Cosmetic set of Kohl Tube and Applicator, Razor, Tweezers, Whetstone, and Mirror Cosmetic set of Kohl Tube and Applicator, Razor, Tweezers, Whetstone, and Mirror (ca. 1550–1458 B.C.)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Makeup first appeared in ancient Egypt 3000 BC, where men and women both wore makeup, mostly kohl eyeliner. Wealthy and royal Egyptian classes, including Queen Cleopatra, wore makeup as protection against evil spirits.
An Egyptian beauty (Ca. AD 140) by UnknownAltes Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
By the 1st century AD, Romans used chalk, kohl and rouge to enhance appearance while late ancient Greek women mixed olive oil and charcoal to create an eyeliner.
Sarah Bernhardt (1897) by Alphonse MuchaCentro Cultural Banco do Brasil Rio de Janeiro
As the use of makeup became more popular with the dawn of the 20th century, women began to wear makeup more as personal expression, as a way to appear more visible and feel empowered.
Later came Sarah Bernhardt, who broke social norms by wearing makeup in public; female founded businesses on a mission to democratise makeup, like Elizabeth Arden; or stories of the first hair products made for and by black women by CJ Walker. Scroll on to learn more...
LIFE Photo Collection
Queen Cleopatra
In ancient Egypt, women and men wore makeup, often for talismanic protection against evil spirits. The iconic sweep of kohl eyeliner dating from these times is still a popular and powerful look in many cultures, and its potency owes a lot to the legends of Cleopatra.
Kuchibeni (1801-1804) by Artist: Gion SeitokuSmithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
Kuchibeni
Kuchibeni, Japanese for lipstick, was painted by artist Gion Seitoku, during 1801-1804. As with other works that championed reform for women in Japanese society, Seitoku depicts red and green lips and charcoal blackened teeth.
LIFE Photo Collection
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was the first actress to not only wear red lipstick but apply it in public. In the 1880's, this was seen as scandalous. What seems like a small gesture now is today seen as a giant step towards women being more visible and empowered in public.
Madam C. J. Walker (c. 1914) by Addison N. ScurlockSmithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Madam CJ Walker
Born in Louisiana in 1867, to parents who had been emancipated from slavery, Madam CJ Walker was the first black female entrepreneur to create hair care products for black women and became the first recorded self made female millionaire in the US.
Tin for Madame Walker Glossine and Pressing Oil (1940s - 1960s)Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Walker was inspired to develop a range of hair and beauty products for other black women after losing hair due to exposure to chemicals as a poorly paid laundress in the 1890s. She said she wanted her products to benefit black women, not change them.
Tap to explore
The Walker Building, Indiana
Today, the Walker Building is dedicated to preserving Walker's legacy. You can take a tour through the original manufacturing plant built in 1927 which employed 3,000 women at its peak and served as a cultural hub for African American women.
By Leonard MccombeLIFE Photo Collection
Helena Rubinstein
Helena Rubinstein was born in a Jewish ghetto in Poland in 1872. Emigrating to Australia, she launched a beauty salon and cosmetics business in 1902, saying emancipation of women meant not only the right to vote and work, but also the right for women to care for themselves.
By Alfred EisenstaedtLIFE Photo Collection
Elizabeth Arden
Born into poverty in Canada in 1878, entrepreneur and beauty pioneer Elizabeth Arden went on to revolutionize how women used and viewed cosmetics. Her mission - to normalize women wearing makeup - saw her teach large groups on application techniques and recommend beauty tips.
Womens Social and Political Union March (1912) by Central NewsMuseum of London
Elizabeth Arden and Women's Marches
An active member of the suffragette movement, Arden donated 15,000 red lipsticks as an emblematic symbol of women's solidarity to a 1912 women's march in New York she herself walked in, propelling women to see makeup as empowering, not inappropriate or 'unladylike'.
Lauder, Estee & Family (1986-12)LIFE Photo Collection
Estée Lauder
Born in NYC in 1908 to Jewish immigrant parents, Estée Lauder's grew up learned the art of selling and hard work in her family's hardware store. She founded her beauty company in 1946, selling just four skincare products. Today it is a beauty empire, owning 25 major brands.
Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera at the Pride March, 1973 (1973-04-24) by Leonard FinkThe Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha's fabulous drag make-up and defiant, radiant smile have become some of the most iconic images of the Stonewall uprising and the first ever Pride March a year later. Learn more about this history.
Tap to explore
The Body Shop
The Body Shop was founded in the UK in 1976 by Anita Roddick, on the belief that a beauty company could pioneer social change. Revolutionary at the time, The Body Shop gave women political agency through ethical buying choices. You can take a tour of the original store here.
