Everything about Cosmetics totally explained
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance or protect the appearance or
odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care
creams,
lotions,
powders,
perfumes,
lipsticks, fingernail and toenail polishes,
eye and facial makeup, permanent waves,
colored contact lenses,
hair colors, hair sprays and
gels,
deodorants, baby products, bath oils,
bubble baths,
bath salts,
butters and many other types of products. Their use is widespread, especially among women in
Western countries. A subset of cosmetics is called "make-up," which refers primarily to colored products intended to alter the user’s appearance. Many manufacturers distinguish between decorative cosmetics and care cosmetics.
The manufacture of cosmetics is currently dominated by a small number of
multinational corporations that originated in the early 20th century, but the distribution and sale of cosmetics is spread among a wide range of different businesses. The U.S.
FDA which regulates cosmetics in the
United States
History
The first
archaeological evidence of cosmetics usage is found in
Ancient Egypt around 4000 BC. The
Ancient Greeks and
Romans also used cosmetics. The
Romans and
Ancient Egyptians used cosmetics containing poisonous
mercury and often
lead. The land of Palestine was influenced by cosmetics as recorded in the Old Testament—2 Kings 9:30 where Jezebel painted her eyes—approximately 840 BC. The Biblical book of
Esther describes various beauty treatments as well.
In the western world, the advent of cosmetics was in the
middle ages, although typically restricted to use within the
upper classes.
Cosmetic use was frowned upon at some points in history. For example, in the 1800s, make-up was used primarily by
prostitutes, and
Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup improper,
vulgar, and acceptable only for use by
actors.
Adolf Hitler told women that face painting was for
clowns and not for the women of the
Master Race.
By the middle of the 20th century, cosmetics were in widespread use in nearly all
societies around the
world.
Cosmetics have been in use for thousands of years. They also attached silk or leather with adhesive to cover a blemish. The absence of
regulation of the manufacture and use of cosmetics has led to negative
side effects,
deformities,
blindness, and even
death through the ages. Examples of this were the prevalent use of
ceruse(white lead), to cover the face during the
Renaissance, and blindness caused by the
mascara Lash Lure during the early 1900s.
Industry Today
The worldwide annual
expenditures for cosmetics is estimated at U.S. $18 billion. Of the major firms, the oldest and the largest is
L'Oréal, which was founded by
Eugene Schueller in 1909 as the French Harmless Hair Colouring Company (now owned by
Liliane Bettencourt 27.5% and
Nestlé 26.4%, with the remaining 46.1% are publicly traded). The market was developed in the USA during the 1910s by
Elizabeth Arden,
Helena Rubinstein, and
Max Factor. These firms were joined by
Revlon just before
World War II and
Estée Lauder just after.
Like most
industry, cosmetic companies resist regulation by
government agencies like the FDA, and have
lobbied against this throughout the years.
Criticism and controversy
During the 20th century, the popularity of cosmetics increased rapidly. Especially in the United States, cosmetics are used by girls at an increasingly young age. Many companies have catered to this expanding market by introducing more flavored lipsticks and glosses, cosmetics packaged in glittery, sparkly packaging and marketing and advertising using young
models. The social consequences of younger and younger
beautification has had much attention in the
media over the last few years.
Criticism of cosmetics has come from a variety of sources, including
feminists,
animal rights activists,
authors and public interest groups. There is a growing awareness and preference for cosmetics that are without any
toxic ingredients, especially those derived from
petroleum,
sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and
parabens.
Numerous published reports have raised concern over the safety of a few
surfactants. SLS causes a number of skin issues including
dermatitis.
Parabens can cause skin irritation and
contact dermatitis in individuals with paraben
allergies, a small percentage of the general population. Animal experiments have shown that parabens have a weak
estrogenic activity, acting as
xenoestrogens.
Prolonged use of makeup has also been linked to thinning eyelashes.
Synthetic fragrances are widely used in consumer products. Studies concluded from patch testing show synthetic
fragrances are made of many
ingredients which cause allergic reactions.
Makeup Types
