Did you know that between 1790 and 1840, it was the men rather than the women who dominated the cosmetic scene?
This was a time of unprecedented effeminacy in men's dress. Beau Brummel was setting new English standards by cleaning his teeth, scrubbing his skin, shaving, and even tweezing out single hairs from his face. He was setting new standards of personal hygiene as stringent as those of the early days of the Roman Empire were. After two centuries of such hectic cosmetic dying and brewing and paintings, the ladies needed a rest.
Regency women, content with fewer and fewer cosmetics aids were beginning to attract attention to other parts of their bodies by wearing dresses ever more daringly flimsy and revealing, bringing on an increase in bronchitis and pneumonia, made worse by the popular habit of wetting dresses so that it would cling more revealingly to the body. Ladies relied more and more on clothing and natural aids, such as flowers, to beautify themselves; they used cosmetics only sparingly.
By the time Victoria was on the throne, the use of cosmetics had virtually disappeared - the only beauty aid being a discreet dash of eau de cologne. Rouge and face paints were judged quite improper. The fashion of the day was a small roseate mouth, her eyes were large and preferably blue, under beautiful arched brows. Her skin however had to be deathly pale, as tanned skin was seen as only on labourers or field workers. Victorian men however, were likely to use chalk if too florid, or rouge if too pale. Castor oil and beeswax were employed for the growth and health of his hair and moustache and tweezers used for the removal of unwanted eyebrows.
It was not until the end of Victoria's reign that female cosmetics were allowed to return, but they were masqueraded as healers. Adverse attitudes towards cosmetics were so entrenched that creams were sold as "Healer for removing spots". The introduction of creams from Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden laid careful stress on general good health and physical fitness if a beautiful complexion were to be achieved. The turn of the century (from the 19th to the 20th) was an era of transition between the traditional, conventional classicism and new ideas and styles. The break with the old Victorian ideas and the burgeoning Art Deco period, including the early days of the film industry, was to have a tremendous impact on all aspects of fashion including makeup.
1900
Viewed as the sole preserve of prostitutes and music-hall performers, make-up is such a taboo in Victorian society that a man can divorce his wife for wearing it. Extravagant hair arrangements are, however, considered very attractive. French hairdresser Marcel Grateau introduces his famous wave, designed to make the hair look like a ripling sheet of silk. Cologne is accepted as adornment for the senses, though vanity is frowned upon.
1910s
Whereas cosmetics had previously been sold 'under the counter', the decision of Selfridges department store in London to sell powder and rouge openly proves hugely popular with women, though not with men. As the suffragette movement struggles to win the vote, they also fight for the right to look as they please and wear red lipstick as a symbol of feminine defiance. The work of women during World War I soften MP's opposition and the right to vote is won - only for women aged 30 and over - in 1918.
1970s
In an era of increased political activity, the women's liberation movement emerges, generating a backlash against the concept of prettying oneself to please men. Women also realise that the beauty industry is governed by and perpetuated by men, and eschew the defiant lipstick-wearing of their suffragette sisters to denounce make-up and embrace the natural look. The publication of Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch inspires anti-establishment look. Boiler suits are donned, bras are burned and women stop shaving their armpits and legs. Despite the growing assertion of black culture - symbolized by the popularity of the Afro hairstyle - major cosmetics companies continue to ignore the need for a beauty range suited to darker skins. Iman, a Somali-born diplomat's daughter, becomes the first black supermodel.
1980s
Materialism and consumerism are the buzzwords and a super-glam look personifies the get-rich-quick philosophy of the times. Vanity is celebrated and decadent; expertly applied make-up symbolizes the high-maintenance grooming of the trophy wife. The 'Princess Di' becomes the most popular hairstyle of the decade. Paradoxically, the increasing profile of animal rights groups highlights the vivisection inherent in the survival of the cosmetics industry. Anita Roddick's aim of sourcing cruelty-free and natural ingredients from ancient cultures and threatened communities, while highlighting global issues, proves that conscience shopping can be a commercial winner.
1990s
Consumers become increasingly sophisticated. A desire to enhance one's natural beauty with lighter, less visible formulas results in scientific approach to cosmetics that appeals to users. Cosmetics no longer just cover-up but are 'light-reflecting' and 'wrinkle defying', too. The battle to rid the body of cellulite with expensive creams and body-toners dominates, while the growing interest in celebrity looks sees top make-up artists such as Bobbi Brown launching highly successful independant ranges. Supermodel Iman, frustrated by the appalling lack of ranges to suit women of colour, succeeds with her own make-up line. Meanwhile, Issabella Rossellini, famously dumped by Lancome for being too old at 43, launches her own Manifesto range, designed to suit women of all ages.
In the 21st Century
As the population grows even older, the urge to remain youthful blossoms and the anti-ageing cream becomes king. Much cosmetic surgery is increasingly accepted as risk-free. Quick-fix treatments, such as collagen lip implants and 'Botox' anti-wrinkle injections, can be performed in a lunchtime; while other treatments such as facial skin peels, laser and electric wave therapy, are increasingly popular.
