection and sometimes pure chaos.
Before there were palettes and primers, people mixed metals, ashes, bugs, and even poison to get the “look.”
Every era’s makeup told a story — about status, identity, survival or rebellion.
Let’s take a journey through 5,000 years of contouring, creativity and questionable chemistry.
1. Ancient Egypt: The Birth of the Smoky Eye 👁️
The Egyptians invented the concept of it makeup with a purpose.
Men and women wore bold eyeliner not only for beauty – but also for sun protection and spiritual defense.
Their signature formula? Crushed galena (a lead-based mineral), carbon black and animal fat.
Looks great, feels… toxic.
📌 Scientific fact: Kohl’s dark pigment reflected sunlight, reducing shine — ancient SPF!
📌 Disadvantage: Prolonged exposure to lead damaged the skin and nerves.
✅ Modern version: Vegan, allergen-safe eyeliners with carbon-based pigments — minus the lead poisoning.
💡 Fun fact: Archaeologists have found ancient eyeliner pots with built-in applicators – the OG compacts.
2. Ancient China: The First Red Lip 💋
Chinese kings in the Shang Dynasty (about 3,000 years ago) wore lip color made from beeswax, red ocher and crushed gemstones.
Lips symbolized vitality, prosperity and protection from evil spirits.
📌 Cultural note: Red wasn’t just a color – it was energy, luck and life.
📌 Victory of Science: Beeswax was the world’s first natural emollient.
✅ Modern Echo: Red lipstick remains a symbol of confidence, revolution and self-expression — now in gluten-free, cruelty-free formulations.
3. Ancient Greece & Rome: Beauty, but Make It Sneaky 🫣
In Ancient Greece, heavy makeup was frowned upon — “modesty” was ideal.
So women crushed mulberries or red clay for a subtle tint, pretending it was natural.
The Romans, on the other hand, went all in — lead-based foundation, chalk-white faces and saffron for blush.
📌 Result: Porcelain skins… and lead poisoning.
📌 Contemporary Glamour: Pure mineral foundations that perfect without poisoning.
💡 Fun fact: Roman soldiers wore red pigment around their eyes during battle – to make them look more intimidating.
4. The Middle Ages: Lipstick was a sin (obviously) 😇💄
During medieval Europe, makeup was associated with vanity and magic.
Women used herbs, berries, and—in extreme cases—mercury-based powders to fake a “god-given” glow.
📌 Church Approved Beauty: Natural pallor, without color.
📌 Underground Beauty: Red balms made from roots and wax, hidden as contraband.
✅ Modern takeaway: Makeup has always been a rebellion—and still is.
5. The Renaissance: Blush, eyebrows and blindingly white faces 🎨
Renaissance women were pale – the whiter the better.
They used lead and vinegar paste for foundation and crushed beetles for blush.
Yes, beetles.
Cochineal and carmine dyes are still used in some products today (although vegan brands now omit the bugs).
📌 Scientific fact: Lead makeup caused anemia and hair loss — but hey, priorities.
✅ Modern fix: Pure, vegan pigments and mineral pigments for sensitive skin.
💡 Fun fact: The word “makeup” didn’t exist yet – it was called “toilet”.
6. The 18th century: Beauty becomes political (and poisonous) ☠️🎀
The Georgian and Rococo era brought the drama: powdered wigs, rouge, dyed veins and beauty patches in the shape of hearts or stars.
Men and women wore layers of lead and pink carmine to show wealth.
The look said, “I’m rich enough to stay indoors.”
📌 Disadvantage: The dust caused lead poisoning, black teeth and death.
📌 Modern upgrade: Clear foundations that flatter your skin tone — and your lifespan.
💡 Fun fact: People were literally “signing” secret messages of love through the placement of their face patches. Scandal and style, hand in hand.
7. The 1920s: Red lips and revolution 💃
Enter the era of the flapper – where lipstick became a symbol of freedom.
After the First World War, women cut their hair, danced with loudspeakers and painted their lips red as a declaration of independence.
📌 Cultural shift: Makeup was no longer vanity – it was visibility.
📌 Scientific support: The first twist-on lipstick tube was invented in 1915.
✅ Modern Echo: Red lipstick still signals strength, rebellion and joy – just now in allergen-safe, vegan formulations.
💡 Fun fact: The suffragettes used red lipstick as a form of protest — it freaked out the politicians and we love that about them.
8. The 1950s: The Birth of “Flawless” 💅
Post-war glam brought smooth skin, soft powder and pastel lips — think Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.
📌 New Obsession: The perfect matte finish.
📌 Scientific Leap: Emulsion foundations were born — but often used animal fats and heavy perfumes (sensitive skin’s nightmare).
✅ Modern upgrade: Light, gluten-free, non-food-borne bases that breathe.
💡 Fun fact: The 1950s introduced the shade ranges… although for decades, “range” meant three shades of beige.
9. The 1980s: Color Explosion ⚡️
Blue eyeshadow. Neon blush. Lip liner thicker than a Sharpie.
The ’80s were like, “Sensitivity? I’ve never heard of that.”
📌 Inspiration: MTV, pop idols, self-expression.
📌 Innovation: Powder pigments, metallic finishes and waterproof everything.
✅ Modern Echo: Playful color, but cleaner ingredients — mica without microplastics, pigments without irritants.
💡 Fun fact: Blush applied everywhere — cheeks, temples, even ears. More was more.
10. Today: Filters, Freedom and a Great Makeup Detox 📱🌿
Today’s makeup culture is all about balance — between artistry and authenticity.
We contour and highlight, but we also celebrate bare skin.
Makeup is no longer a mask – it’s a mood.
📌 Modern Movement: Rich shades, vegan pigments, allergen-safe ingredients and barrier-friendly formulas.
📌 Scientific truth: Less can be more — clean formulas allow skin to breathe and microbiomes to thrive.
💡 Fun fact: Over 60% of Gen Z prefer ‘hybrid’ makeup – products that double as skincare.
✅ New Beauty Motto: Wear makeup that loves your skin back.
Final thought: From war painting to self-love 💖
Makeup started as survival, became art, flirted with poison and ended up as empowerment.
Every stroke of color in the story told the same story:
the human desire to see, to feel beautiful, to create.
Now, we finally have the science to do it safely —
gluten free, cruelty free, allergen safe and kind to all skin types.
Because the most powerful makeup isn’t about transformation – it’s about expression.
And this? It never goes out of fashion.
