Sense and Sensibility: How Make-Up was Made Up

Cultural Product: Make Up

Inspired the episode of Love|Lust and Make Up
Watch the clip and get a glimpse of what's to come!

Some people may see it as a mere addition to a woman's beauty. Some view it as a sign of a woman's weakness for it tends to conceal the realistic appearance of the women and hides the imperfections truthful face. Some men adore women with make-up however some despise them.

In a world were society is allowed to view culture differently, no one can stop the endless interpretations as to what make-up really is and what it can do to our society.

As a lady, I admit that make-up is an essential part of my personal hygienic actions. Being a performer for 8 years now, I have learned how to properly apply make-up for myself, as well as my co-performers. I enjoy putting make-up and I enjoy learning more and more about it! I also know that there is more to make-up than what it is often perceived to be. Therefore, I chose make-up to be the topic of my discussion of a cultural product.

Behind that tainted face lies a mystery.

Make-up is considered as a cultural product as putting make-up is considered as a cultural tradition for me. Because the Birmingham Cultural Studies defined culture as something that is practiced and experienced everyday, which thus makes it part of our everyday lives. Make-up is in fact, done since the ancient times, practiced and experienced everyday since then.

In the ancient times, face painting was used by the Egyptians, Greeks and the Romans. It was worn by men of power, to be differentiated from the common people. Furthermore, this face painting practice was brought to Europe, during the Renaissance up to the 13th Century, women, and even men, wore make-up as a sign of elitism and wealth. Only those of the royal families can afford such spoiling.

It was the 20th Century when make-up boomed as a staple wear for women in the United States. It all started from make-up haven, Hollywood. Max Factor Sr. was the first person to begin experimenting with various compounds in an effort to develop a suitable make-up for the new film and advertising industry. The Frankfurt School taught us that "New Media" emerged either as a social revolution or the popularism or acceptance of the masses. Film and the advertising industry catered to the mass, the many, the common population, as it gives them a preview of the glamorous life of the stars and the big-time money-makers in Hollywood in their very own televisions at home. By 1914, Max Factor, Sr. had perfected the first cosmetic specifically created for motion picture - a thinner greasepaint in cream form packaged in a jar, created 12 shades and unlike theatrical cosmetics, it would not crack nor cake. This product was rampant in Hollywood films because it made the actresses and actors be more appealing in that small little box inside their homes.

After the World War II, America was more and more becoming liberal and open-minded. American economic culture suddenly shifted into consumerism after the war because everyone suddenly have the opportunity to splurge. But of course back then, they had no idea that what they're doing was called such. Henri LeFebvre, a French Cultural Studies theorist, talked about the ideology of consumerism soon after in his book, The Everyday Life in the Modern World. Advertising and the "New Media" from the Frankfurt School such as television commercials, films and billboards ads, also helped build this increase in consumerism. In the 1950's the primary target of consumption would be the women. Back then, an "ideal" family was one which was headed by and financed by an earning father, a beautiful, spotless and well put-together-despite-all-her-chores mother and polite children living under a huge roof complete with all home appliances one can imagine buying. During this decade, a woman's sole purpose is to maintain the orderliness of the house and take good care of her husband and children. Wearing make-up is one of the few things that empower them as it is a sign, a very small one, of power over her husband especially during bed time. (If you know what I mean.) This thought, with the booming practice of consumerism, and the increasing quantities of the new media in society, made make-up accessible to the masses.

In the 1950's a woman wouldn't be caught dead without her lipstick as it makes her pop, makes her seem like she's not stressed out and she is ready to take over her husband inside their bedroom. Thanks to Hazel Bishop's No-Smear lipstick, all housewives have lipstick with them all day long! Back then, the lipstick was the only weapon of women.

But the women then understand their need to further be heard outside their bedrooms and apparently, playing good girl was not enough. It was a coincidence that this was also the time when America was opening its doors for corporate women.

Elizabeth Arden, a British who dreamed of having a voice in the corporate arena, created a whole new business and landed herself a top position in Wall Street and became the first woman entrepreneur. Her dream was small - to make make-up affordable by all women, to empower them, and to inspire them with everything she will be achieving and to promulgate the thought of beauty alongside power. Make-up, in this sense, was used like a form tactical resistance showing women's resistance to the common notion that all women are inferior to men and that women cannot work in the business district. Michel de Cearteau, another French Cultural Studies theorist, discusses Tactical Resistance in his book The Practice of Everyday Life. Elizabeth Arden was the perfect example of such resistance.

In the 1960's, deep cultural changes were altering the role of women in American society. More females than ever were entering the paid workforce. By the end of the 60's, 80% of wives were already using contraception and birth control pills. This freed women from unwated pregnancy and gave them many more choices, and most especially freedom. Make-up still played a big role as this revolution progresses. The Rise of Feminist Theories and Feminism soar along with the rise of make-up usage. In 1966, the National Organization for Women was formed, one of the proofs of society's increasing recognition of women's power.

From then on, women's rights continue to develop as more and more women gather the voice and strenght they need to speak up and fight. At the same time, make-up continued also to be a valuable weapon of women. Even up until today, women express themselves carefully but deliberately through the make-up they put on their faces. Postmodern artists such as the infamous Lady Gaga promulgate pressing matters and concerns through their weird makeup styles. As make-up styles becomes more and more varied and stylized, Postmodernism theories are applied in this sense as the look on our faces, stem further and further away from the normal look, the so-called realistic truth. As times change, our perspectives on beauty or what is beautiful changes as well.

A world without the culture of make-up and its connections with the culture of consumerism, the culture of resistance and the cultural implications of feminist movement and the cultural definitions of beauty would make it hard for many women in our society now. Whether it is used for self empowerment, or for voicing out, for asking for attention, for rebellion or simply for aesthetic purposes, the foundation and evolution of make up definitely had a strong and lasting impact to culture. I for one, can attest to this.