Face powder is a cosmetic product applied to the face to serve different functions, typically to beautify the face. Originating from ancient Egypt, face powder has had different social uses across cultures and in modern times, it is typically used to set makeup, brighten the skin and contour the face. Face powders generally come in two main types. One of which is loose powder, which is used to assist with oily skin in absorbing excess moisture and mattifying the face to reduce shininess. The other is pressed powder which conceals blemishes and maximises coverage. The use of face powder has contributed to beauty standards throughout history. In

ancient Europe The expression Ancient Europe may be used in a variety of senses: *The ancient concept of ''Europa'' in Greek geography, in origin "the landmass adjacent to Thrace" ** Europa (ancient geography) **Europa (Roman province), in the Diocese of Thrace * ...

and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

, a whitened face with a smooth complexion signalled a woman of high status. The prevalence of this trend was carried throughout the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...

and Medieval era. During this time, women used harmful ingredients as face powder including bleaches, lead and

lye A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. "Lye" most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been u ...

Early history

Egypt

Archaeological remains and chemical analyses indicate the use of face powder dating back from between 2000 and 1200 BC, and include lead fibres, a common cosmetic ingredient used in ancient Egypt. Kohl jars used to store

eyeliner Eye liner or eyeliner is a cosmetic used to define the eyes. It is applied around the contours of the eye(s). It is often used to create various aesthetic effects. History Eye liner was first used in ancient India, ancient Egypt and Mesopota ...

as well as stone containers holding face powder were discovered in graves as this promised the ancient Egyptians eternal beauty in the afterlife. Men and women used an early form of

rouge Rouge is the French word for "red" and may refer to: Compounds * Rouge (cosmetics), a cosmetic used to color the cheeks and emphasize the cheekbones * Jeweler's rouge or iron(III) oxide * Rouging, a form of corrosion applicable to stainless ...

powdered blush for their cheeks which was made from red ochre. Greek queen Cleopatra heavily influenced the ancient Egyptian beauty standard with a distinctive make-up style, inspiring the ancient Egyptians to paint their eyes with green and blue powders. Face powder was also considered to have medicinal purposes to protect people from illness.

Greece

Ancient Egyptian beauty trends travelled across the Mediterranean and influenced cosmetic practices in Greece. Using similar ingredients,

ancient Greeks Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

used

cinnabar Cinnabar (), or cinnabarite (), from the grc, κιννάβαρι (), is the bright scarlet to brick-red form of mercury(II) sulfide (HgS). It is the most common source ore for refining elemental mercury and is the historic source for the bri ...

as a powdered

for the face as well as brightening their

complexion Complexion in humans is the natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially on the face. History The word "complexion" is derived from the Late Latin ''complexi'', which initially referred in general terms to a combination of thi ...

with

white lead White lead is the basic lead carbonate 2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2. It is a complex salt, containing both carbonate and hydroxide ions. White lead occurs naturally as a mineral, in which context it is known as hydrocerussite, a hydrate of cerussite. It was ...

. While the desire for a white complexion represented social ideas about race superiority, skin tone also enforced gender as in ancient times, women were paler than men, due to having less haemoglobin. A sign of belonging to the upper class was white, unblemished skin free from sun-exposure, as it was the life of wealthy women that involved staying indoors. Traces of the skin-lightening face powder made from white lead have been uncovered from the graves of wealthy ancient Greek women. The city of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

was nearby the Laurion mines, from which the Greeks extracted vast amounts of silver and obtained a great deal of their wealth through trade. White lead was found in the mines as a by-product of the silver, from which ancient Greeks produced face powder. The use of face powder also appears in the work of ancient Greek writers. Writer and historian

Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; grc, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Greek mercenary armies o ...

writes of women who "rubbed in white lead to the face to appear whiter". In his book ''Oeconominicus'', Ancient Greek poet

Eubulus Eubulus is the name of: People: * Eubulus (banker), 4th century BC Bithynian banker and ruler of Atarneus * Eubulus (statesman) (c. 405 BC – c. 335 BC), Athenian statesman * Eubulus (poet) Eubulus ( grc-gre, Εὔβουλος, ''Euboulos'') was ...

in his play ''Stephanopolides'' compares lower class and upper-class women, declaring that poor women "are not plastered over with white lead". While it was known the white lead was poisonous, the ancient Greeks were not deterred from applying the face powder to fulfil their beauty standards.

