Hair and Beauty e Magazin rica in W/Af
Makeup Tips for your eyes only
The value of hair to your economy
Vol. 30 No 93 Nov/Dec' 21
Why Women can’t do without hair
How to maintain your Hair Extensions
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ello Africa, Good day Nigeria. We present you here with our November/December 2021 special edition. It is loaded with Beauty concepts, Tips, Techniques, mind improving ideas and thought provoking articles. The hairstyles therein are amazing, and in vogue.
Can today's woman do without Hair; especially mancrafted hair (synthetic or human wigs etc)? What's your idea of good hair? Is it true that the average African woman spends more money on hair than on food, education bills, health care, and entertainment, combined? What's the value of hair to an African woman? Is hair still the real crowning glory of a woman? We provided answers to these and many more hair related issues in this edition of African Hair & Beauty Magazine. As we have entered the traditional “ember” period of the hair season, the current high dollar exchange rate notwithstanding, we expect this season to reflect a high level of bumper harvest. If the experience we had in the month of October is anything to go by, November and December hold superb results to the hair industry. Whereas our women complain about the high cost of food garri, rice, tomatoes, only a few are complaining about high cost of hair. The new phrase in town is "by their Hair, ye shall know them" While some people invest in gold and crypto currency, there are some who invest in Hair, and rightly so. All kinds of hair synthetic hair, human hair, Remi hair, and bone straight hair give you added value. A word of advice for the male folks this season. Don't be stingy when it comes to buying hair for your lady this year. It is dangerous or costlier to renege on your promise to buy hair for her this festive season. Imagine if her secret admirer buys her the hair that she really wants. Imagine! Read African Hair & Beauty magazine always. It's good for your senses. Thank you. Cheers
Anthony Smith
INSIDE THE ISSUE Men vs Women
Good Hair or Bad Hair
How to maintain your Hair Extensions Why Women can’t do without hair The value of hair to your economy e-Commerce in 2022
Makeup Tips for your eyes only
www.melmoyabeautypalour.com www.melmoya.com
Nov/Dec'21 Edition
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SLAVERY OF MEN BY WOMEN
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erman writer Esther Villar In her book "The Manipulated Man" that caused outrage and hostile criticism from women explains how women since the earliest times have manipulated men and turned them into their slaves, they have pretended to be the oppressed sex while in the real sense they are the oppressors. She explains how a woman manipulates a man skillfully by steps like courtship and finally marriage, hence the saying "a man chases a woman until SHE catches him". In her book she explains how the man is tricked to care for the woman all his life and her offspring. He rolls the stone like Sisyphus and in turn gets rewarded by a few minutes of sexual pleasure. We can, by observing Esther Villars assertions that a man is a slave of his desires and the woman uses and has used it for thousands of years as a stick and carrot to keep the man chasing vanity and commit his life to serving her.
She goes ahead to explain the rivalry of women, how each woman feels the powerful urge and need to own a male for herself. Like a slave owner she detests any move the man would make to offer his services to another woman. She uses all means to keep the man to herself and her offspring alone. Esther Villar's sentiments are captured by Nigerian Poet, critic and writer, Chinweizu Ibekwe in his book, "The Anatomy of Female Power"(AFP) and Will Farrel's, "The Predatory Female. They all push the theory that all societies are matriarchal and not patriarchal as we are pushed and forced to believe. Matriarchy has ruled not through brawn but wits and tricks; women feigning weakness to be protected etc. Thus the male becomes the most exploited sex in human history,(in wars the man is always ready to die for the woman; he has been trained to do that). Chinweizu calls the idea of dating and courtship, training, like that of a horse. It is during this time that a woman having kept the man on a leash by denying him sex and getting him addicted to her by
false charms, trains and breaks him to whatever she wants him to become. The marriage celebration becomes a celebration for the woman and her friends, and they all congratulate her for having succeeded in getting herself a slave. A man on that wedding day waves goodbye to his independence and his coalition of males and commits himself to a Sisyphean life, rolling the stone, an act he cannot abandon having society and the government checking on him and always ready to jail, shame or exile him for absconding his duties. Thus the government and society helps the woman in keeping her slave in check.
