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The history of skincare brings a wealth of ancient knowledge that includes thousands of years of rich culture, traditions, and experimentation. Skin care has always been evolving and is associated with human beings&#; quest to find the fountain of youth, while it remains a part of our most basic self-care routines. The following guide tells an informative story of historical accounts of skin care routines that have brought us towards our standards of skin care to this day.
Our introduction into skincare history should start with the adornment of the eyes. The use of eyeliner is likely to have come from the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians&#; use of Kohl as a cosmetic was a daily occurrence. Kohl held both aesthetic meaning and medicinal significance for both men and women who used it as an eyeliner. The Egyptians also utilized Kohl because it held spiritual or religious significance.
Significant findings of Kohl have been found among the artifacts associated with ancient Egypt, including Kohl applicators, wooden bowls, and Kohl terracotta pots. Some Kohl applicators have been found to date back between BC and BC. However, the subsistence of Kohl as a cosmetic dates back to ancient Egypt around BC.
Eye issues such as trachoma, conjunctivitis, trichiasis, and cataracts were common among the Egyptians due to the salt and sandy region in which they lived. The Ebers Papyrus, found in , by George Ebers, is where the use of Kohl to remedy these issues began. This remedy was found among more than 699 magical solutions that is said to date back between BC and BC. The Antimony, as Kohl was called and what was referred to as &#;eye past&#;, also helped to reduce the impact of the hot sun on the eyes of the Egyptians. The ingredients in the Kohl recipe used by the Egyptians does have some benefits according to today&#;s science:
&#; Chaksu &#; The Chaksu seeds as they are called in Hindi, were used as an ingredient to make the Kohl-based eye paste used by the Egyptians. According to the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, cassia absus, as the Chaksu plant is called botanically, has many benefits, including its use as an antibacterial, antihypertensive, antiglycation, antifertility, and antifungal properties.
&#; Laurionite and Phosgenite Synthesis &#; The compound form of Phosgenite and Laurionite was synthesized by the Egyptians using painstaking efforts. This synthesis of medicinal elements did not occur within their natural environment. However, these added ingredients have been found to produce some remarkable benefits. According to ChemistryWorld.com and the neurochemistry experts that led the group that studied more than 50 Egyptian cosmetic samples at the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France, the synthesis of Laurionite and Phosgenite triggers the body&#;s immune defense system.
&#; Zinc Oxide &#; The addition of zinc oxide within galena or Kohl was also a relevant medicinal element. Although this ingredient may have been used to boost immune responses that protected against ailments, such as the Egyptian sun, wind, and insects, today we know that it offers ocular benefits. According to the National Eye Institute, zinc oxide taken along with other high antioxidants has been shown to reduce the incidence of eye diseases such as macular degeneration that is linked to age-based issues.
The use of Kohl among the Egyptians held some spiritual significance for rich and poor people within the area. According to lore, the use of Kohl was associated with the God of Healing, known as Horus. Kohl also had some spiritual connections to both Hathor and Amun Ra. However, to pay homage to Horus, it is said that Egyptians would apply Kohl to their eyes at least three times each day. This tradition is still upheld in other cultures as well, such as in Muslim cultures. For example, the Prophet Muhammad would apply Kohl three times around his left eye, while he would only apply it twice to his right eye. This traditional is still held among Muslim men during the celebration of Ramadan. Furthermore, another reason why the Egyptians wore Antimony was they felt that they needed extra protection from evil. As a result, they believed that drawing the Eye of Horus and painting the Kohl around their eyes would protect them from evil, such as in the case of the &#;evil eye&#;.
King Hatshepsut was a lady king that has also been depicted with Kohl around her eyes. However, some historians believe that she may have accidentally poisoned herself to death using a cosmetic salve that contained a carcinogenic tar. The study of the lady king&#;s body revealed that her bones did contain cancer. However, a definitive answer as to if the skincare salve she used actually killed her is still under investigation.
Rose Quartz held significant meaning to the Romans. Greeks, and the Egyptians. There is some evidence dating back to BC that these ancient people used rose quartz as part of their skin care routines in the form of face masks. The Rose Quartz was more than the stone of love due to its association with the Goddess Isis, who was known for her youth and beauty. According to mythical legend, the Goddess Isis would take the rose quartz and rub the gem over her face to preserve her youthful looking skin. Today, Egyptian women continue this practice by rubbing the quartz over their faces to prevent wrinkles and preserve their youthful glows.
