Last week, when my roommate showed me a YouTube video titled “Lazy Morning Make-up Routine" I realized that something was wrong either with this YouTuber or with me because what she calls lazy morning make-up is not even my wedding party make-up. My lazy morning make-up routine consists of washing my face. Of course, my American roommate presented the video as a source of entertainment not education. While she was mocking this Youtuber's “lazy" make-up routine, I couldn't help look at her collection of mascaras, pencils, shadows, liners, foundations, lipsticks, skin-care products and brushes. I don't think even a professional painter possesses that many brushes. As I found out later there are thousands of videos like this on Youtube. Apparently you can make a lot of money by being a beauty vlogger- this is a job in twenty-first century. Don't get me wrong I'm not criticizing them, just trying to understand since I'm very alien to this makeup culture.

The title of this article may be misleading because make-up is of course not unique to the United States. It is almost universal. Archaeological evidence of cosmetics show that its history dates back to ancient Egypt and Greece. Cleopatra was the original makeup guru. Cosmetics were used in Persia and what is today the Middle East from ancient periods. Women in Iran are known for their beautifully lined eyes using Kohl- a black powder that is used widely across the Arab world. In Japan, make-up was a huge deal for the Geisha. The white face, thick dark eyebrows, bright red lips… Achieving that look required very special attention and technique. In Europe, make-up was used as a symbol of statue. The higher a person was in status, the more leisure time he or she had to spend indoors, which kept their skin pale. Therefore, European men and mostly women attempted to lighten their skin with white powder to look more aristocratic. Some Native American tribes and Aborigines in Australia painted their faces for battles or ceremonial events.(Wikipedia)

Whether it carried social, religious or aesthetic importance, make-up became a part of these cultures all over the world. But when did it became a part of the American culture? Make-up wasn't fully acceptable in the modern America until the beginning of the twentieth century. Skin care products were widely used but “painting" one's face was disapproved by the upper class. So what happened in the beginning of the 20^th century?

Towards the end of the 19^th century a defining period in America's history began, the Second Industrial Revolution. It lasted until the First World War and marked the beginning period of America's emergence as an economic superpower of the world. The living standards and the purchasing power of money increased rapidly, as new technologies played an ever-increasing role in the daily lives of working- and middle-class citizens. (US History Scene, Engelman) Advancement in technology and science opened the way for cosmetic industry with the help of three giants of cosmetics: Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Within years a huge industry devoted to colored cosmetics targeted to each individual feature of the face was created.The rise of the cosmetic industry in North America provided opportunities for innovation and expansion for many people through the creations of fashions for makeup. (Cosmetics: Makeup in North America, Sims)

An industry cannot thrive without fooling people to buy the products. The cosmetics industry did that by changing women's beauty and femininity perceptions. The rise of consumerism in the 1930s continued to link appearance and femininity with the need for beauty products. The rise of the film industry was also a big factor in influencing women to wear makeup in order to appear like a movie star.(McGlinchey, 2013) During the second world war, the inclusion of women in the workforce worried men that women would lose their femininity by taking on “men's work". Therefore, the media praised women who managed to “remain glamorous" while working in factories. Rosie the Riveter is considered a feminist icon representing the American woman who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II. Notice how, on the famous poster, she is portrayed as a woman who managed to preserve her femininity by wearing lipstick, blush and mascara while contributing to the economy.

All these efforts of changing perceptions of beauty and femininity must have paid off because today the United States has the largest cosmetics market in the world, and its revenue is expected to exceed $62 billion this year (statista). Young girls are spending money on cosmetics more than anything else. Everyday a new product is released to make your eyelashes longer, lips fuller, skin smoother and women compete with each other to be the first one to try. The system is created so well that the more you use make-up products, the worse your skin gets so that you need to purchase various skin products to protects your skin and be able to use more make up. I wasn't surprised when I learned that skincare products make up the largest part of the cosmetic market. Unlike other cultures, make-up doesn't have a ritualistic, religious or social purpose in American culture. This “beauty" obsession can only be explained with the consumerist culture of the United States.

Today, make-up is such an important part of women's self-presentation that it almost became a social rule to wear it for weddings, dates, job interviews or any public or formal event. If you don't wear make-up to a job interview, you are considered careless, even disrespectful. Media makes you feel that the more make-up you wear, the more beautiful you look because your natural self is never good enough. Your eyelashes can always be longer, your eyes can always pop out more, your lips can always look fuller and your skin can always be smoother or more tanned with the right products.

Don't believe this shit, it's all games of capitalism- as Turks would say.