Foundation (cosmetics)

Thick, unblended foundation on skin

Foundation is a skin coloured makeup applied to the face to create an even, uniform colour to the complexion, to cover flaws and, sometimes, to change the natural skintone. Foundation applied to the body is generally referred to as "body painting."

History

The use of cosmetics to enhance complexion reaches back into antiquity. “Face painting” is mentioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 23:40). Ancient Egyptians used foundation. In 200 B.C., ancient Greek women applied white lead powder and chalk to lighten their skin. It was considered fashionable for Greek women to have a pale complexion. Roman women also favoured a pale complexion. Wealthy Romans favoured white lead paste, which could lead to disfigurements and death. Men also wore makeup to lighten their skin tone.[1] They used white lead powder, chalk, and creams to lighten their skin tone. The cream was made from animal fat, starch, and tin oxide.[2] The fat was rendered from animal carcasses and heated to remove the color. Tin oxide was made out of heating tin metal in open air. The animal fat provided a smooth texture, while the tin oxide provided color to the cream.[3]

Throughout the Middle Ages in Europe, it was considered fashionable for women to have pale skin, due to the association of tanned skin with outdoors work, and therefore the association of pale skin with affluence. In the 6th century, women would often bleed themselves to achieve a pale complexion.[4] During the Italian Renaissance, many women applied water–soluble lead paint to their faces. Throughout the 17th century and the Elizabethan era, women wore ceruse, a lethal mixture of vinegar and white lead. They also applied egg whites to their faces to create a shiny complexion.[5] Many men and women died from wearing lead-based make-up.

In the 18th century, Louis XV made it fashionable for men to wear lead-based makeup.[1] Theatrical actors wore heavy white base.[6]

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Victorian women wore little or no makeup. Queen Victoria abhorred make-up and deemed that it was only appropriate for prostitutes and loose women to wear it. It was only acceptable for actors or actresses to wear make-up. In the late 19th century, women would apply a whitening mixture made out of zinc oxide, mercury, lead, nitrate of silver, and acids. Some women stayed out of the sun, ate chalk, and drank iodine to achieve whiteness.[7]

In the Edwardian era, women wore base and did not bleach their skin as much as they did in previous centuries.[8]

Modern foundation can trace its roots to Carl Baudin of the Leipziger Stadt theatre in Germany. He is the inventor of greasepaint. He wanted to conceal the joint between his wig and forehead, so he developed a flesh-coloured paste made of zinc, ochre and lard. This formulation was so popular with other actors that Baudin began producing it commercially, and, as such, gave birth to the first theatrical makeup.[9]

This would be the standard for theatrical make-up until 1914, when makeup artist Max Factor created Flexible Greasepaint that was more reflective under the lighting on movie sets.[10] Although make-up would evolve dramatically from Baudin’s invention, theatrical make-up is, to this day, not too far removed from the original blend of fats and pigment.

Pan-Cake

The first commercially available foundation was Max Factor’s Pan-Cake. Originally developed for use in film, actresses were so taken with the results that Max Factor was overwhelmed with demand for the product for their personal use. The breakthrough in his formula was the first “foundation and powder in one”; traditionally, an actor was made up with an oil/emollient-based make-up, which was then set with powder to reduce the reflection and ensure it would not fade or smudge. Pan-Cake used talc—rather than oil or wax—as the base, and, applied directly to the skin with a wet sponge, it offered enough coverage (it could be layered without caking on the skin) to eliminate the need for a foundation underneath. This was considered significantly more lightweight and natural-looking on the skin than the standard method, hence people's eagerness to wear the item in public. Although foundation make-up was widely available and used within the film industry, the use of cosmetics in general was still somewhat disreputable, and no one had tried to market foundation (although lipstick, blush and nail polish were popular for daily use) as an everyday item. Factor had the product patented in 1937, and, despite the economic turmoil of the era, Pan-Cake became one of the most successful cosmetic launches of all time. By 1940, it was estimated that one in three North American women owned and wore Pan-Cake.[11] As of February 2009, Procter and Gamble, the brand’s current owner, confirmed that the original formula Factor developed and used himself is still sold today.

