The evolution of Makeup

“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy” Yves Saint Laurent. Make-up has become such an essential part of our lives, that it is difficult to imagine a world without it. For some people, it is an added accessory to their look, but for some people, it is something that makes them more confident. Some people still don’t like the idea of it, and for others, it has become a necessity.

The early 2000s was the era of change. It was the era of fashion, modeling, and romcoms. the 2000s saw some amazing makeup trends. Britney Spears and Paris Hilton were an inspiration for a lot of young girls. Overlined lips, fake tans, heavy blush, and bronzer were a part of every big red carpet event for the celebrities. Christina Aguilera made really thin eyebrows a tren after her 2002 performance in New York. Purple eye shadow was the go-to for all the women. Extremely glossy lips received a fair share of the limelight during the 2000s.

People around the world were becoming accepting of it. Make-up has been a part of every culture of the world in different forms. In India, makeup was not as appreciated and acceptable as it is today. There were a lot of myths related to it. A lot of people looked down upon makeup as they thought it is for people, who are not comfortable in their own skin. It was believed that makeup is not good for one’s skin. A large number of people, especially thought that makeup was for models and actresses only. Young girls were told to put on makeup only as a bride as it would enhance their beauty. Even now in some parts of India, girls are not supposed to put on makeup before marriage.

Adrienne Nelson, a YouTuber can be credited for the introduction of makeup tutorials online.

She was the one who uploaded a short video of makeup hacks and it went viral. This led to the commencement of an unstoppable relationship between Youtube and the makeup industry. Television commercials were already popular at this time. Make-up brands hired models for their advertisement campaigns. But this was not the case anymore. More and more YouTubers and beauty channels started coming up. People were now buying products from the recommendation of their favorite vloggers. Advertisements were not convincing enough for the customers. It is still the case today.

Huda Beauty, a leading makeup brand in the market was born on youtube. Huda Kattan who was a beauty blogger started her own makeup line in 2013 after seeing the growth opportunities in the market. Male make-up artists like Jeffree Star, Manny Gutierrez, and many more have broken the societal myth that ‘make-up is only for women’. Huge makeup brands collaborate with YouTubers for promotion. Youtube advertisement is another marketing strategy that the brands use. Huda Beauty, another leading makeup brand in the market was born on youtube. Huda Kattan who was a beauty blogger started her own makeup line in 2013 after seeing the growth opportunities in the market. Kylie Cosmetics is another successful makeup brand. A lot of other YouTubers like James Charles have their own makeup line that is Morphee. A lot of YouTubers upload makeup content. Kim Kadarshian has her own makeup line too. A lot of small business owners are also coming up with their own brands too. Jeffree star a famous YouTuber introduced his makeup line in 2014. Manny MUA, a male YouTuber also launched his makeup line which is a big hit among teenagers. Another social media platform that the makeup industry has captured is Instagram.

Professional makeup artists started showing their work on this platform and gained recognition for that. Make-up brands collaborate with influences for advertisement these days. Influencers share their tricks and hacks with their audience. As a result, the industry has expanded drastically and there is a boost in the income of influencers and makeup artists. Before and after make-up reels have become so popular these days. Make-up is now considered a special art form. People show their talent through short videos. Make-up has also brought a change in societal thinking. Influencers openly talk about how makeup makes them feel good about themselves. A large number of women feel more in their element when they have make-up on. Make-up brands like Maybelline are collaborating with micro-influencers to increase their reach. Make-up is not only applied to the face anymore. A lot of brands are introducing body makeup too.

During COVID the beauty industry has seen a slight dip in its sales. A lot of small makeup brands have emerged during the same period but big companies likeL'Oréal are not performing well. Lip Make upmarket has decreased by 26% in 2020. [Antonioni,2020]

The makeup industry is still held responsible for standardizing a form of beauty. This was because there were not a lot of Indian skin foundation shades. But brands have started providing more range of skin tones in their products. The concept of an ideal face or flawless makeup is being looked down upon. People, especially women have started accepting and talking about acne marks, pimples, etc. Make-up is now being used to enhance their distinct features, rather than hiding their flaws. Being part of the Gen z generation I have learned make-up on youtube and social media. It is something that helps me out on my bad days. Make-up is therapeutic for me. It makes me more self-assured about myself. Sometimes it makes me feel that I can take over the world. I think that is how it should be. Instead of hiding our imperfections, we can embrace them with help of makeup.

A woman should be respected with our without makeup. At the end of the day, makeup is an external accessory. A person might feel more confident after putting makeup on, and others may feel more comfortable without it. At the end of the day, it's one’s own choice and he or she should be respected for that.