The history of makeup, from kohl to today.

Ancient world

The first cosmetics

Early cosmetics were made from ground minerals, ochre, soot, plant dyes and animal fats.

1. Ancient Egypt

   Kohl-lined eyes

   Men and women wore kohl and malachite. Cosmetic palettes and jars have been found in tombs.

2. Mesopotamia

   Lip and eye colour

   Crushed gemstones and pigments decorated the lips and eyes of the elite.

3. Greece & Rome

   Pale skin, rosy cheeks

   White lead powders and plant-based rouges were popular, sometimes at a serious cost to health.

Middle ages to 1800s

Courts, theatre and powder

1. Heian Japan

   White faces and painted brows

   Court beauty included white face powder, blackened teeth and high painted brows.

2. Elizabethan England

   The pale ideal

   Ceruse, a lead-based white, was used to create porcelain skin.

3. 18th-century Europe

   Rouge and beauty patches

   Heavy powder, rouge and small patches were fashionable at court for men and women.

History's most dangerous makeup is the reason we read ingredient lists today.

Modern era

The 20th-century beauty revolution

1. 1910s–20s

   Lipstick in a tube

   Metal lipstick tubes and cinema made bold lips and dark eyes widely popular.

2. 1950s

   Hollywood glamour

   Winged liner, red lips and matte foundation defined the decade.

3. 1960s–80s

   Experimentation

   Graphic eyes, disco shimmer and bold colour reflected youth culture.

4. 2000s–today

   Skin-first and inclusive

   Wider shade ranges, skincare-infused makeup and social media tutorials changed how people learn and shop.

Lessons

What history teaches us