Modern formulations

Colour

Colour may be identified by a name, number, letter or any combination of the three. However, unlike the Pantone or Munsell systems used in the art and fashion industries, commercial cosmetic product names are not standardised. If a make-up artist requests a "Medium Beige" foundation, the result can vary drastically from brand to brand, and sometimes, within one brand across different formulas. Cosmetic companies can also edit and adjust their formulations and shades at any time, so the Medium Beige foundation a consumer has been wearing for years can, without warning, be made darker, lighter, and more or less yellow than it had been before.

Colour classification

Many companies classify their shades as Warm, Neutral, or Cool. Adding to the confusion is the different color wheels used between the art and beauty industry. The traditional artist's palette places the line dividing Cool and Warm across Primary Blue, whereas the cosmetic palette places the line across Primary Red. Thus, on the artists’ color wheel, Yellow is always Cool, Red is always Warm, and Blue can be Neutral (Primary), Warm (Violet), or Cool (Green). In contrast, the cosmetic palette classifies Yellow as always Warm, Blue as always Cool, and Red as either Neutral (Primary), Warm (Orange) or Cool (Blue-Red). The cosmetic palette is never used outside of make-up, and is very common in the industry — though a handful of professional lines, such as William Tuttle, Ben Nye, Visiora, M.A.C. and even Max Factor all use the conventional artist's palette. Thus, a Warm Beige foundation may either have a yellow tint or a pink tint, depending on the palette the company's creative director uses. Note that the artist's palette is designed to be used on canvas (which is white) compared to the make-up palette — which is used on flesh (an ivory to brown tone).

Selection

Although most artists differ over the significance of selecting an exact match to the wearer's skin tone, intentionally using a mismatch can achieve a desired result. An excessively red complexion can be minimised by using a clear (meaning neither yellow nor pink) beige toned foundation. A sallow or dull complexion can be brightened with a rose to red to tint mature skin that has lost its color and appears pale and dull can be brightened with a tint of clear pink; and olive or ashy skin can be brightened with a shot of peach. A crucial point in selecting a foundation shade is to recognise that the appearance of the shade in the container may not accurately gauge the colour impact on the skin — a foundation that appears very yellow in the bottle may go on much less yellow, or not appear yellow at all.

Coverage

Coverage refers to the opacity of the makeup, or how much it will conceal on the skin.

Application tools

There are various tools that can be used to apply foundation including your fingers, a sponge, and several varieties of foundation brushes, each providing a different finish. Before applying foundation always start with clean, moisturized skin. Any dry, flaky skin patches will be highlighted when makeup is applied so users should exfoliate their skin first if required.

Formulation

The formula refers to the ingredients blended together, and how the makeup is formulated.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Bronzer Gods". Salon.com. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  2. "Roman Makeup". Romancolosseum.info. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  3. "Makeup Science". Science News for Kids. 16 March 2005. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  4. name="vintagemakeup">"Modes in Makeup". Vintageconnection.net. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  5. "The History of Beauty". Elle Magazine. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  6. Conway, Julia (2004). Professional Make-up Artistry. Heinemann Educational Publishers. p. 337. ISBN 0-435-45330-0.
  7. "Modes in Makeup". Vintageconnection.net. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  8. Conway, Julia (2004). Professional Make-up Artistry. Heinemann Educational Publishers. p. 344. ISBN 0-435-45330-0.
  9. "Appleton Book Lover's Magazine". Appleton Book Lover's Magazine (Philadelphia: The Library Publishing Company) 4: 883. July–December 1904. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  10. "Monster Makeup". PBS Newton's Apple. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  11. "Max Factor and His Makeup Makeover – How He Revamped Cosmetics Forever". A Touch of Business. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  12. - Glossy Box, Nov 28, 2013
  13. You should not believe these 5 Makeup Myths – Understand What Foundation Is Really About - Skin Achievement, Feb 4, 2013
  14. "What is Mineral makeup?". Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  15. Article from WWD 26 February 1993. Kagan, Cara
  16. Make-up compositions containing phenylated silicone oils, which are resistant to transfer and migration – L'oreal. Freepatentsonline.com. Retrieved on 2011-12-08.
  17. Croda's new ester – superior to silicon?. Cosmeticsdesign.com. Retrieved on 2011-12-08.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, February 05, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.