Chinweizu gives a narration of how women are trained by older matriarchs to tame men. He explains how a man is trained to rely on women by his own mother. A man is shamed for cooking for himself and other domestic chores by his own mother who is an agent of the global matriarchal rule. By getting the man to hate domestic works and having it enforced by culture which warns men against going into the kitchen, doing laundry etc., the mother trains his son for the woman who will captivate him and when the time comes she takes hold of the man's stomach and by getting the man addicted to her body she holds him by the two, in bed and in the kitchen. With those two weapons she manipulates the man and turns him into her plaything. In the "Myth of the Male Power", Esther Villar's " A Man's Right to the Other Woman"; "The Polygamous Sex", the authors of those books challenge the narrative that men oppress women, and by detailed research across African,Western and Eastern both in ancient and modern societies, the authors unravel the hidden power of the ruthless matriarchal power that rules the world. Presidents, Emperors and Kings are all puppets of the matriarchy forces that rule the World by pulling the strings from behind the curtains.
WHAT'S
GOOD OR BAD HAIR?
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or most women, hair is deeply politicized. It has served as a key marker of racial identification, a significant determinant of beauty, and a powerful visual cue for bias. It has gotten to a stage where the black woman's hair is always pitted against the white woman's hair with the clear need to differentiate and make one superior to the other. That, however, is a very wrong way of answering the question "What's good hair and what's bad hair". But what really is good hair? Is it hair that is in its natural form? Meaning there are no chemicals added to the hair to change or enhance the texture. Is it hair that can defy gravity or is basically long straight hair? Hair is the woman's crown and glory, it is what defines her personality and character. The notion of what is good hair has been stereotyped to mean hair that is lush and hasn't been contaminated by chemicals while the opposite can be said of bad hair. Bad is basically all what good hair isn't without resorting to stereotypes. Where good hair gives an aura of confidence and smartness about a woman, bad hair relegates her as not too confident or lacking in self esteem. Like Friedrich Nietzsche rightly said, there is no right way or wrong way or only way, just my way and yours. The notion of what is good hair and bad should be left to the persons who have chosen what type of hair they are comfortable in. Beauty in the end, lies in the eye of the beholder. But then again, let's always strive to look good
How Religious Education Has Shaped My Thinking - By Tunji Pedro
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grew up in a religiously liberal family. My father is a Muslim and my mother was a Christian. I use the verb “was” because I lost back in 2004 and really do hope that she is resting in peace and enjoying the good things available in heaven.
She and my father definitely got along and put paid to the typical Nigerian stereotype that people with dissimilar background in terms of religion cannot and should not get married. Now, when you grow up in a Muslim home, you have to go to a “Madrassa” also known as “Ile Kewu” in Yoruba language. So it's basically religious school where a lot of cramming and singing is involved.
You memorize verses from the “Tira” which is like a mini book full of hadiths and later, so far you stick to the Madrassa, you go on to memorize the Quran. I attended a madrassa just a few blocks from our rented apartment in Mushin at that time and how I hated the place. The Alfa was a leaf chewing-bad breathedunkempt bearded-cane wielding individual who could really beat the skeleton out of us for the littlest of infringements. Imagine a Taliban solider but instead of a gun, he carries a cane and how we all feared that device.
The stink of fear permeated our madrassa and we walked on egg shells whenever we attended. I remember a Christian boy who followed his Muslim neighbor to one of our classes. He offended the Alfa and thought he could get away with it since he was a guest. Hell, we all thought he could get away with it because beating guests was a no no in any sane environment. But our Alfa was unique and maybe a little deranged.
He flogged the living day light out of our “guest” that it caused a little fight in the community. Safe to say he reoriented the thinking of our “guest” on the notion of following any of his friends out again in future. And maybe that was why it affected me so much to the extent that my normal academic was affected. My father released it and withdrew me there, urging me to concentrate solely on my western education.