It was none other than Queen Cleopatra herself that helped to start the history of cosmetics, in regards to beauty and research. Born in 69 BC, Queen Cleopatra, did more than rule fiercely. She was able to develop her own manufacturing plant, including creating many natural perfumes, serums, skincare tinctures, and cosmetics. It&#;s no secret that she is known for sporting the Kohl look along with other Egyptian gods and goddesses. However, here are some specific reasons why Cleopatra made a name for herself in the beauty industry:
One of Cleopatra&#;s beauty secrets to treat her entire skin was to bathe in sour milk. It is a mystery regarding how she discovered the connection between sour milk and the smoothing of her skin. However, we know that sour milk offers us the combined benefits of alpha hydroxy acid and lactic acid for which spa&#;s use as a chemical peel to increase smoothness and a vibrant skin tone today.
Queen Cleopatra was thought to have started the trend of using royal jelly to enhance skincare. Women use royal jelly as a daily moisturizer that is made from nursing bees. Royal Jelly is said to provide many benefits:
&#; Nourishing the skin with essential nutrients
&#; Deep moisturization
&#; Boosts of collagen productivity
&#; Increased elasticity of the skin
&#; Anti-aging cell regeneration
Through her research, Queen Cleopatra was able to make the connection between henna and the nourishment of her hands and nails. Some women take advantage of the benefits of Henna. Such benefits include Henna being a safe and natural nail color alternative, providing protection from nail fungus, and improving nail strength.
BC marked the first time that the Shang Dynasty began skincare. The dynasty valued the look of naturally pale skin. However, painted pale faces were also highly fashionable. To achieve the natural pale look, cosmetics were commissioned that included face powders that incorporated mushrooms, lead, and skin lightening agents.
Europe also caught the craze for the pale skin look. This European standard for beauty included having pale white skin with blue colored eyes and cheeks pinched with rouge. This quintessential beauty standard increased the demand for beauty products that were lead-based and created to lighten the skin. As the European Middle Ages progressed the pale look along with curvy women became mainstream.
Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled between through , was one of the main European characters to put the pale look to use on a routine basis. Some believe that she initially used a lead-based cosmetic mixture to remove her freckles, which was a sign of lower class. However, others believed that she had blemishes from having smallpox as a child. As a result, covering up those blemishes to meet the beauty standard of a queen was necessary.
The history of cosmetics also included the privileged skin care cosmetics used within the &#;s. Many women that were considered upper class had access to makeup and skincare products that many others did not. Natural skincare products were still produced such as facial masks that included lemon juice, egg yolks, oatmeal, honey, and Zinc Oxide, other natural ingredients. However, the &#;s saw a surge of other types of skincare products that emerged, such as baby powder, Vaseline, and Chapstick. Privileged skincare often meant that white women were privy to new developments in beauty and cosmetics.
The rise of modern skin care includes the development of many famous cosmetic brands and products that we still use today. However, this new era in cosmetics and skincare came about through the emergence of several significant events. First, we saw the birth of the Food and Drug Administration or what we know as the FDA. In the cosmetic industry, the FDA helped to regulate unsafe practices in makeup, cosmetics, and skincare. Sunscreen was also developed during the mid &#;s, while privileged skincare became a thing of the past.
Later within the &#;s, the introduction of laser-based skin treatments, skin peels, and tanning devices became popular rather than skin lightening products. Women also began to shave with modern shave products that included moisturizing shaving creams, waxes, and other routine beauty products. The development of scientifically based skincare formulas also took off to treat specific skincare issues. However, many over-the-counter skin care products and prescription products were developed, such as emollients, rash creams, and moisturizers for extra dry skin.
The history of skincare has evolved significantly to include almost everyone. Many products have been developed to help reduce a wide variety of skincare issues, while specific spot-treatment products are also available. The FDA continues to regulate the development of products so that they are safe for the public. However, we now have access to products that are created for virtually every skin color, texture, and tone.
