Lesson Eight: Historical Makeup--Young 1750s Woman

       For this lesson we had to re-create makeup from a historical period, but were told not to use Ancient Egypt or the 20th or 21st centuries, as we already know so much about those but other periods are under-researched. This presented us with a difficulty, as there were many periods and cultures where using makeup was not socially acceptable, or where it was used so modestly and sparingly that to re-create the look, it would have to look like we were wearing none at all, as with the Medieval or Victorian Periods. If I wanted to create an 1800s woman, for instance, I would have to bite my lips and pinch my cheeks and call it good.
       Then there are many periods where we simply don't know very much about their makeup styles. Ancient Greece or Rome, for instance. We know some of the materials they used, but to create a complete, historically accurate look would be difficult. Did they use eyeliner? Did it go around the whole eye or just some of the way? Did they use blush? Did they color their lips? What about the different social classes? How would a serving girl in Ancient Greece wear her makeup (if any) as opposed to a rich society lady of the same period, or a mother as opposed to a daughter? Even historians debate about these things, and information is scanty even with exhaustive research, especially the further back in time you go.
       Not surprisingly, many of us chose the 1700s, as the makeup in that era was distinctive, recognizable, and looked like we were wearing makeup instead of being lazy about our assignments. For mine personally, I decided to forgo the heavy, cakey white makeup of the late 1700s usually associated with that period (you know, the ones with the little black beauty marks), which were really only worn at court and even then only later in the century. Instead, I looked at a lot of paintings from the middle of the century and discovered that upper-to-middle-class women, relaxing at home in their country estates or just going about their daily business, wore a much more subtle, delicate (and in my view, much prettier) look. I also watched an excellent tutorial from LBCC Historical that I will link down below.
       They would have powdered their faces with a mixture containing white lead, and rouge may have contained red lead, although it was known that a heavy use of this could cause death. Eyebrows were usually plucked thin and then darkened. The hairline (even the whole head) could be shaved because of lice and other things, and then powdered wigs would be worn. I did not continue the white makeup (modern stage makeup by Ben Nye, with my gratitude for the lack of lead!) into my hairline since I knew for the stage, I would be putting a wig over it, but I did continue the white down my neck and on my ears. Then I just lined my eyebrows and put some pink blush on my cheeks and lips. It was a relatively simple design and I was quite happy with the way it turned out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECsfcXWboX8