June 2007 Edition
The Cosmetics Know How
The history of cosmetics spans at least 6000 years of human history, and almost every society on earth.
As viewers saw pictures of celebrities with flawless complexions and intense sexual allure, standards of feminine beauty began to change. Cosmetics became a way to embellish one's appearance.
The cosmetics industry grew rapidly during the 1920s. At first, many women's magazines refused advertisements for cosmetics, but by the end of the '20s, cosmetics provided one of their largest sources of advertising revenue. The global cosmetics industry is now worth $40 billion.
The cosmetics industry takes off in the 20th century
Among those who saw the opportunity for mass-market cosmetics were Max Factor, Sr., Elizabeth Arden, and Helena Rubinstein. Modern synthetic hair dye was invented in 1907 by Eugene Schueller, founder of L’Oreal.
As the popularity of beauty salons increased, in the beginning of the 20th century, the cosmetics industry became established – and it’s never looked back. Starting with a salon called Selfridges, which opened in 1909 in London, cosmetics were no longer hidden under the counter, but were sold on the open market.
After the First World War, the flapper look came into fashion for the first time, and with it came cosmetics: dark eyes, red lipstick, red nail polish, and the suntan, invented as a fashion statement by Coco Chanel. Previously, suntans had only been sported by agricultural workers, while fashionable women kept their skins as pale as possible. In the wake of Chanel's adoption of the suntan, dozens of new fake tan products were produced to help both men and women achieve the "sun-kissed" look.
Types of Cosmetics
For the Lips:
Lipsticks - Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color and texture to the lips.
Lipstick is known to have been used around 5000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, when semi-precious jewels were crushed and applied to the lips and occasionally around the eyes. Women in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization applied lipstick to their lips for face decoration. Ancient Egyptians extracted purplish-red dye from fucus-algin, 0.01% iodine, and some bromine mannite, which resulted in serious illness. Cleopatra had her lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, which gave a deep red pigment, and ants for a base. Lipsticks with shimmering effects were initially made using a substance found in fish scales called pearlescence.
Lipstick started to gain popularity in the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who made blood-red lips and stark white faces a fashion statement. By that time, lipstick was made from a blend of beeswax and red stains from plants.
During the Second World War, lipstick gained popularity as a result of its use in the movie industry, and it became commonplace for women to apply makeup, or "put their face on".
As with most other types of makeup, lipstick is typically but not exclusively worn by women.
Concealer - A concealer or colour corrector is a type of makeup used to cover pimples, dark circles and other small blemishes visible on the skin. This product is mainly used by women.
Depending on what is being covered, concealer may be green, white, blue, purple or matched to skin tone. White can be used to hide dark circles or bruising and brighten dull skin, green helps to cover up redness caused by pimples or broken veins, blue whitens a reddish complexion, purple adds a healthy glow to yellow-toned skin and matched concealers are not only the easiest to find and cheapest to buy, but are held by some to be the most effective at hiding pimples, blackheads and blemishes.
Blusher or Rouge - (ruːʒ; French: Red), also called Blush, is a cosmetic typically used by women to redden the cheeks so as to provide a more youthful appearance, and to emphasise the cheekbones.
In some times and places, both men and women wore rouge, such as during the Regency period in England. In Britain's Victorian Age, when wearing makeup was associated with low morals, ladies resorted to pinching their cheeks (and biting their lips) to make them appear red instead.
In ancient Greece for example, crushed mulberries were favoured, while red beet juice and crushed strawberries have also variously been used.
In modern times, rouge generally consists of a red-coloured talcum-based powder that is applied with a brush to the cheek. The colouring is usually either the substance of safflor (the petals of safflower), or a solution of carmine in ammonium hydroxide and rosewater perfumed with rose oil. A cream-based variant of rouge is schnouda, a colourless mixture of Alloxan with cold cream, which also colours the skin red.
For the Eyes:
Eyeliner - Eye liner is a make-up used to define the eyes, to change their perceived shape or to create a certain mood: a razor-sharp matte line or smoky kohl contour may change the entire look of the face. Depending on its texture, eyeliner can be softly smudged or clearly defined. Liquid eye liner gives the most intense and precise line that perfectly defines the eyes and stays sharp over time. It is usually available in dark matte or iridescent shades and come in small bottle with a brush or felt applicator. It is recommended for top eye lid only, as not only does it have a tendency to irritate the eye if incorrectly applied, it also gives a very harsh line.
Harder powder-based eye pencil draws a clean and precise line and is easy to apply. It is available in dark matte shades.
Softer wax-based eye pencils contain waxes that ease application. Bright blue, green, aqua, violet, or bronze liners are appropriate when a bright colour should be quickly and precisely applied in a line. Light beige or white liners are used to highlight eye lids and corners. This type of eye liner may come in a pencil, a cone or a compact with a brush applicator.