I was lucky but not everyone was. I think there really is just small window for a career path for anyone that takes going to Arabic school seriously. But the takeaway from Arabic school that still works for me efficiently till today is my retentive memory.
Education in a Madrassa involves 80% cramming and 20% the ability to withstand punishment. I found it easier to retain crucial information in a friendly environment after my drop out from the Madrassa. I talk about those formative years in a Madrassa because the experience, despite not being enjoyed to the fullest, gave me a spring board to be better at other things.
Then my late mother took the opportunity to turn me to a regular church goer. She attended the Christ Apostolic Church which was a Pentecostal establishment that preached mainly in Yoruba language even if Sunday school was a more English affair. They probably realized that teaching children about the bible in Yoruba language was too much of a stretch since most of them spoke English. Besides, we couldn't read the Yoruba text perfectly and as an adult, I still
How Religious Education Has Shaped My Thinking
struggle with it today. CAC was a church of fire and brimstone. The devil was an invader and the only way to tackle him was to outshout your fellow prayer partner. The din they made when they prayed was so much it won't be out of play in a world cup final and to think the church could only hold up to a hundred people.
Safe to say, I was a good bible student as memorizing memory verses and names and crucial events in the bible was just so easy. I say this because when you are subjected to memorizing a foreign language by a cane wielding maniac that seemingly takes joy in inflicting pain on children, memorizing the bible in an environment where you are even bribed with biscuits to learn is a piece of cake. No capping. Our Alfa would die before he offered us water in the Madrassa. The process of experiencing both sides of the most practiced religion in Nigeria helped shape my ability to conjure theories at a young age that still amazes me as an adult today. Like when I told my Sunday school teacher why Christians close their eyes when they pray and Muslims do not.
According to the then 10 year old me, I theorized that Christianity was popular at a period of relative peace as there was an established government that worked with no outside threat of disturbance. The Roman Empire was then at its peak and everything was organized so people could close their eyes and pray without fear of any harm coming to them
The same cannot be said of Islam where the societal structure at the time was scattered with warring sides. Closing your eyes during prayer was tantamount to getting killed as the enemies could sneak up on you. So they prayer with their eyes open, commuting with Allah but making sure they took their safety into their hands Of Course my Sunday school teacher laughed at it and chalked it down to the fact that I've been reading a book on the Roman Empire for the last 3 Sundays. Religious education, experienced from both side of the coin, like I did, only makes the human more mature and more liberal to how the world works with no room for over zealousness or being a fanatic as the human is more nuanced in his ability to think without bias.
HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR HAIR EXTENSIONS.
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uman hair extensions can transform your entire look by adding volume and length to your hair. Celebrities use them to get glamorous hairstyles in only a day. Just like your natural hair, human hair extensions require a certain amount of care. If you want your hair extensions to make you look beautiful, you better learn how to maintain them. It doesn’t matter if you are a new hair extension user or if you have used them in the past, it is always the best idea to take proper care of these expensive assets. In order to do that, you need to set up a good routine and follow those good habits to make your extensions last longer. With proper and regular care and attention, you can make your extensions last longer, looking healthy. This information is applicable for most types of high-quality hair extensions. It does not matter if they’re clip-on’s or sewn-in, you must follow a hair care routine for best results.
