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"In the 1800s, Queen Victoria publicly declared make-up impolite. It was viewed as vulgar and something that was worn by actors and prostitutes." [1] By World War II, cosmetics had common application in the West (although banned in Nazi Germany). Other notable events in cosmetics history are detailed in the external link, below. In Japan, geishas wore lipstick made of crushed safflower petals to paint the eyebrows and edges of the eyes as well as the lips. Sticks of bintsuke wax, a softer version of the sumo wrestlers' hair wax, were used by geisha as a make-up base. White paste and powder to colour the face and back; and rouge contours the eye socket and defines the nose. Black paint colour the teeth for the ceremony when maiko (apprentice geisha) graduate and become independent

The role of modern cosmetics is to simulate youthfulness, health and, to an extent, arousal. The various forms of cosmetic include lipstick and lip glossLip gloss is a substance used for making the lips appear, as the name suggests, more glossy. A myriad of different types of glosses are available. Some of these are basic glosses: where they add shine to the lips and nothing more coloring glosses: where i (used to colour the lips, a facsimileA facsimile is a copy of something that is as true to the original as possible. One common use of the word is for books that reproduce exactly an older edition (for scholarly purposes and nostalgia). A digital facsimile, that is, a set of digital images, of sexual arousal); foundation, powder, and rouge (used to colour the face, lightening and removing flaws to produce an impression of health and youth); mascaraMascara is also the old name for the city of Muaskar in Algeria. Mascara is a cosmetic used to darken, thicken and define eyelashes. It's available in three different formulations: cake, liquid, and cream. It also comes in many different shades and tints. (used to enhance the eyelashAn eyelash is one of the hairs that grow at the edge of the eyelid; "the eyelash" usually refers to the collection of individual eyelashes. Eyelashes perform some of the same function as whiskers do on a cat or a mouse in the sense that they are sensitivees, larger eyes compared to face is a sign of youth) and eyeliner and eyeshadow (used to colour the eyelids); and nailThis article discusses the anatomical nail. For other uses of the term, see nail. In anatomy, a nail is a horn-like piece at the end of a human or animal finger or toe. See also claw and hoof. Fingernails and toenails are composed of the nail matrix or th polish (used to colour the fingerFor the network protocol, see finger protocol . For the hand gesture, see the finger . Fingers of the human left hand The finger is any of the digits of the hand in humans and other species such as the great apes. The grace of the fingers is not sacrificenails and toenails).

The cosmetics industry, as of 2003, is dominated by a small number of multinationals, all with their origins in the early 20th century. If the market is extended to include cometic surgery, health & fitness and dieting it is worth $160 billion every year, specifically cosmetics - perfume is $15 billion, make-up is $18 billion, skin care is $24 billion and hair-care is $38 billion.

Of the dominant firms, the oldest and the largest is L'Oréal, which was founded by Eugene Shueller in 1909 as the French Harmless Hair Colouring Company. The true market developers were the 1910s American trio Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein and Max Factor. These firms established the market and were augmented by Revlon just before WW II and Estée Lauder just after.

More general than enhancing beauty, change of physical appearance is achieved by specialized forms of cosmetics (stage makeup), used to prepare actors for roles in the theatre and screen productions. A wide variety of effects are possible and may go so far as to make the actor appear completely nonhuman through the use of prosthetic appliances. Makeup is also used to train medical professionals to recognize and treat injuries. moulage. See also clown, KISS.

The Romans and ancient Egyptians used cosmetics containing mercury. The ingredients of cosmetics still surprise those who use them: lipstick, for example, can contain fish scales, or rather, the "shimmery" substance of fish scales called "pearl essence". Pearl essence is obtained primarily from herring and is one of many by-products of large-scale commercial fish processing. See external link below for other ingredients of lipstick.

During the Chinese festival of Qi Qiao Jie young women throw make-up on the roof.