Kohl eyeliner has the softest powder texture and is available in dark matte shades. Kohl is used to softly define the eye contour with a dark (usually black) colour. This product may come in several forms: pencil, pressed powder, or loose powder. A less common formula is gel eye liner, which is a softer gel feel liner that can be easily applied with an eyeliner brush. It is precise application and much softer than Kohl. Best when combined with creamy/powder eye shadow.
Most people style their eyes in correspondence to clothes and tend to have multi-tonal colours on the top and bottom lids
Eye Shadow - Eye shadow is a cosmetic which is applied on the eyelids and under the eyebrows, to help make wearer's eyes stand out or look more attractive. Eye shadow adds depth and dimension to one's eyes, compliments the eye color, or simply draw attention to the eyes. Civilizations across the world use eye shadow predominantly on females, but also occasionally on males. In Western society, it is seen exclusively as a feminine cosmetic, even when used by men. On average, the distance between eyelashes and eyebrows is twice as high in women as in men, and so the use of pale eye shadow to visually enlarge this area has a feminising effect.
In Goth and some Punk subcultures, black or similarly dark-colored eye shadow and other types of eye makeup are popular amongst both genders.
Depending on your skin tone, and your experience, the effect of eye shadow usually brings out glamorous and attention bringing out the eyes.
Kohl -Kohl is a mixture of soot and other ingredients used predominantly by Middle Eastern, North African, Sub-Saharan African and Asian women, and to a lesser extent men, to darken the eyelids and as mascara for the eyelashes. Kohl {from Arabic كحل kuḥl) is also sometimes spelled kol, kehal (in the Arab world), or kohal, and is known as sirma or kajal in South Asia.
Kohl has been worn traditionally as far back as the Bronze Age. Kohl was originally used as protection against eye ailments. Mothers would also apply kohl to their infants' eyes soon after birth. Some did this to "strengthen the child's eyes," and others believed it could prevent the child from being cursed by an "evil eye".
Sirma, also spelled surma, is the Punjab word for kohl. It is a traditional ceremonial dye, which predominantly men of the Punjab apply to their eyes on special social or religious occasions. Usually the wife or the mother applies the dye onto the eyes of the male. The equivalent of the dye in western culture would be mascara.
Kajal (Hindi, kājal) is the Hindi word for kohl. In India, it is used by women as a type of eyeliner that is put around the edge of the eyes.
Even now in southern rural India, especially in Kerala, women of the household prepare the kajal. The preparation of this kajal is also a very interesting process. A clean, white, thin 4x4 inch muslin cloth is used. It is repeatedly dipped in sandalwood paste or juice of Alstonia scholaris (Manjal karisilanganni) and dried in shade. After sunset, they make a wick out of the cloth and use it to light a mud lamp filled with castor oil. 'Buri nazar' literally means 'bad glance' and is comparable to the 'evil eye', although it can be interpreted as ill-wishes of people or even lustful eyes, in the sense of men ogling women. (It is passingly mentioned that way in 'Devdas', the movie starring Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit and others.) It is also applied at the nape a baby or child's neck so that it is not visible; at the same time it protects the child from the evil eye.
While kohl is often considered a harmless, "natural" cosmetic, it is a serious public health concern.
Some kohl preparations contain a large proportion of galena (lead sulfide) or stibnite (an antimony ore), and the soot from various nuts, seeds and gum resins.
Studies have found both commercial and non-commercial preparations of kohl to contain high levels of contaminants including lead. Lead levels in commercial kohl preparations have been as high as 84%. Kohl samples from India and Arab countries, analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, have found galena, amorphous carbon, zincite, sassolite or aragonite, cuprite, goethite, elemental silicon or talc, hematite, minium, and magnetite.
Anemia from lead poisoning is of special concern in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries where other forms of anemia are prevalent — including iron deficiency anemia (from malnutrition) and hemoglobinopathy (sickle cell anemia, thalassemia).
Mascara - Mascara is a cosmetic used to darken, thicken and define eyelashes. Mascara comes in three forms: liquid, cake and cream. It also comes in many formulas, tints and colors. The general purpose of mascara is to emphasize, thicken, lengthen, and define lashes. Mascara is available with tube and wand applicators. Ingredients in mascara include water, wax thickeners, film-formers and preservatives. Mascara brushes can be straight or curved, to curl eye lashes, with fine or thick bristles. Some mascara wands contain rayon or nylon fibers to lengthen eyelashes.
The first mascara product was invented by Eugene Rimmel in the 19th century. The word "rimmel" still means "mascara" in several languages, including French and Italian.
