Since ancient times makeup has been used to enhance beauty. Take the ancient Egyptians for example who wore makeup made of lead ore and copper. Women of the ancient world were often innovative when it came to their cosmetic needs. Berries were used to darken lips, the ashes of burnt matches were used to darken eyes, and much more.

Today, we have developed makeup for practically every application you can think of. From making eyes pop with eyeshadow palettes to hiding undesirable pores, makeup has come a long way (we even have vegan makeup). To truly appreciate where we are today as opposed to where we used to be, let’s take a look at the rich history of makeup.

Women of the ancient world, uneducated about safe beauty practices, often went to extreme lengths for the sake of beauty. Using berries to darken the lips was a safe enough practice. However, some homemade cosmetics involved the use of mercury, lead, arsenic, and leeches to achieve the pale beauty deemed appropriate during those times. It’s safe to say we have long since recognized the need for safe products for our beauty needs and general health.