Here are few tips on how to maintain your hair extensions. Tip 1: Avoid Sleeping on Them As important as removing makeup before going to bed, removing the hair extensions is also very important. If you sleep while you have them on, they will detangle quickly and damage the clips of the extensions. Before going to bed, when you take off the clip-ons, make sure you do it from top to bottom, limiting the tangling during the process. For sewn-in extensions, while you cannot remove them, it is important to wear a sleeping cap or a silk scarf while sleeping, to avoid any frizz or tangling. Tip 2: Use Mild Shampoo & Conditioner For hair extensions, make sure you use a gentle shampoo and conditioner which is safe for colored hair as the extensions are dyed in the perfect shade to match your hair. For extensions made from human hair, only use the recommended shampoo by your hair stylist to keep it soft and manageable. Tip 3: Avoid Applying Heat While you might forget at times, that hair extensions are not attached to your scalp and do not receive the adequate oils and nutrients that the hair on your head does, it is essential not to overuse heating tools to style your extensions .It will damage the texture and look of the extension, and will wear out sooner. Instead of heating tools, try using a texture spray as a heat-free styling option. Tip 4: Do Not Wash Often If you have sewn-in hair extensions, go ahead and wash your hair like you normally do, that is, probably twice a week. But, if you are using hair clip-on’s, washing them once a month is absolutely normal. Tip 5: Use Heat Protectants If you use hair extensions for events or very often, and you feel the need to style them frequently, it is important that you apply a heat protectant spray or cream before styling your extensions with any heating tool.
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CAN MODERN WOMEN DO WITHOUT HAIR?
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by Rasaq Pedro
hen Laura Hemingway had lung cancer she thought the world was about to end. It was the most logical kind of thinking when she was diagnosed. She had to undergo aggressive therapy and fortunately, after 10 months, the cancer rebated and she could start her life again. On getting home, what her 2 year old son noticed was her hair "where is your hair" he asked mummy.
The modern woman simply can't do without her hair. From the sassiness of Beyonce and Lady gaga to name a few, where they whip their hair in slow motion to illustrate their freedom and feminism as women, to the close crop cut of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who exudes political power never seen wielded by a female, it is very much easy to see the synonym between the modern woman and hair. It is not foolhardy to say that the woman's hair is her crowning glory and the modern woman is an epitome of that. The modern woman wants to be heard, to be noticed but more importantly to be impactful in a society that is patriarchal and sometimes downright misogynistic. What better way to show the new outspokenness of the modern woman by her hair.
The modern can wear her hair short, long, in braids, and dare i say it even bald without being subjected to mockery and questions that would have bedeviled her like as recently as 50 years ago. Wearing your a short hair as a women does not mean she is a lesbian nor is going bald meaning she is mourning a husband. The modern woman has a choice and she has decided to choose what type of hair she wants. So can the modern woman do without hair? Yes she can as she has a choice that was not readily available to her forbearers. However she can decide to do away with her hair without being see as weird or being branded an outcast
What's The Full Value Of Hair To Our Women The Economy
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ccording to Statista.com, as at November 2020, the hair industry in Nigeria was worth 116.4 billion naira. To take into consideration, that is more money generated than the internally generated revenue of Gombe, Katsina, Oyo, Edo and Anambra combined. It shows how important the hair business is to Nigeria both in terms of males and females.
Although hair culture may vary across the nation, it is certain that women change their hairstyle often. The need to have great hair, to be seen a valuable to the society cuts across all walks of life. From the conservative north where the women are sometimes expected to cover their hair, to the secular south where women flaunt their hair, one thing is common, Nigerian women spend money in their hair.
This has led to the booming of the hair and cosmetic market. The journey that a strand of human hair takes from a grower's head to a consumer's head is complex and often opaque. According to industry experts, hair passes through 100 pairs of hands before it reaches its final destination. This process is called harvesting, or collecting hair from the original source's head. The vast majority of the world's unprocessed hair comes from just 2 places: Hong Kong and India. We know that beauty has financial value. We want to be around beautiful people because they delight the eye but also because we think they are intrinsically better humans. We've been told that attractive people are paid higher salaries. In truth, it's a bit more complicated than that. It's really a combination of beauty, intelligence, charm, and collegiality that serves as a recipe for better pay. Still, beauty is an integral part of the equation.
In a world of change, the buying of hair seem to be a constant. Despite the advent of COVID 19 and its impact on the economy, hair sales was still on the rise which shows that when things aren't well, women still want to look beautiful and this is certainly good news for the economy because the value of hair is linked to how far women can go to purchase them
Want‱to‱open‱an‱ e-commerce‱in‱2021?
