Foundation for the Face!

 I use a bit of foundation myself but I always have trouble choosing the correct shade.  I always think I need something darker but I've learned to use just a touch with my sunscreen to get the proper look.

Foundation is not something new as it has been around for a very long time.  There are references to it being used in Ancient Greece and Rome.  Unfortunately, foundation at this point consisted of white lead which was quite poisonous or they used a white chalk to create the desired pale skin.


This trend of using white lead continued all the way to Queen Elizabeth's court in the 16th century.  It was better known ass Venetian ceruse, a mixture of vinegar and lead use to cover the smallpox scars on the face and make the skin quite pale.  Unfortunately, this mixture was deadly and could kill people.  In addition, it could rot people's teeth, cause hair loss, and permanently discolor users skin.

Around the time of Charles II in the 17th century, women preferred a darker skin tone due to having to stay inside to avoid the plague.  By the 18th century, pale skin once again became the desired skin tone. Fortunately, by the 19th century, people were using mixes of zinc oxide, glycerin, or calamine lotion to cover imperfections or discolorations, These liquids only came in red, pink, and white shades.

In Germany, an actor mixed zinc, ochre, vermillion,  and lard to create the first greasepaint used in theaters. He developed it to cover the line formed between his wig and his forehead.  Others were so impressed with his mixture, they wanted it so he began producing greasepaint commercially.  Pretty soon, greasepaint was the standard in theater for foundation.  Unfortunately, it did not work well in the movie industry during closeups.

Max Factor was unhappy with the appearance of greasepaint on screen so he desired a new type of make up in 1914.  He called it Pan-cake.  It was talc based and applied with a damp sponge so the powder laid beautifully on the skin to create a more natural finish, especially during closeups.   Hollywood fell in love with the way it made them look on screen and actresses begged to get some for their personal use.  Eventually he released it to the public in the 1930's because women wanted to recreate the glamorous look Hollywood starlets wore.

Liquid foundation finally appeared on the scene during the late 1930's and 1940's  as a leg film when women quit wearing stockings.  Women used this foundation on their legs to even the color out and "cover up" their legs. The mixture was resistant to being rubbed off, sweated off, and didn't transfer color to other things.

Women in America were able to obtain certain types of make-up during World War II because the government declared it would help keep the moral of the men up whereas most make-up in Europe and other war torn countries couldn't get it commercially.  After the war, make-up became available again to all.

In 1952,  Coty released a tinted foundation designed to sit lightly on the skin, was free from grease, and came in 6 shades. Since then, other lines have created a variety of foundations in so many different shades, most everyone can find something.

As I said earlier, I use a bit of foundation in my sunscreen to give me a bit of color, smooth out my skin, and keep me from looking so pale in the middle of winter.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. Have a good day.