Today&#;s convenient store shelves and online skincare boutiques offer more than just old school skin lighteners. We now have access to a plethora of skincare products, including toners, body washes, acne treatments, dry-skin moisturizers, anti-ageing creams, and much more.
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Women and men can indulge in the use of suntan lotions and unique skin care products that almost anyone can afford. Yet, there are still skincare products, makeup, and potions for those that want to pay top dollar to improve their skin&#;s appearance, slow the impact of aging, and even reduce the look of stress. Now men and women can access the best of cutting-edge skincare research to improve their skin from head to toe.
Reviewing the history of cosmetics means to look at how skin care has evolved to include both specific and broad skincare needs. Now, the use of science and technology and skincare research has made many products available to the masses, while still offering exclusive products for those that want high-end cosmetics and skincare solutions. Today, cosmetic products are easily accessible, and many celebrity skincare products can be purchased online. Products for the upper elite are still available. However, now the history of skincare has laid down the platform for everyone to be able to create their own skincare routines and get access to both enhanced products and natural products alike.
This section includes products such as creams, lotions, and talcum powders. The text below provides some historical context and shows how we can use these products to explore aspects of American history, for example, race and conceptions of beauty and health. To skip the text and go directly to the objects, CLICK HERE
Hunter's Invisible Medicated Face Powder advertisement, Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian InstitutionSkin care products have historically accounted for a large percentage of the American cosmetics and hygiene industry, and this is still true today. More so than for most beauty products, the claims made about skin lotions, powders, creams, bleaches, ointments, and cleansers straddle the line between medicinal and cosmetic. Claims that products will improve or protect skin health have often come with the stated or implied promise that skin will also look better&#;smoother, cleaner, whiter, clearer, and glowing. Because beautiful skin is equated with health, it is almost impossible to divorce beauty claims from health claims, and beauty products from health products.
The Museum&#;s collection of skin care products shows how Americans have defined beautiful, healthy skin from the s through the present. Many of these ideals have remained quite consistent. Before the mass-marketing of cosmetic products, women often made their own skin care preparations from recipes passed to them through mothers, friends, or women&#;s magazines. These recipes promised to remove freckles and ruddiness, to calm rashes, or to reverse damage done by wind and sunburn. Patent (proprietary) medicines and beauty preparations from the latter half of the s made the same claims, while also promising to cure pimples and eczema, and make skin look youthful, soft, and smooth.
In the early twentieth century, a new generation of branded skin care products emerged. These products were usually sold in upscale, brand-dedicated shops, in druggists and department stores, or by licensed agents. Women such as Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein, and Madam C.J. Walker developed cosmetic companies that offered multi-product &#;systems&#; of skin care products.
Ardena Complexion Clear for Young ModernsThese product lines promised to cleanse and clarify skin, making it look healthy, youthful, and radiant.
Skin care preparations from the s on have continued to focus on ideals of youthful, clear, supple skin&#;they claim skin renewal and anti-aging properties, as well as healthful soothing, moisturizing, detoxifying, and anti-acne effects.
One skin care ideal that has changed over time is skin color. American ideals of skin health have always been tied to problematic ideas about race and economic class. White Americans have idealized a pale complexion for most of American history. A pale, creamy complexion and smooth, white hands not only signified that one was racially white, they also demonstrated one&#;s wealth by implying that a man&#;but far more importantly a woman&#;did not perform manual labor or work outside in the sun.
Because nineteenth-century Americans subscribed to an idealized version of &#;natural&#; beauty, the use of cosmetics to give the appearance of a white, smooth, clear complexion was looked upon as false and indecent. Women were supposed to &#;earn&#; their good complexion through good health practices and moral living. Powders and lotions often advertised themselves as &#;invisible&#; in order to satisfy the moral prohibition on artificial beauty.
