Fashion, Cosmetics, Style

Cosmetics, a word very commonly used today, has a very superfluous definition. So what are cosmetics?? Cosmetics according to a layman are products used to beautify human body.

“Kosmetikos” a Greek work meaning “to adorn” is the root of the word “cosmetic”. From time immemorial mankind, especially the fairer sex always loved to adorn themselves. Primitive cosmetics such as varied ornaments and hairstyles were the dawn of what is cosmetology today.

The ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra used to apply colours and pastes etc to her face while beguiling the Roman generals Caesar and Antony. This is the first recorded use of cosmetics.

As per the records prehistoric people used just 17 colours to paint their bodies as well as their cave walls. Shades of red, white, orange, yellow and black were those most commonly used. Their main purpose however, behind colouring their bodies was protection from evil and not ornamentation. Starting from around 4000 B.C. Egyptians wore Kohl, a black paste around their eyes to protect themselves from eye diseases and blazing sun.

Egyptian queen Nefertiti used henna to paint her nails red. This can be said to be the advent of nail polish even before the Chinese discovered it. Painted nails though become a rage after the introduction of liquid nail polish in 1913 A.D.. However a lipstick from a Babylonian tomb dating around 4000 B.C. is the oldest recorded cosmetic and surprisingly evidences unearthed point that it may have belonged to a man!!!

Today we are living in the world of colours, perfumes and creams commonly classified under the term cosmetics. Starting from the toothpaste, bathing soaps, bath salts, detergents for clothes our life revolves around cosmetics. Considering human needs, which are unlimited, more and more cosmetics will always be invented as long as mankind exists. Cosmetology is therefore an unending subject used by mankind in its quest to design products to clean, beautify or to alter their appearance.