It was a scandal, but then it made history. We are talking about Belle Époque make-up. Here are some interesting facts...

When we talk about the early twentieth century, thoughts immediately fly to the great scientific discoveries and technological inventions. But costume and fashion in those years also underwent major changes: new trends were born that would characterize a part of Belle Époque make-up and then become established from the 1920s onward.

The Victorian era was now over and its restrictions were giving way to innovations, although there was still no mention of the great freedoms that would come with the Roaring Twenties.

The belle Époque was a period of enormous contradictions, for while upper-class women continued to have a demure and demure style, many young people began to experiment with new cosmetics. Finally, after World War I, make-up as we know it today was born, and make-up was for the first time used not only to correct any defects, but for pure personal pleasure.

But let us go in order, and focus on the Belle Époque period. Amid technological innovations and major revolutions, initially make-up did not play a central role in women's lives, but this did not stop the arrival of important innovations in cosmetics. Let's discover them together...

The make-up novelties of the Belle Époque

The birth of the foundation

In the early 1900s, women were required to have smooth white skin, which was also a symbol of high social class, affluence and prestige. This was because women with dark skin worked in the fields and outdoors. The epidermis was, therefore, treated with bleaching creams or lotions. The only exception was the cheeks, which were treated with a mildly toned type of cream.

In 1906 came the ancestor of the modern foundation, an innovative flesh-colored face powder that, being oil-based, adhered perfectly to the skin and had a smoothing and evening effect. This was the first universal cosmetic since it was also used by women who were not in show business or who did not have special professions.

Again, in 1914, it was the turn of an ultra-thin cream wax, developed in twelve shades of color to best suit every type of complexion.

Mascara and eye shadow

The first mascara and eye shadows also date from this period, but they would not know success until after the Great War. Mascara was initially a mixture of ash and Vaseline, and later changed to a tinted mixture based on sodium stearate. Experimenting with these innovations were initially theater actresses or ballerinas.

Make-up in clubs and theaters

While upper-middle-class ladies continued to show themselves in public with a simple, resigned appearance, in clubs and theaters actresses and dancers experimented with new cosmetic products, anticipating what would be the trends from the 1920s onward.

Eyebrows, which "canonical" fashion wanted full and thick, became increasingly thinner and thinner until they were only outlined with pencil. Eyes were highlighted by black mascara and colored eye shadows, powders based on henna extracts that were very much in vogue among theater and film actresses.

Finally, lips were colored with lipsticks, or rather their "ancestors." These were lip colors (mostly red) sold in small tubs or in sticks wrapped in paper. Only with time would come the stylo lipstick (contained in a metal tube), which was patented in 1917.

In short, if along the streets of Paris it was normal to meet noblewomen and bourgeoisie with simple looks, in the evenings in the theaters women were transformed and sported innovative, in many ways unbecoming make-up! A blush to give color, bright eyeshadow, mascara to lengthen the eyelashes and even red lipstick: all this was the makeup of Parisian nights, between can-can and absinthe. Outrageous make-up that made history!