Mascara

thumb|A mascara tube and a wand applicator

Mascara (, ) is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms—liquid, powder, or cream—the modern mascara product has various formulas; however, most contain the same basic components of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives. The most common form of mascara is a liquid in a tube with an application brush.

Definition

The Collins English Dictionary defines mascara as "a cosmetic substance for darkening, lengthening, curling, colouring, and thickening the eyelashes, applied with a brush or rod." The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) adds that mascara is occasionally used on the eyebrows as well.

The OED also references mascaro from works published in the late 19th century. In 1886, the Peck & Snyder Catalogue advertises, "Mascaro or Water Cosmetique... For darkening the eyebrow and moustaches without greasing them and making them prominent." In 1890, the Century Dictionary defined mascara as "a kind of paint used for the eyebrows and eyelashes by actors." In 1894, N. Lynn advises in Lynn's Practical Hints for Making-up, "to darken eyelashes, paint with mascara, or black paint, with a small brush."

Etymology

The source of the word mascara is unclear. It was possibly derived from the Spanish word meaning 'mask' or 'stain', and the Italian word ' meaning 'mask' is a possible origin. A related Catalan word describes soot or a black smear, and the Portuguese word ' means 'mask' and ' means dark stain or smut. There is even some support for a possible source from the Arabic word or 'buffoon'. The Hebrew word משקרות (in the phrase mesaqqeroth `eynayim) relating to women's eyes is found in Isaiah 3:16. It may mean flirting or ogling with the eyes, or painting them with red pigment.

Latin treatises sometimes used the word mascara when referring to witches.

History

thumb|Woman applying mascara.

The name Mascara was likely given in reference to the city which bears the same name, since in the mid-19th century the French discovered antimony powder during their conquest in the old city of Mascara in Algeria. The nomadic tribes used it as a beauty product but also to protect themselves from various trachomas and eye diseases.

Aesthetic adornment is a cultural universal, and mascara can be documented in ancient Egypt. Records from around 4000 BC refer to a substance called kohl that was used to darken eyelashes, eyelids, and eyebrows. Kohl was used to mask the eyes, believed to ward off evil spirits and protect the soul, by both men and women. Often composed of galena; malachite; and charcoal or soot, crocodile stool; honey; and water was added to keep the kohl from running. Through Egypt's influence, kohl usage persisted in the subsequent Babylonian, Greek and Roman empires. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, kohl fell into disuse on the European continent, where it had been considered solely a cosmetic; conversely, it continued to be widely used in the Middle East for religious purposes.

The product that people would recognize as mascara today did not develop until the 19th century. A chemist named Eugène Rimmel developed a cosmetic using the newly invented petroleum jelly. The name Rimmel became synonymous with the substance and still translates to "mascara" in the Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Romanian, and Persian languages today.

Across the Atlantic Ocean and at roughly the same time, in 1915, Thomas Lyle Williams created a remarkably similar substance for his sister Mabel. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, two giants in the American beauty industry, watched and kept abreast of its development. After the First World War, American consumers became eager for new products. Sensing an opportunity, both Rubinstein and Arden launched their own brands of cosmetics that included mascara. Through the efforts of these two rivals and public temperament, mascara finally gained respectability and favor in American society.

The invention of the photograph and motion picture launched mascara's popularity and usage further forward in America. Motion pictures especially advertised a new standard of beauty and sex appeal. Famous actresses of the classic cinema era, such as Theda Bara, Pola Negri, Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, and Jean Harlow, depended heavily upon mascara for their glamorized appearances, which the average woman sought to mimic.

In 1933, a woman known on court records as Mrs. Brown consented to have her eyelashes permanently dyed. Within hours of the treatment, Mrs. Brown began experiencing severe symptoms of stinging and burning eyes. By the next morning, Mrs. Brown's eyes had developed ulcers which oozed and had swollen shut. It was only after the Lash Lure incident and several others like it, documented in Ruth deForest Lamb's book entitled American Chamber of Horrors, that Congress granted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the right to regulate cosmetics in 1938. Some mascaras contain ultramarine blue. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) accounts for over 65% of inorganic pigment sales volume. TiO₂ gives the pigment a white color while different iron oxides provide a variety of colors such as red, yellow, brown, and black. Mascaras designed to lengthen or curl the eyelashes often contain nylon or rayon microfibers. Additionally, ceresin, gum tragacanth, and methyl cellulose are regular ingredients and serve as stiffeners.

In one method of production, referred to as anhydrous, all waxes, oils, and pigments are mixed, heated, and agitated simultaneously. The alternative method, termed emulsion, starts by combining water and thickeners. Separately, waxes and emulsifiers are combined. Pigment is then added individually to both mixtures. Finally, all is combined in a homogenizer, which acts as a high-speed agitator in order to thoroughly mix the oils, water, waxes, and emulsifiers—ingredients that naturally repulse each other.

Safety

Eye cosmetics containing kohl, kajal, al-kahal, surma, tiro, tozali, or kwalli often pose a lead poisoning risk. Products containing kohl, kajal, surma, and similar materials are illegal color additives in the United States as defined by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, section 201(t).

Mercury, as thiomersal, is widely used in the manufacture of mascara. In 2008, Minnesota became the first state in the United States to ban intentionally added mercury in cosmetics, giving it a tougher standard than the federal government.

thumb|right|Mascara-coated eyelashes

It is more common to develop a stye, or commoner still, swollen eyelids. Eyelashes naturally have microbial organisms; applying mascara may expose microbes to incubate in the mascara.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

A 2021 study tested 231 makeup and personal care products and found organic fluorine, an indicator of PFAS, in more than half of the samples. High levels of fluorine were most commonly identified in waterproof mascara (82% of brands tested), foundations (63%), and liquid lipstick (62%). As many as 13 types of individual PFAS compounds were found in each product.

See also

• Eye liner
• Eye shadow

References

External links