Rome

The ancient Roman use of face powder was centred around the Roman ideal of

femininity Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered f ...

and beauty standards, expressing signs of social and health status. The pale complexion was desired by Roman women and is frequently expressed in the poetry of ancient Roman poet

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

. Small glass jars and

brushes A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

from archaeological remains suggest the storage and use of face powder. Ancient Roman poets

Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis (), known in English as Juvenal ( ), was a Roman poet active in the late first and early second century CE. He is the author of the collection of satirical poems known as the '' Satires''. The details of Juvenal's life ...

and Martial mention a mistress named "Chione" in their works, which literally translates to "snowy" or "cold", referring to the desired fair complexion of ancient Roman women. Skin whitening as well as sun-blocking were practiced by applying face powder in the form of ''cerussa'', which was a mix of white lead shavings and vinegar. Roman women wished to conceal blemishes and freckles, as well as smoothing the skin using this powder.

Chalk Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Ch ...

was also used to whiten the skin, as well as powdered ash and saffron on the eyes.

China

Ancient Chinese women desired whitened skin for beauty as their use of face powder dates back to the Spring and Autumn period from 770 to 476 BC. An early form of face powder was prepared by grinding fine rice which was applied to the face. In addition,

pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

s were crushed to create pearl powder that improved facial appearance and was also used as a medicine to treat eye diseases,

acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...

and

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

. Chinese empress

Wu Zetian Wu Zetian (17 February 624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was the ''de facto'' ruler of the Tang dynasty from 665 to 705, ruling first through others and then (from 690) in her own right. From 665 to 690, she was first empres ...

used pearl powder to maintain radiant skin. Lead was also a common ingredient used for face powder and remained popular for its skin-whitening properties.

Renaissance

At a time of prevalent disease, beauty in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

was characterised by having clear, bright skin that signalled fertility and good health. Lead based powders were continually used throughout the 16th century by the noble class as

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

was known to use face powder to conceal her smallpox scars. The leading cause of her death was blood poisoning, primarily due to her cosmetic practices of using makeup containing toxic materials, including the lead-based face powder. During the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

, noticeable make-up became less popular as women desired to look naturally beautiful and hence, powders derived from

zinc oxide Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, food supplements, rubbers, plastics, ceramics, glass, cement ...

s were used to maintain ivory coloured skin. With the outbreak of

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

in 1760, less women used face powder due to how it aggravated the skin and revealed facial scarring. Works of art from the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

reinforced the idealised image of beauty and influenced the use of face powder. The social uses of face powder to maintain whitened, unblemished skin is visible in Renaissance art pieces including ''

The Birth of Venus ''The Birth of Venus'' ( it, Nascita di Venere ) is a painting by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, probably executed in the mid 1480s. It depicts the goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth, when she had emerged from the sea ...

'' by

Sandro Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), known as Sandro Botticelli (, ), was an Italian Renaissance painting, Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th cent ...

Shakespeare's William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

works comment on femininity and the culture of cosmetic use at the time, specifically with his references to silver, indicative of the desired glistening complexion achieved with the use of pearl face powder.

Recent history

20th century

During the

Edwardian era The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victor ...

, makeup for women was used to enhance natural beauty and many young women applied light face powder on a daily basis. Influenced by traditional beauty standards, women preferred pale, whitened and powdered skin throughout the early 1900s. However, in the 1920s, Hollywood became the main inspiration for beauty in America and powdering the face shifted from an

upper-class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...

practice to that of the social-class as the powdered face look became associated with prostitutes and movie stars. Due to growing popularity, the end of the decade saw a rise of cosmetic brands with over 1300 brands of face powder, which eventuated in a 52-million-dollar industry. Early makeup developers including

