Now adays the world wide beauty industry is worth over 30 million, a global industry dedicated to the obsession with colouring, smoothing and decorating the face. The Egyptians really started the whole thing off, using naturally occurring iron and copper ores to decorate their faces. Eyes were the focal point, partly because of the beliefs associated with the power of the eye, but also for the sake of health. The copper ores used in the green eye paint so commonly seen in temple paintings was highly effective against eye illnesses and suppuration. Make up was worn by men, women and children to protect against the sun and its decorative value was of secondary importance.
People round the world decorate their faces in a variety of different ways.
The Masai of Kenya distend their earlobes and insert large discs into them, while the Paduang rate an extended neck as a thing of great beauty and insert brass rings from shoulder to jaw. Neither of these habits can be considered to create faces which the scientists would rate as beautiful. Throughout time, the stylish face has been determined by the leaders of fashion. Lesley Edwards tells us about some of the make up trials and disasters of the glamourous in the past.