Would‱you‱like‱to‱open‱your‱e-commerce‱site‱but‱you‱don't‱know‱what‱the‱real‱costs‱are?
But‱how‱much‱does‱it‱cost‱to‱open‱an‱e-commerce?
How‱much‱does‱it‱cost‱to‱open‱an‱e-commerce‱site‱from‱scratch?
.But‱is‱not‱so.
Want‱to‱open‱an‱e-commerce‱in‱2021? But‱is‱not‱so.
What‱are‱your‱goals?‱Are‱they‱achievable?‱What‱are‱your‱prospects?
After‱development,‱what‱needs‱to‱be‱done?‱Will‱customers‱arrive‱on‱the‱site?
In short, the last twelve months have been completely unexpected and have led to considerable changes both in the way they communicate with customers and in their purchasing behavior.
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HOW HAIR TRANSFORMS OR INFLUENCES OUR IDEA OF BEAUTY by Olatunji Pedro
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eauty is personal. But it's also universal. There are international beauties—those people who have come to represent the standard. And hair is a major part of how we really identify the concept of beauty. For instance, a male enters a room that comprises two women. One has a low key cut bordering on the hair almost being non visible while the other woman has long hair. It's quite natural for the male to be more observant of the latter than the former.
This is because Hair is directly linked to beauty and its ambitious standards. A woman's hair makes up who she is and can have a positive or negative e ect on her image as a whole. There are multiple aspects to hair including color, length, thickness, texture and pattern. These aspects determine all types of various looks and styles a woman can wear and is a way she can re-invent herself. Women, especially women of color, can be creative with their hair and can switch it up to try di erent things. Although this is fun and has endless possibilities, women of color are policed more for how they look and present their hair.
For generations, beauty required a slender build but with a generous bosom and a narrow waist. The jawline was to be defined,
the cheekbones high and sharp. The nose angular. The lips full but not distractingly so. The eyes, ideally blue or green, large and bright. Hair was to be long, thick, and flowing—and preferably golden. Symmetry was desired. Youthfulness, that went without saying. But on a powerfully emotional level, being perceived as attractive means being welcomed into the cultural conversation. You are part of the audience for advertising and marketing. You are desired. You are seen and accepted. When questions arise about someone's looks, that's just another way of asking: How acceptable is she? How relevant is she? Does she matter?
All in all, it is shown that women have a strong attachment to their hair. Not only does hair create identity but it also fosters a sense of pride and love. Although the public standard of beauty broadcasted by the media is closer to European likeness, women of color are also not left out as they continue to be themselves and have emerged in a new recent wave of self-acceptance throwing away the forced ideas of beauty and c o n s t a n t l y s t r u g g l i n g t o fi g h t f o r acceptance in all communities and settings.
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Eye Makeup Trends By Decade: The Shadow, Mascara, And More That Ruled The Last 100 Years - And the chic women who wore them.
A lot changes in 100 years, including the space on and around women's eyes. From the first part of the 20th century to now, trends have ping-ponged between extremes ('80s makeup is still inspiring Halloween costumes, while the more demure decades were characterized by an almost nonexistent application). Not a centenarian yourself? See what you missed by clicking through. The 1910s: A Sheer Wash of Color or Totally Bare
The Icons: Mary Pickford, Bette Davis, and the Gibson Girl
The Backstory: Makeup had its challenges at the turn of the century. It wasn't widely available: Mascara wasn't even invented until 1915, when Maybelline debuted a dry cake version that required water to turn into a paste-like consistency. The women who dared to wear it had to covertly shop at the equivalent of a speakeasy or go to one of the few apothecaries that customblended concoctions. It was far from convenient, and the only women wearing it regularly were screen stars and ladies of the night. This was a decade of demure fashion and behavior, one in which ladies avoided even the slightest bit of sun (tans were considered as trashy as obvious makeup). Women who wore any color usually stuck with just a bit of blush on the cheeks and lips, and the bold few who put makeup on their eyes dabbed just a sheer wash of gray, brown, or yellow-colored paste on their lids. The 1920s: Dark, Smoky Eyes
The Icons: Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, and stylish flappers
The Backstory: Goodbye prim and proper, hello party. The roaring '20s were a time of soaring wealth and female milestones (women earned the right to vote at the start of the decade and began to enter the workforce in greater numbers). Despite Prohibition, decadent parties were the norm, and the trend-setting flapper came into existence. Inspired by the increased distribution of movies, expanded reach of cinema stars, and migration of Americans from farms to big cities—where makeup was now widely available—rings of dark shadow became the chic evening look of the era. To make eyes appear even deeper and darker, women caked on their mascara. Red or crimson lips and a highly coi ed bob finished the overall e ect.