Elizabeth Arden Elizabeth Arden (born Florence Nightingale Graham; December 31, 1881 – October 18, 1966) was a Canadian-American businesswoman who founded what is now Elizabeth Arden, Inc., and built a cosmetics empire in the United States. By 1929, s ...

and

Helena Rubinstein Helena Rubinstein (born Chaja Rubinstein; December 25, 1870 – April 1, 1965) was a Polish and American businesswoman, art collector, and philanthropist. A cosmetics entrepreneur, she was the founder and eponym of Helena Rubinstein Incorporat ...

produced skin care products and powders that attracted an international market. Cosmetics for women of colour during this time were also in production, with the first face powder for African-American women created by Anthony Overton in 1898, called the High-Brown Face Powder. Overton made multiple darker tones of face powder with product names including "nut-brown", "olive-tone", "brunette" and "soft-pink", and by 1920, his sales earned him a Dun and Bradstreet Credit rating of one million dollars. Other

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

entrepreneurs also marketed cosmetics despite discrimination during the

Jim Crow era The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the So ...

, including

Annie Turnbo Malone Annie Minerva Turnbo Malone (August 9, 1869 – May 10, 1957) was an American businesswoman, inventor and philanthropist. She is considered to be one of the first African American women to become a millionaire. In the first three decades of t ...

who sold face powder in darker shades which developed into a multi-million dollar business. Businesswoman Madam C. J. Walker retailed face powders for African American women in drugstores despite the controversy caused as skin bleaching for fairer skin was a popular beauty trend at the time. Hungarian- American businessman Morton Neumann established his own cosmetic company in 1926, Valmor Products Co., and marketed darker-toned face powders for

black women Black women are women of sub-Saharan African and Afro-diasporic descent, as well as women of Australian Aboriginal and Melanesian descent. The term 'Black' is a racial classification of people, the definition of which has shifted over time and a ...

which retailed for 60 cents each. Compact, powder (AM 1995

In the 1930s, face powder remained a staple cosmetic product and its increased demand raised health concerns about lead based powders that were still in use. As a result, the Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act was passed in 1938 to regulate the ingredients used in cosmetics and ensure they were safe for use. Due to

World War Two World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

rationing in the 1940s, cosmetics were not as widely available, yet a powdered, beautified face remained the desired beauty trend. In 1942, the American War Production Board sought to conserve materials by placing restrictions on the production of certain cosmetics. Face powder was found to be a heavily used product by women and remained in production during wartime as cosmetics were considered essential products for women's self-expression and autonomy. The interwar period in Germany in 1935 also saw that cosmetics were on demand, accounting for 48% of magazine advertising with face powder being a staple item. 7 reasons Creme Puff by Max Factor, 1954

7 reasons Creme Puff by Max Factor, 1954

Following the Second World War, rationing in America had ceased and the cosmetic industry flourished. With the popularity of female Hollywood stars including

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

and Audrey Hepburn, American television culture influenced the 1950s beauty trend of clear, beautified skin.

Max Factor Max Factor is a line of cosmetics from Coty, Inc. It was founded in 1909 as Max Factor & Company by Maksymilian Faktorowicz. Max Factor specialized in movie make-up. Until its 1973 sale for US$500 million (approximately $ billion in 2017 dolla ...

, the leading cosmetic brand at the time, introduced the Crème Puff, the first ever multipurpose face powder that offered an all-in-one base, setting and finishing powder. The

1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War ...

that saw a widespread inclusion of diversity with new cosmetic brands offering face powder with darker shades. By 1977, cosmetics for black women became a $1.5 billion industry, with darker shades of powders, foundation and lipsticks available in stores around the USA. By the 1990s, face powder became a staple cosmetic product for not only concealing blemishes but setting makeup in place. The Australian Government's National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme was established in 1990 to ensure that industrial chemicals used in face powders and other cosmetics are safe for citizens to use.

