We girls think we have it bad, having to wade through the plethora of modern beauty choices. All you have to do is delve into the past beauty aids to be eternally grateful for today’s fabulous choices.

For instance Cleopatra the Queen of Egyptian glamour had to grind crushed carmine with smashed base of ants eggs’ Yuk’ to color those famous lips, and grind lapis if she had a yen for blue eye shadow. Ditto with malachite if she was feeling inclined towards green eyes on any given day. Even though she had 10 million slaves to do her bidding, imagine the bother.
 
Greek beauties had to make a paste of ground seeds and berries to brighten their fair cheeks. They first coated their bodies with a white powder so their skin was very white, it was later discovered that the white powder contained arsenic and actually destroyed the skin and was often quite deadly.

In the Middle Ages makeup was banned and only actors used it. Then along came Elizabeth the First: a celebrated user of cosmetics. Her lipstick was made have cochineal and bee’s wax, but they were still using the dreaded white powder containing arsenic, which caused hair loss and this is why middle age beauties had receding hairlines!

Women who married while wearing cosmetics could have their marriage annulled because the husbands would say they were being tricked ( as if ). So you see my lovelies if your biggest problem is in choosing Givenchey or Revlon we have a lot to be thankful for. We can sweep into summer engulfed in the gifts of modern makeup without an annulment in sight, no receding hairlines and with our eyelashes intact.

Here’s to a hot glorious and sultry makeup summer, may the brush be with you!