The History of Eye Shadow Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The History of Eye Shadow - Research Paper Example Ancient people were limited in the amount of ingredients they could include in their cosmetic recipes. For this cause, the range of eye shadow colors available was very limited. Often, people either did or did not wear this cosmetic. There was no choice of color. However the limitations on eye shadow colors was not to remain. As the focus on beauty is something that has perpetuated though many generations in a variety of cultures, cosmetics were fated to evolve and improved. In many cultures wearing makeup was a status symbol. In the 7th and 8th century Greeks found that they could wear shades of blue and green eye shadow by using lapiz lazuli and Malachite, which are stones, as a main ingredient (An Eye Shadow History, n.d.). Those in Japan during the 11th Century found that they could manipulate the color of their eye shadow by using different color flower petals. Oddly enough, in ancient Japan they used bird droppings as one of the ingredients. The ancient Egyptian’s use of eye shadow is very famous. They are often depicted wearing bold dark liner that surrounds their eyes and flows up to their temple of their heads. The knowledge of the Egyptians’’ makeup practices are so well known that one can be shown a picture of someone wearing Egyptian style eye shadow and quickly identify the person depicted to be Egyptian. In fact, makeup and cosmetics were so important in ancient Egypt that often people were buried with a sizable supply.