What's war got to do,

go to do,

got to do with it?

Now that we've all channeled our inner Tina Turner, let's chat a little but more about where the make up all started. I'm sure you might be saying to yourself, "Didn't females use fruit and berries as makeup?" 

Well, I'm talking about the way the industry came about, how makeup and cosmetics become commercialised and one crazy thing is that WW1 had a very important role.  

Prior to the First World War, makeup in the western world was associated  with stage actors and street workers. It was considered taboo to change one’s looks with makeup.

With the men off to fight in the wars, women had to go to work to sustain the economies. Back then they were only allowed to work at makeup counters initially but started to fill in for “male” roles and jobs left behind by their husbands and fathers.

So, makeup and cosmetics companies used this opportunity to encourage women to still look feminine while they did these jobs. 

"Do our jobs, but still look like we want to do you!"

Eventually, they sold face creams and rouge to” lift spirits” through the tough times. This is where women wearing makeup became normalised. 

Over time as the wars went on, women wearing makeup was encouraged as it meant that things were “normal”. 

But when does life ever feel normal? 

Written by -  Ariella Sneha Naidu, Makeup Artist

Photo by Ali Marel on Unsplash