10 things we didn't know about make-up

There’s not much beauty writer Sali Hughes doesn’t know about make-up. This week on Woman’s Hour, the Pretty Iconic author has been shedding light on the history of five beauty staples – lipstick, nail polish, mascara, eye liner and foundation. Here are 10 things we learnt…

1. Winston Churchill was a huge lipstick fan

Not a lipstick wearer (as far as we know), but Winston Churchill believed in the power of lippy so much he kept it off the ration in the Second World War.

“Not only did he not ration lipstick, but he also asked women to wear it through his propaganda,” says Sali. “So you didn't just make do and mend, you also made up for morale."

2. Full-bodied eyelashes were once a sign of purity

“In Ancient Rome the idea was that lashes fell out from excessive sex. So women could prove their purity and chastity by enhancing their lashes to show they were untouched by men," says Sali.

Meanwhile the Ancient Egyptians invented eyeliner to keep themselves safe.

"It was warn by Cleopatra - the most famous eyeliner wearer of all time - and others to ward off the evil eye.”

3. But lipstick once stood for black magic

"Men wore lipstick at one time," explains Sali. "But by 1770 they succeeded in banning women from wearing it, because it was felt women who wore lipstick were witches and attempting to lure men into marriage."

4. Women throughout history have been extremely resourceful

From coal dust to squashed insects, women have used pretty much anything they can lay their hands on to enhance what nature gave them.

“In 3000 BC women were already crushing up the insects and molluscs and so on to colour their lips," says Sali, while burnt cork doubled up as mascara in Ancient Rome.

“Back in the day eyeliner was made from all sorts of things, lead being one of them. Lots of make-up items in the past were made of lead. Women - and men - would literally die for their beauty.”

5. We have Hollywood actresses to thank for foundation

“Women have worn make-up on their complexions for literally thousands of years, but modern foundation began in the mid-1930s. Hollywood actresses started to refuse to appear in technicolour because their skin looked so terrible under the old fashioned theatrical greasepaint they wore," says Sali

"So Max Factor invented something called pancake, which really is the grandmother of every foundation that's ever been made ever since. It remains the fastest selling beauty product in the history of the world."

6. And a woman called Mabel to thank for the mascara wand

Rimmel invented the first proper mascara in about 1840 but the wand in the tube came about 70 years later.

“A man called TL Williams created a mascara for his sister and called it Lash-Brow-Ine - he mixed Vaseline with coal dust. She was called Mabel so the name was combined to make Maybelline," says Sali.

"Later on he created Great Lash Mascara, which is probably the most famous mascara in the world and continues today.”

7. Your nails have something in common with your teeth and your car

“When it was initially invented [nail polish] was based on car paint technology and it hasn’t really moved on a great deal since then," says Sali.

"It was a dentist who first invented acrylic nails in 1978 or thereabouts, based on filling technology, building up a fake nail from a real nail. But the credit for acrylic nails really belongs to Afro Caribbean nail salons, that’s really where nail art as an art form took off."

8. Some make-up is ‘recession proof’

Specifically lipstick and nail polish, with sales staying strong when other beauty products, such as perfume, can plummet.

“These are tiny items at entry level prices so people can still cheer themselves up with a tiny piece of luxury - lovely nails, lovely lips - without blowing the budget. The same is true of designer labels - if you can’t buy the frock you can still buy the nail polish.”

9. There is no such thing as a classic nail polish fan

“The joy of nails is it’s quite an egalitarian thing. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what size you are, what colour you are, you can change your nails ad hoc and it’s transformative," says Sali.

“Regardless of your dress code at work, people can do what they want with their nails and it’s their opportunity to walk on the wild side.”

10. But British Prime Ministers love it

Teresa May's nail polish might make the headlines but she's not the only politician partial to a buff and polish.

“David Cameron used to sport a manicure – I used to spot it a lot,” claims Sali. “He would have a clear [nail polish].”