This Fascinating Video Explains Every Beauty Trend Ever

A woman in historical attire and makeup. — (Image credit: YouTube)

Best and Worst Makeup Moments in History #FacePaintBook - YouTube

Have you ever wondered how the role of makeup has evolved over the centuries? Or why it is that sometimes makeup was a symbol of power and other times it was a mark of vulgarity? Do you know that 16th-century Venetians used poisonous materials on their own skin? Or why the au naturel look was so popular in Victorian England?

These are the questions that professional makeup artist and author of Face Paint: The Story of Makeup Lisa Eldridge answers in her mesmerizing video detailing the trends of some of the most prominent periods in history. It's a great reminder that makeup isn't just what we wear on our faces—it's also an indicator of a woman's sociocultural place in any given point in time. Now, who says beauty is superficial?

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My writing has regularly appeared in The New York Times, The Paris Review, Salon, VICE, Guernica, The New York Observer, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Esquire, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more publications.

I was previously the Senior News Editor at Best Life Online and the Viral Content Editor in the Newsroom of Hearst Digital Media. My portfolio consists of a vast and diverse body of work that includes personal essays, lifestyle articles, breaking news posts, and viral content. My areas of expertise, however, are Russia, sex and relationships, and mental wellness.