A Brief History Of Mascara
If we travel back in history, once upon a time, in ancient Egypt, we might witness, on a given day, a land cloaked with golden sands, spanning as far as the eye could see, glistening beneath the glorious face of the sun, while under the gaze of optimistic blue skies, and then later, cool evening breezes freely skipping and dancing across the land, while offering respite to some weary souls, along with stunning star lit nights to dream the nights away. Long before the mighty pyramids of Egypt dared to reach for the stars, mascara was a customary attire for ancient Egyptians, both genders within their society indulged obsessively in the decorative artistry applied to their faces, which was not merely for the purpose of beloved vanity, but more importantly, for religious and health reasons, namely, to protect their vulnerable features from the glare of the sun and the blistering gales that internally cursed their land.
Egyptian Mythology
Ancient Egyptian artefacts and hieroglyphics reveal that ancient Egyptians were devoutly religious people who worshipped many Gods and adhered to strict religious rituals and traditions. According to Egyptian mythology, there exists a hierarchy of Gods and Goddesses of over 2,000 deities, as well as the various powers of dominion and the specific responsibilities for each one upon the earth, and beyond this mortal existence. In Egypt, there exists a religious amulet called the wadjet (which is an Egyptian term) that depicts the Eye of Horus, and according to Egyptian mythology, the God Horus was believed to be a powerful God of protection. Therefore, ancient Egyptians placed great faith in the power of the wadjet to provide the wearer with protection against misfortune. Due to this belief, ancient Egyptian worshippers painted mascara on the surrounding area of their eyes to replicate the symbol of the Eye of Horus, in the fervent belief that this practice would bring them good health and protection from misfortune and malevolent spirits. In addition, the ancient Egyptians believed that the human eye is not merely for the purpose of vision, but also considered to be windows of the soul, and capable of projecting destructive as well as positive energy. The 'evil eye' is a well-known term meaning the ability of humans to cause harm to their intended victims through a glare of malicious intent. This belief was so strongly accepted amongst the ancient Egyptians that they adopted the custom of applying mascara on the surrounding areas of their eyes, in the belief that this practice would give them protection from the so-called evil eye.
The New Dawn Of Mascara
Kohl was an essential original ingredient that was used to create mascara in ancient Egypt, then later, throughout the Roman Empire, and subsequently, across certain parts of Europe. However, after the fall of the Roman Empire, it is said that kohl became much less available, and for this reason, the popularity of mascara dramatically decreased, especially across Europe, yet the use of mascara had remained popular across the Middle East, primarily for religious purposes. However, during the era of Queen Victoria, social attitudes within Europe towards cosmetics began to change. As a result, this era proved to be the new dawn for the re-emergence of mascara, in particular, the interest in this type of personal adornment was first rekindled within high society across Europe, before it became commonly utilized within other social classes.
The golden age of photography, cinema, and movie production, began in the United States during the Great Depression in the 1930s, nevertheless, the general public's demand for cosmetics such as lipstick and mascara increased dramatically, and cosmetics were especially utilized by the rich and famous, film legends such as Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich, and Bette Davis, to name a few, were famous women admired by millions, who had unintentionally proved to be great ambassadors relating to mascara's high popularity at that time.
Eugène Rimmel
Eugène Rimmel (1820-1887) was born in France, then later moved to London, England with his parents as a boy. Rimmel was trained by his father to become a perfumer and cosmetics professional. Eugène Rimmel founded his first business venture with help from his father. The new company was called House of Rimmel, and it was founded in the heart of London, England, in 1834. Rimmel was considered to be the first commercial manufacturer of a non-toxic mascara product. He successfully combined petroleum jelly with coal and other ingredients to create a better and safer revolutionary product. In addition, Eugène Rimmel became the architect of exceptional marketing campaigns for mascara, which eventually proved to be so successful that the name 'Rimmel' became famously synonymous with mascara across the world.
Thomas Lyle Williams
Thomas Lyle Williams (1896-1976) was an American entrepreneur and businessman who invented a very similar mascara product to Rimmel's innovation. It is believed that Williams created his version of mascara for his sister Maybel, as a consequence, Williams founded his own mascara company, in Chicago, USA, 1914, which was later renamed 'Maybelline', in 1917, moreover, Maybelline went on to become a great success within the USA, and then ultimately across the world.
Helena Rubinstein
By the late 1930s, mascara had evolved into a much better product and vastly improved from its original formula, nonetheless, there was room for greater refinement. Unfortunately, during this era, some bad cases emerged relating to the adverse effects of certain types of mascara on some individuals, which were seized upon by the media at that time. Partly for these reasons, in 1938, the United States Congress legislated for greater standards within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Years later, Helena Rubinstein (1872-1965), who was a Polish-American businesswoman and cosmetics entrepreneur, launched a new and greatly improved innovative cosmetic product in 1957. Rubinstein's creation was a lotion-based mascara cream, which was packaged in a tube and jointly sold with an easy-to-use applicator brush. Rubinstein's mascara innovation with an applicator brush, had set a new standard, and soon after, other cosmetic industries in that era seized the opportunity and followed suit, which had resulted in a dramatic increase in global demand for that product.
Modern Mascara
The word 'Mascara' originated in the 19th century, but precisely who and when this term was invented is uncertain. However, it is said that mascara was derived from Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian terms, máscara and maschera, meaning mask or stain. Mascara is used to thicken, lengthen, darken, and define the eyelashes of the wearer. There are three main types of mascaras currently available on the market, namely, liquid, powder, and cream, all are incorporated with modern scientifically manufactured formulas, including castor oil, eucalyptus oil, floral and paraffin waxes, carnauba wax, as well as other special ingredients and preservatives. Mascara has developed into a versatile, multi-functional, and sophisticated product, which contains pro-vitamin enriched formulas, botanicals, and lash-boosting serums, plus a wide range of colours to choose from. Presently, mascara is one of the most enduring and popular cosmetic products on the market, and while millions of consumers continue to be obsessed with the enhancement of their appearances, mascara will forever be the special cosmetic product within this highly lucrative global marketplace.Written by Frederick Star_gazer
Published 25 April 2020