Cosmetics have been culturally significant for eons. Egyptians were among the first to use them in their routines, where royalty would darken their eyes with kohl or smear pigments made from scarab exoskeleton to give themselves the appearance of being deities, as it was believed that the pharaoh was the descendant of a god. Commoners too wore makeup, as a sign of class or possibly family loyalty. The Japanese Geisha wore heavy white makeup with bright pink lips and vibrant eyes, which, while meant for entertaining men, was a reflection of their subtly, strength and grace. Noble women in European countries powdered their faces because being pale was a virtue, and added blush to signify innocence. Commoners who could not afford makeup often pinched their cheeks so that they would look like they were wearing blush. All of these cultures relied on makeup that reflected a significant trend in what was seen as beautiful.

In the early 20^th century, wearing cosmetics was seen as a mark of sin for women, and women wearing cosmetics were often called “women of the night” (meaning those who worked in the Red District, performed in cabarets or vaudevilles, or appeared on the motion films). For modesty and virtue’s sake, most women chose to go without makeup, as society believed it was “creating a false impression”, mainly for men. However, as the 1920’s saw the debut of Hollywood, cosmetic companies began to arise to produce products for the film industry. It was now when the first makeup artists and makeup studios came about. Max Factor and Elizabeth Arden were two of these. Soon there was a public market that began for lipstick, blush and cake-mascara. Makeup tips were published little by little is magazines and papers, and the industry became accessible to more common women. After the second world war, the cosmetic industry boomed, and the definition of makeup had changed, especially in the eyes of men. At this point in history, middle-class women wearing makeup was meant to please the man, rather than create an accessory for women to wear. Feminists in the 70’s protested by wearing no makeup, thinking that a woman should be more than just a pretty face. But hold up…

Did we just argue 70 years ago that women should be allowed to wear makeup without being sexual objects?

As you can probably tell, the history of cosmetics is a long and strange one. They have been present since the beginning of time, and have appeared in almost every society. As cosmetics in western countries became more accessible, like we say in the 20^th century, the women who wore them began to symbolize certain morals regarding virtue and innocence. In just 70 years, we have seen the complete shift from the acceptability of makeup, going from an unacceptable practice to one that is often pushed onto women. In essence, women were judged in every aspect. And now that we’ve hit the 21^st century, there has been a big turnover of how we see every day makeup.

Women still get both ends of the stick when it comes to their makeup.

“Oh? You don’t wear makeup? Maybe try a bit of concealer or lipstick.”

“Oh jeez, I can see your highlight from miles away, maybe tone is down a little? You don’t need makeup, you look good without it.”

In essence, people are never satisfied. And they will never be fully satisfied. However, makeup is beginning to take a turn away from representing the woman it is being worn by, and this is how the 21^st century is reclaiming makeup as an art.

If you’ve never heard of YouTube, I don’t know where you’ve been on this planet. YouTube is this planet’s prime source for video sharing and creating video content, so much that individuals have made livings and built empires off of it. YouTube has given people the ability to become creators of content that they can upload, monetize, and share the content they have created. Of course, the more popular you become as a creator, the more of a following you build up, and the more money you make. Many content creators began sharing makeup tips and tricks on YouTube, which led them to be followed by millions. They became known as “influencers”, and they have opened up the doors to reclaiming the cosmetics industry.

The people that follow or participate in sharing beauty tips and tricks online is dubbed the “Beauty Community”. One of the primary influencers for this community was Michelle Phan, who created a YouTube Channel in 2007 and has since gained 8 million followers and generated over 1 billion collected views. She began with simple and natural makeup, but she was helping young girls learn basic makeup tips through such an easy platform. What she was doing may seem basic, but it was unprecedented. Many girls learned how to do their makeup just by watching their mother, or by sneaking into the bathroom and playing with lipstick. Now, there was an expansive platform to learn more. Michelle continued creating videos that became fun and expressive, such as her “Lady Gaga Transformation”, which is one of her most popular videos to date. She has since inspired many others to become creators and artists on YouTube and other social media platforms, and has opened the gate to creating the Online Beauty Community.

Since then, creators, or “YouTubers”, as they’ve been called, have had to figure out a way to continue drawing in audiences. Doing subtle looks was repetitive, and could get uninteresting to watch. So plenty were turning to brighter colors and more complicated techniques, which were not so simple to emulate and required time and practice to master. This is when beauty went from being just another routine to becoming an art form. Creators expressed themselves through colors that were “too bold” to be natural, or techniques “too complicated” to be done in the morning as a part of a look to wear to work. These expressions captivated women to see just how much was possible with makeup, and inspired young people to follow in creating looks outside of the “natural zone”.

Cosmetic companies saw the rise of such creativity and makeup, so they began creating products that became accessible to match the market. Such came the idea of “glam” makeup. Being glamorous was often saved for the stars such as Marilyn Monroe, but now, every day women can achieve these looks. Palettes of eyeshadow were curated not just with browns and taupes, but with sparkling blues, deep brick reds, vibrant oranges and other colors of the rainbow. They were meant to represent certain aesthetics with each palette, and it was up to the user to decide how to use the colors. Markets for new products came to life. Blush was always a sought after product, but where there had been possibly 3 shades to choose from previously, most lines now have over 10 shades to pick for whatever skin type someone may have. New products that would allow for a common “glam” market were created, such as technical brow products that allowed for the shaping and creating of any eyebrow, or the highlighter, which accentuates where light naturally falls on the face. Companies now often pair with content creators online, such as popular YouTubers or Instagram Artists, to create products that they would approve of for their followers to use.

Now that makeup is being reclaimed as an individual’s art form, it is now also being reiterated as a choice. As said before, women usually can’t win in society’s eyes. They're either wearing too little makeup or too much, and no one is ever satisfied. But those who fight for makeup as an art form also fight for it as a choice. Makeup is an option and a right that women should have, not a necessity to be beautiful. Many believe that it is important to love who you are as a person before you put on your face of makeup, because no cosmetic can change how you act or how you treat other people. Before putting on cosmetics, everyone should love who they are on the inside, even if there’s a blemish or two on the face that sometimes put us all down. Many are happy not wearing any makeup at all, and often find it unnecessary or uncomfortable. That is their decision, and they have the right to make it. But if you want to show everyone in the world that your eyeliner can, as they say, “cut a man”, then go ahead and do it.

As for my personal opinion, I began wearing makeup out of curiosity, not out of insecurity, and I grew to love the art of it because it’s the only kind of art I can do. I find, for myself, that there’s a serenity that comes with putting the makeup on. My morning routine is a time where I’m silent and alone with my thoughts, while bouncing my beauty blender sponge on my face or while carving out my eyebrows with my pomade. I find it a time to wake up, to be self-reflective, all the while getting ready for my day. Not only is it a self-expression, for a love playing with the colors of my eyeshadows and lipsticks, but it’s my method of relaxation. Others can sketch, but I paint on my face. And for many girls around the world, doing their makeup is a symbol of their expression. And it’s their choice to keep it that way.