The 1930s: Pencil-Thin Eyebrows
The Icons: Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, Mae West, Myrna Loy, and Carole Lombard
The Backstory: Thanks to the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression, the eye look of the day was characterized by brows as emaciated as the economy. Over a quarter of the working population was out of work, and a horrific drought was causing a farming crisis in middle America—millions of people lost everything. To escape dismal reality, people flocked to the movies and saw pinched, pencil-thin brows taking over the silver screen. Stars like Greta Garbo and Myrna Loy inspired women to tweeze like mad or even get rid of their brows completely, drawing a thin semi-circle in their place.
Those with money to spare often paired the anorexic brow look with pale pastel shadows—greens, pinks, purples, blues, or neutral tones—and a thin line of black eye pencil, overdrawn at the outer edges to elongate the eyes. Mascara, raspberry or maroon lips, and blush were also popular. The 1940s: Nearly Bare Eyes
The Icons: Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Gene Tierney, Hedy Lemarr, Rita Hayworth, and Joan Crawford
The Backstory: Not only did the start of World War II mean that women were going to work in droves, manning factories previously run by men who were now soldiering abroad, but also that items like cosmetics were tightly rationed. Consequently, makeup, especially on the eyes, took on a more practical and understated look. It wasn't much: maybe some beige or light brown eye shadow, plus mascara and balm to keep thicker brows in place.
War-fueled patriotism also had an e ect on women's beauty habits: This decade saw pin-up girls come into existence, used on propaganda to further the idea of a beauty waiting at home. Defined eyes and bright red lipstick topped with shine-enhancing balm made for a beauty look meant to boost the morale of the forces. The 1950s: Winged Eyeliner
The Icons: Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly
The Backstory: Though some women started wearing cat-eye liner in the late '40s, we have Marilyn Monroe to thank for really making the look famous, having worn it in the film-noir crime drama The Asphalt Jungle in 1950. Actresses and fashionable women alike would follow her flirtatious and wickedly feminine lead, pairing winged black liner with equally elegant neutral shadow and pink or reddish-pink lips. The trend was also adapted by Monroe's fellow screen stars. The '50s were big for Audrey Hepburn, with Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and Funny Face all being released; Grace Kelly's Rear Window and To Catch a Thief were also popular movies of the decade.
The 1960s: Loads of Lashes
The Icons: Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy, Penelope Tree, Brigitte Bardot, and Edie Sedgwick
The Backstory: Youth dominated in the swinging '60s, due in part to the baby boom at the end of WWII. Music was new and brash, skirts were short, and body-exposing cutouts were regarded as no big deal by the stylish set. London was the center of it all thanks to The Beatles, "mod" fashion boutiques, and It girls Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy. The latter's falsiefeaturing face covered every magazine worth looking at (Mary Quant Cosmetics is credited with helping to create the mod makeup look).It didn't take long for other young women to adopt the wide-and-bright-eyed e ect, characterized by extra-long false lashes made from human or synthetic hair along the upper and lower lids and tons of black mascara. The lower lashes were so dramatically dark and lengthy (verging on clumpy) that they resembled spiders' legs. To really rock the mod look, over-the-top lashes were often paired with colored shadow—white was a favorite hue—and thick black eyeliner.