21st century

The changing conceptions of masculinity during the

2000s File:2000s decade montage3.png, From top left, clockwise: The World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the 9/11 attacks in 2001; the euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled during th ...

led to evolving beauty trends that saw cosmetic products sold to men including facial scrubs, face powders and eye shadow. The use of face makeup has expanded to include males who desire an enhanced look, using face powder to achieve a chiselled complexion. As cosmetics in contemporary society are diverse in shade range options, modern face powder enhances natural skin tones and most brands cater for all skin types. 21st century cosmetic trends are heavily influenced by beauty icons and the face powder application technique known as ‘baking’ has been popularised by socialite

Kim Kardashian West Kimberly Noel Kardashian (formerly West; born October 21, 1980) is an American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the sex ...

. Baking involves patting translucent face powder under the eyes, the 'T' zone, beneath the cheek bones, along the jawline and on the sides of the nose, allowing it to sit for a few minutes while the foundation is absorbed by the skin's body heat, then brushing it off. This technique creates a pore-less and creaseless look that is a desired make-up beauty standard in modern times.

Modern uses

Modern face powders are currently available in different types to serve multiple functions. The six main types of face powder include loose powder, pressed powder, mineral powder, translucent powder, HD powder and finishing powder.

Loose powder

Loose powder can be

translucent In the field of optics, transparency (also called pellucidity or diaphaneity) is the physical property of allowing light to pass through the material without appreciable scattering of light. On a macroscopic scale (one in which the dimensions ...

or coloured and is generally packaged in a jar. It has a fine consistency with small particles and is used to give light coverage to the skin for a smooth, silky texture. Coloured loose powders work to minimise redness by colour-correcting. Loose powder is also used to set make-up, meaning it locks in the

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

and

concealer A concealer or color corrector is a type of cosmetic that is used to mask imperfections on the skin. These imperfections can include dark circles under the eyes, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation. Concealer is similar to, and can be used in conju ...

underneath to smoothen out the complexion and limit cracks and lines in the skin.

Pressed powder

Pressed powder is available in different shades and is sold in a compound container. It is compressed to provide a travel-friendly product for on-the-go touch-ups. Pressed powders give coverage to the face, concealing blemishes and discolouration, therefore can be used as a light coverage foundation. The particles in pressed powder are larger than those in loose powder and can give off a thick, clotted appearance when overused. Pressed powder can also be used for setting makeup. Loose mineral powder (2)

Mineral powder

Mineral powder comes in a loose powder form consisting of

vitamin A vitamin is an organic molecule (or a set of molecules closely related chemically, i.e. vitamers) that is an essential micronutrient that an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism. Essential nutrie ...

s and minerals. It contains a mix of

iron Iron () is a chemical element with Symbol (chemistry), symbol Fe (from la, Wikt:ferrum, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 element, group 8 of the periodic table. It is, Abundanc ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

and

titanium dioxide Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania , is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6 (PW6), or CI 77891. It is a white solid that is insolub ...

s, as well as

talc Talc, or talcum, is a clay mineral, composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thickening agent a ...

, providing health benefits to the skin including anti-inflammatory qualities. Mineral powders also limit the clogging of pores and are usually fragrance and preservative free.

Translucent powder

Translucent In the field of optics, transparency (also called pellucidity or diaphaneity) is the physical property of allowing light to pass through the material without appreciable scattering of light. On a macroscopic scale (one in which the dimensions ...

powder is available in both pressed and loose forms. Its use is to mattify the skin to reduce oiliness and shine. It can be used for the ‘baking’ application technique, by brightening up certain areas of the face, offering a long-lasting wear.

HD powder

High definition powder is mainly used for people featuring in high-definition film and

video Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syst ...

to prevent camera flashback, which is the white patches of powdered areas that are highlighted by a camera flash. Available in both pressed and loose forms, HD powder can reduce skin shininess, soften out the skin and mattify it.

Finishing powder

Finishing powder is mainly used to minimise fine lines and pores. It can even out the skin texture and blur out imperfections, used as a final product to complete makeup. It is available in both pressed and loose forms.

Ingredients

Toxic and harmful chemicals are rare in face powders today. Modern powders contain ingredients that can conceal blemishes and smoothen out the skin due to their absorbency. The most common ingredients used to make face powder include the following.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Face Powder Cosmetics History of cosmetics Cosmetic industry Powders