Fashion

Makeup Through History Shows How Much Has Changed

by Kat George

Women have been wearing makeup throughout most of history, and while there were eras when it was considered hot for men to get a little powder on their cheeks too, makeup has generally been the sole domain of women. As such, Buzzfeed has created a video showcasing makeup trends throughout history, from ancient Egypt to the modern era. It's very interesting to see which cultures and which eras favored heavy makeup. For instance, there are a lot of similarities between Ancient Egypt and the Swingin' Sixties, which I'm chalking that up to the influence of Elizabeth Taylor's turn as Cleopatra.

Probably closest to modern era beauty are Ancient Greek and Victorian Era beauty standards, which favored more a more natural look. While our current generation of culturally prolific beauty idols might be obsessed with surgery and Photoshop, us every day ladies aim for perfectly tousled hair, barely there rosy cheeks and big eyebrows. Beauty trends obviously come and go, but I, for one, am championing natural beauty. I don't think there's anything wrong with makeup, or spending time on your appearance, I just happen to think minimal is the sexiest look of all. See if you agree:

1. Ancient Egypt c. 3150 - 31 BC

Kohl-lined eyes with blue or green eyeshadow, boldly colored lips and braided hair.

2. Ancient Greece c. 800 - 500 BC

Natural eyeshadow, unibrow and natural beauty.

3. India's Gupta Age c. 320 - 550 AD

Kohl-lined eyes, fresh flowers in the hair, lip rouge and a bindi for married women.

4. Elizabethan Era c. 1558 - 1603

Pale face, lip rouge and large foreheads.

5. Japanese Geisha c. mid-1700s

White foundation, red lips with charcoal and red-lined eyes.

6. Pre-French Revolution c. 1775 - 1789

Red cheeks, shiny lips, pale skin and fake beauty marks.

7. Victorian Era c. 1837 - 1901

Clear skin and naturally flushed cheeks.

8. Swingin' Sixties c. 1960 -1969

Pale pink lips, false eyelashes, contoured cheeks and bouffant wigs.

Watch the full video today and see how the modern era measures up against historical beauty:

Images: YouTube