Makeup has always been a significant factor in every era, be it deep kohl eyes that defined Cleopatra or makeup inspired from other cultures like Latino makeup, it has always been an art form, an expression to exhibit your ideas. It is more than just for beautification; it has also become a powerful tool for individuals to show support and convey solidarity with the movements they believe in, to assert identity especially during protests and to show moments of resistance. Technology is stitched into everyone’s soul in today’s time, so what happens when you mix creativity with tech? It solves the greatest problem in the world of makeup; it customizes the product according to the audience’s need A Trip Down From Kohl to Contour
A history lesson on how people have re-invented and transformed makeup to fit every era highlights culture, reflects the evolution of beauty standards, and even reveals social status.
Egypt (4000BCE-30BCE)
Egyptians introduced the concept of makeup by creating kohl a unisex product made from soot, lead, and oils to line their eyes.They used it to protect their eyes from the glare of the sun, ward off evil, and beautify themselves Makeup here has a major role in portraying social status. While makeup was accessible to everyone in Egypt, only the wealthy had clean, bejeweled and ivory containers, the peasants relied on clay pots and sticks for storage and application. People often paired kohl with green eyeshadow made from malachite In Mesopotamia women also decorated their lips with gemstones. Well I guess gemstones are a favorite in every era.
China (c. 3000BCE)
Makeup in China represented more than just beauty it carried spiritual, cultural and social symbolism. It reflected the Taoist and Confucian (Philosophical and spiritual traditions) values of harmony, refinement and social meanings. During this time period, people used nail paint as a status symbol: high-ranking leaders wore gold or silver, lower-ranking leaders wore red or black, and society forbade the lower classes from wearing any nail paint. Chinese women began to use very light-colored foundations, which were usually made up of a very white powder, to distinguish themselves from the working classes. They also wore strong red powder on their cheeks and darkened their eyebrows.
Middle Ages (5th-15th century)
People did not romanticize makeup in this era; they viewed it as a pathway to sin. The era was a tension between religious morality and cosmetic freedom. Church often condemned the use of makeup and linked it to female temptation.( I am rolling my eyes as well). Despite, the Church’s disapproval women secretly used beauty aids, lead based powders, chalk or ground alabaster to whiten skin. People made natural lip tints using beetroot juice or berries, and they spread egg whites on their faces to create a shiny, tight effect. People often prepared cosmetics at home since professional production was limited. Now you know where the infamous DIY’s that we use today originated from.
21st century
Today, beauty is not confined just to vanity tables and beauty counters. You can access with a touch of your thumb. From AI powered apps that analyze skin texture and suggest personalized routines. Makeup in every era reflected its ideologies so it only makes sense if we integrate technology with makeup, it is more than just artistry, it is innovation.
Brands are taking their makeup game up a notch, and creating a personalized experience for their consumers. A salient example is Chanel’s foundation shade scanner, a tool that analyzes your skin tone and immediately customizes a foundation shade for you. It leaves the guesswork at the beauty counter. You don’t have to look at your veins and guess if they look purple or blue. Similarly, there are AI-driven apps and AR filters that alow you to virtually try on makeup before investing. These tech driven innovations show how makeup has moved beyond surface level beauty and blends science, data and creativity to empower individuality in this digital age.
Local Shades Catering Your Identity: Makeup In Pakistan
In Pakistan, the story of makeup is fascinating, our older generation had a few favorites and mainly relied on them, Medora lipsticks, Lakme powders and Revlon foundations. These brands created a household name and remained staple for quite a while. Choices were limited, the shade range didn’t cater to South Asian skin, everyone around you wore foundation two shades too light, and people considered matching foundation to their actual skin tone an alien.
But today, the beauty culture has expanded rapidly, it blends the local flavor with global trends, International favorites like Maybelline, L’Oreal and MAC share space with homegrown treasures like Massarat Misbah, Luscious Cosmetics, Ayna Beauty and a 1000 other options to choose from.
The rise of beauty influencers and makeup tutorials on Youtube has also changed the makeup game and has made it more accessible that fuels experimentations and self-expression among the younger generations. While people in Pakistan once viewed makeup as a luxury or a one-time indulgence, it is now a part of everyone’s identity, with brands for every age group allowing you to choose products that fit your skin and identity
More than Skin Deep- Makeup as Canvas of Expression
People hold subjective views on makeup, ranging from defining it as an epitome of higher status to disparaging it as a symbol of sin and rebellion. Society views red lipstick as a slaughterhouse of character for unmarried women, yet it directly produces happiness after marriage.
Different mindsets, multiple opinions, and several principles but a universal outcome of makeup is expressionism. It can express support, rebellion; freedom for e.g Huda beauty is now synonymous with Gaza and part of their sales go out to the charity that supports the victims of Gaza. Makeup is a form of empowerment since the beginning of its use. It may not solve inequalities but it can help take a step minimizing it, and after years of social media outcry, subtle pressure, and a call for change, brands are becoming more inclusive of black and brown shades, I mean if a Korean brand can cater to black beauty then there is definitely a change.
While inclusivity is still a work in progress, the persistent voices, critiques and digital conversations have pushed the industry closer to representing every shade of beauty