The 1970s: Au NaturaleT
The Icons: Bianca Jagger, Lauren Hutton, Cheryl Tiegs, Jaclyn Smith, Christie Brinkley, and Ali MacGrawT
he Backstory: Like most cosmetics, eye makeup nearly disappeared from the faces of women in the 1970s: The look of the moment consisted of a little neutral shadow and barely there mascara. The urge to pare back can be credited to the cultural rise of hippies and anti-Vietnam War feelings, the women's liberation movement (with outspoken leaders who challenged what modern women should look like), and an interest in all that was natural. The first Earth Day took place in the United States in 1970 and led to community cleanups, the beginning of recycling, and the passing of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. An oil crisis gripped the nation, resulting in long lines at the gas pumps, people using bikes instead of cars, and an overall move to conserve and pay attention to the environment. Suddenly, cosmetics were at odds with the earthy beauty ideal being celebrated. The 1980s: The More, the Better
The Icons: Diana Ross, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, Joan Collins, and Debbie Harry
The Backstory: Excess returned, and with disco music, star-studded clubs like Studio 54 celebrating eccentricity and hedonism, and a surging economy, women began to go for it with their eye makeup. Consider: M.A.C Cosmetics was born in 1984 to answer the needs of two Canadian makeup artists who wanted bolder, more highly pigmented colors that would photograph well. Vibrant blues, pinks, purples, and shimmery golds were worn alone or all at once for a rainbow-like e ect, extending up to the brow bone for serious impact.
The 1990s: Minimalist Makeup
The Icons: Kate Moss, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Winona Ryder, and Gwyneth Paltrow
The Backstory: As if a backlash to the excess of the '80s, fashion designers dialed it way back in the following decade, celebrating sleek lines, neutral tones, and minimal accessorizing. Kate Moss rocketed to fame after posing for Calvin Klein, ushering in a beauty culture that celebrated her gamine figure and fuss-free look. The era's emerging starlets copied the less-is-more approach, and, in real life, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s bride Carolyn Bessette was celebrated for her elegant look of taupe shadow, manicured brows, and brown or subtle black mascara paired with pale rosy-brown lipstick.
The 2000s: Full, Lush Lashes
The Icons: Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, and Madonna
The Backstory: After stealing the spotlight at the Grammys in 2000 (perhaps you recall a certain navel-grazing Versace gown?), Lopez made style waves on the Oscars red carpet the following year when she showed up wearing red fox fur lashes by Shu Uemura and enough mascara to fully coat the audience. Things have never been the same, beauty-wise. In that single, solitary moment, women were sold on thick, full, feathery lashes (though the real fur used by the pop star attracted controversy and objections).Lash bars began popping up at department stores and salons across the country, o ering professional applications of faux lashes that required hours-long appointment times. Lash conditioners that promised thickening and lengthening hit the market, and mascara upped its game with gigantic sizes, curved wands, bristles of all shapes and sizes, and fibers added to the formulas for extra length.
The 2010s: Bold Brows
The Icons: Cara Delevingne, Keira Knightley, Lily Collins, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, and Hilary Rhoda
The Backstory: In the 1990s and 2000s, most fashion-conscious women were seeing professional brow groomers and requesting highly manicured, thinned-out, arched looks. Then came 2012, the year a British model and socialite named Cara Delevingne landed her first big fashion campaign for Burberry, walked the Chanel couture runway, and was anointed by Karl Lagerfeld as the It girl. Delevingne's distinctively thick, boyish, archless, legitimately bushy eyebrows couldn't be missed. Models and the overtweezed immediately started trying to undo whatever damage that had been done.The brow-obsessed dabbed hair regrowth ointments intended for the scalp across their faces, used lash conditioners to thicken what they had naturally, and practiced darkening and filling in brows with the plethora of powders, pencils, pomades, and tinted gels that hit the market for for extra oomph. Those lash bars that popped up in the aughts? Menus got longer with the addition of new brow services.