Despite the social prohibition on cosmetic use, women often secretly sought and used cosmetic skin preparations. Skin color and clarity provided such economic and social advantage that many women were willing to use products that were harmful&#;these skin products often contained toxic mercury, arsenic, and lead&#;in an attempt to get closer to the ideal. Though doctors and women&#;s magazines railed against the dangers inherent to cosmetics, many women likely believed manufacturers&#; packaging claims that their cosmetic products were &#;perfectly safe.&#;
Ro-Zol Complexion Clarifier and Bleach from Overton-HygienicWhite Witch for the Skin: "cleanses - softens - whitens"Madame A. Ruppert's World Renowned Face BleachPeggy Page Whitening Balm Dr. James P. Campbell's SAFE Arsenic Complexion Wafers
Both white women and women of color used products to bleach their skin, to lighten or conceal discolored areas, and to soothe and smooth irritated skin and acne. However, few mainstream cosmetic companies marketed to or acknowledged African American consumers, and most common skin care products were not manufactured in colors to suit darker skin. For example, talcum powder, used to protect and soothe skin while also absorbing the shine of perspiration, in its natural state provided a white tint to the skin. It was also available in pinkish or &#;flesh&#; (white skin-toned) tints.
A Label from Lucky Brown Skin Lightener, African-American Cosmetic and Food Label Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institutiion
McBrady's Talcum Powder for Brown Skin People, Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
In response, women such as Madame C. J. Walker and Annie Turnbo Malone started successful companies to supply darker skinned women with skin care and beauty products. Notably, neither company originally carried skin bleaching products. In fact, Walker asserted that her products were especially appropriate for the skin and the self-esteem of woman who must do manual labor.
In the late s, acquiring a light summer tan became fashionable. By the s, cosmetics companies began to offer face powders in darker shades that emulated a tan&#;or even a hint of exotic ethnicity&#;on white skin. L&#;Oreal&#;s Ambre Solaire, one of the first tanning products, was marketed in . Although these early tanning oils promised to protect skin health while promoting a beautiful tan, they actually provided almost no protection from sun damage. The sun tanning fad of the s-s did not do away with race or class concerns within the skin care industry. Product advertisements for skin lighteners assured women that they could reclaim their creamy complexions as soon as summer left.
In the s, darker skin tones were more fully embraced, and skin care products changed in response. Both white men and white women sought deeply tanned, &#;bronze&#; skin, and tanning products now promised to give a long-lasting and dark tan. As the link between sun-damaged skin and skin cancers emerged, new products were developed to protect the skin. Self tanners, which impart a suntanned appearance to the skin without sun exposure, were introduced in by Man-Tan.
Sunscreens with SPF (sun protection factor) ratings were introduced in the s. The SPF rating is a way of measuring what percentage of the sun&#;s damaging UV rays are transmitted to the skin. Although sunscreens with higher SPF ratings are more protective in some ways, they were generally only effective against UVB rays, which cause the burned and peeling skin we associate with sunburn. UVA rays were not understood to be a concern, and were not addressed by the SPF rating. By the s, it was understood that both UVA and UVB rays can cause both cancer and &#;aging&#; of the skin, and sunscreens began to be marketed for UVA protection. Sunscreens are now rated as &#;multi-spectrum&#; or &#;broad spectrum,&#; if they protect against both UVA and UVB rays. People with naturally darker skin color are slightly more protected from UV radiation than those with pale skin. However, because skin cancers are more difficult to spot on darker complexions, physicians strongly advise people of all skin colors to wear sunscreens. Self-tanning sunless preparations and strong sunscreen lotions continue to be popular for both beauty and health reasons.
ca. s Noxema Suntan Lotion ca. Revlon Bronze Lustre Tanning Jelly
ca. Georgetown Pharmacy Sunblocking Lotion SPF 15
ca. Bain de Soleil Sunless Dark Tanning Creme
Bibliography ~ see the Bibliography Section for a full list of the references used in the making if this Object Group. However, the Skin Care Products section relied on the following references:
Gill, Tiffany M. Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women&#;s Activism in the Beauty Industry. Urbana; Chicago: University of Illinois Press, .
Jones, Geoffrey. Beauty Imagined: A History of the Global Beauty Industry. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, .
Jones, Geoffrey. &#;Blonde and Blue-eyed? Globalizing Beauty, c.&#;c..&#; The Economic History Review 61, no. 1 (February 1, ): 125&#;54. doi:10./j.-...x.
Peiss, Kathy Lee. Hope in a Jar: The Making of America&#;s Beauty Culture. New York: Metropolitan Books, .
Scranton, Philip. Beauty and Business: Commerce, Gender, and Culture in Modern America. New York: Routledge, .
Segrave, Kerry. Suntanning in Twentieth Century America. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., .
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