Cosmetics Make Their Mark

Unequal Sisters-Chapter 20, Making Faces, The Cosmetics Industry and the Cultural Construction of Gender, 1890-1930 by Kathy Peiss. This chapter goes over when American women started using cosmetics. While other societies had been using makeup Americans seen it as a mark of shame or dishonor. I believe that the reason women started using makeup was to sexualize themselves more. There are many women today that believe that they are more beautiful when they wear makeup and refuse to even leave their house without it. I for one do not wear cosmetics for two reasons, one being I am too lazy let’s face it, I would much rather spend time with my children than waste even five minutes putting crap on my face. My other reason is that the feeling of crap all over your face is just annoying. This chapter covers the different cosmetic companies like Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden and Maybelline to name a few. Those three are some I have heard of before. When cosmetics first started being sold the people selling didn’t point out face blemishes or scars to sell the products. Today is a much different world where people sell things using people’s weaknesses like their appearances.

#MakeUp #Maybelline #sexualize