The word mascara derives from the Italian maschera, which means "mask". Modern mascara was created in 1913 by a chemist named T. L. Williams for his sister, Mabel. This early mascara was made from coal dust mixed with Vaseline petroleum jelly. Mascara was available only in cake form, and was composed of colorants and carnauba wax. Users wet a brush and rubbed it over the cake, then applied it to the eyes. Mascara may be used on all eyelashes, from inner to outer corners. The mascara wand is dipped into a clean tube of mascara, applied close to the base of the lashes and worked out to the tips. Mascara wands are made of plastic, cannot be cleaned, and should never be shared. Mascara can be applied to the top eyelashes for a 'heavy-lidded' look, or to the bottom lashes to widen the eyes. It is usually applied to curled lashes and may be preceded by a lash primer. The moisture in some mascaras and primers can cause lashes to uncurl during application, which is easily solved by using a drier, waterproof mascara. Mascara that contains nylon fibers can give lashes a fuller and longer appearance because it clings to the lashes like mini extensions.
For the Nails
Nail Polish - Nail polish or nail varnish is a cosmetic lacquer that is applied to the nails of both the fingers and toes, usually cosmetically, but also as protection for the nails.
The color and condition of a person’s nails has long been an indication of social status. In ancient times women were identified and separated from men by the color of their nails. Nail condition also identified common laborers, as they worked with their hands, having a finely manicured set of nails was not only impractical for them; it was an extravagance they couldn’t afford. Thus, only wealthy aristocrats from ancient times were seen with finely trimmed and decorated nails. A fifteenth-century Ming manuscript cites red and black as the colors chosen by royalty for centuries previous. The Egyptians also used nail color to signify social order, with shades of red at the top. Queen Nefertiti, wife of the king Ikhnaton, colored her fingers and toes nails ruby red and Cleopatra favored a deep rust red. Women of lower rank who colored their nails were permitted only pale hues, and no woman dared to flaunt the color worn by the queen - or king, as Egyptian men, too, sported painted nails.
Nail polish is traditionally worn by women, who may apply it to their fingernails, toenails, or both.
Traditional colors for nail polish are red, pink and flesh-colored shades, although more unusual shades are also available. Today, nail polish can be found in nearly every color and shade desired. It is believed that the film Pulp Fiction started a trend for a shade of dark red nail polish during the mid-1990s, after Uma Thurman's character wore Chanel's "Rouge Noir" (known as "Vamp" in the USA) throughout. Nail polish may also be used to complete an outfit. In this case, women, and occasionally men, match the color of the nail polish to the colors of the clothing.
Some types of polish are advertised to cause nail growth, make nails stronger, and stop nail biting. Nail polish may be applied as one of several components in a manicure.
Cosmetics and Make up in Tanzania
Throughout the last few decades, women’s choices of cosmetics greatly increased. There were many companies selling many kinds of makeup. Cosmetics now included eye makeup, like mascara, eye shadow and eye liner; facial cleansing systems, including cleanser, toner and moisturizer; nail polish, every color and design you can think of; lotions, lipsticks, skincare products, powders – the list goes on and on. Perhaps that’s why cosmetics is a multi-billion dollar industry today.
In Tanzania, especially within the major cities, cosmetics are big business. In the past 10 years Tanzanian women have become fashionable with imports of ‘mitumba’ (category one used, out of season or damaged clothes and accessories) from overseas and to add, the media industry has taken a different direction where hip-hop and musical culture has taken prime. In this light, women and men are more exposed to the looks and beauty on screen, what they see on television is a style, fashion.
Tanzanians are now followers of style, with Miss Tanzania, Miss Universe and all these competitions in place the market is filled with products to beautify oneself.
It is interesting to note that it is not only the ladies who like to ‘kujipamba’ (beautify) themselves but also the men. There are plenty of men’s hair cutting salons where a manicure, pedicure and facial are part of the treatment men go in for. Men are now also prone to using moisturizers on a daily basis and Nivea even have special facial moisturizers for men.
There are plenty of shops now where they sell ‘vipodozi’ (cosmetics) and weaves. Women flock to these shops on a weekly basis to change their hairstyles and buy new weaves. With cosmetics ranging from L’Oreal, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Rimmel, Body Shop, Lancome, Guerlien, Maybelline and Revlon, there is nothing that is now not readily available in the Tanzanian market, and if we don’t have it, we’ll get it.
Cosmetics are products that sell, even when there’s a recession. Women will always find the money for their makeup. And the men don’t mind. After all, they’re the ones who benefit from those good looks. They’re the ones who’ve appreciated the efforts that women have gone to throughout the years, to make themselves “presentable”.
With abstracts from Arden Mellor's 'History of Cosmetics' and Wikipedia.
