The History of Makeup: Foundation

Shades of Confidence
Dec 28, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Jan 2, 2021

What is Foundation?

Foundation is a type of liquid or powder makeup that is primarily used to cover, correct, and/or even out one’s skin. It is typically applied to the face and neck, serving as a base for other makeup products, such as blush, bronzer, and highlighter. In addition, foundation may even serve a secondary function, such as being a sunscreen or moisturizer.

Fun-Facts on the History of Foundation (1)

6000 BCE – 646 CE: Foundation was used by the Ancient Egyptians
1200 BCE – 165 BCE: The act of “face painting” is mentioned in the Christian Old Testament
200 BCE – 150 CE: The Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans had creams that mimicked foundation, which were made from animal fat, starch, and tin oxide
1700s: It was fashionable for men to wear makeup, including foundation
Late 1800s: Women used a skin whitening product made of zinc oxide, mercury, lead, silver nitrate, and acids
1890s: Modern foundation’s origins can be linked back to Carl Baudin, the inventor of greasepaint; greasepaint was also the first theatrical makeup
1930s: As greasepaint lost popularity, the first foundation, known as Pan-Cake, was marketed and sold by Max Factor; it had originally been created for film actresses
1937: Pan-Cake was patented and had an incredibly successful launch
Today, Max Factor is a popular cosmetics brand owned by Coty Inc
Over the years, many companies have been noted to have a limited range of foundation shades, such as Tarte, Yves Saint Laurent, etc.
However, after the launch of Fenty Beauty in 2017, the first celebrity brand to provide over 40 shades of foundation, the demand for inclusive shades has skyrocketed

The History of Foundation

Originally, foundation was created not to match one’s skin tone, but to instead make it appear whiter, almost caked and pale. The oldest known example of this stems from many Ancient cultures. Notably, the Ancient Greeks and Romans used foundations containing poisonous lead powder or paste to attain white complexions, as that was viewed as a sign of status (2). This trend continued on until the 1800s (2). However, this foundation is not truly reminiscent of the products available today.

A prototype that more accurately mimics foundations currently in the market is Carl Baudin’s creation of greasepaint – a mix of zinc, ochre, and lard used as theatrical makeup in the 1890s (2). This idea was later reinvented by polish entrepreneur, Max Factor, during the eve of the First World War (2). Known as Pan-Cake Makeup, it was the first commercialized foundation line, launched with the intention of improving the makeup worn by film stars to appear more realistic (2). This eventually grew into a larger market, including women outside the film industry and related fields.

That being said, it is interesting to note that, prior to the 19th century (during the Victorian era), women rarely wore any makeup, as it was viewed as something only befitting for prostitutes (1). This was likely perpetuated from Queen Victoria’s distaste for makeup (3). Although, as previously mentioned, this changed again in the late 19th century, due to the creation of greasepaint. Unfortunately, many women were still unaware of the impacts of many “techniques” for achieving pale complexions, such as the dangers of eating chalk (3). Fortunately, things began to change with the previously mentioned work of Carl Baudin, which was furthered by Max Factor, (known as the Father of Makeup) (3).

After the initial developments by Baudin and Factor, the 1930s and 40s saw the invention of liquid foundation, which was specifically manufactured to help with discolourations and blemishes on the legs of women during the Second World War era; it was subsequently discovered that this invention was also useful for the face as well (3). Following this, each decade tended to have its unique uses of/style to wear foundation. The 60s had intense powdered looks, mimicking dolls; the 70s favoured more natural looks, with a dash of colour for things like eye shadow; the 80s had extreme, almost “caked” makeup looks; and the 90s went back to favouring natural looks with a matte finish (3).

It is also important to note that foundation began to go through a revolution of sorts around this time (late 90s to the mid-2000s), with interest increasing in having foundations that also promoted healthy skin care (2). Soon, the most recent innovation within foundation arose – the creation of “high-definition” products, in which wrinkles practically vanished (2). HD makeup products were aimed at moisturizing the skin, to prevent dry imperfections; and to diffuse light by incorporating ingredients like silicone, to provide the appearance of an even finish (2). In doing these two things, HD foundation made getting camera-ready a far simpler task.

Alongside this makeup revolution, another revolution was brewing, although this one was closely aligned with social messages – the rise of inclusive beauty products. This movement bore fruit in 2017, with the launch of Fenty Beauty (3). In today’s day and age, brands like Fenty Beauty are steadily growing more and more popular, with their ability to tap into an incredibly large, and often ignored, market. In fact, one could argue that it is quite difficult to appeal to the current market as successfully as before without being inclusive, since not only is it a significant opportunity being missed, but the consumers themselves are also more informed and socially aware. Colourism is not something that foundation can perpetuate any longer, and with contributions by more companies towards progressive goals, this movement has the potential to significantly change the current restrictive and inequitable definition of beauty.

References