However these are not the most interesting things you must know about cosmetics. The history of cosmetics is very interesting and it reveals things that many of us do not have a clue about. For example there are lots of people who believe that cosmetics are a modern invention. This is completely wrong, for cosmetics date as far as 4000 BC. So whoever said that people did not use cosmetics a long time ago was truly wrong. Of course, cosmetics were not used as often as they are used today and not all men and women had access to them.

The upper classes usually used cosmetics and all sorts of beauty treatments, but this was probably for the better anyway. The cosmetics used by the Romans and even the Ancient Egyptians contained lead and mercury which could not have been good for the skin at all. However as times changed so did cosmetics. But before it came down to today's situation, cosmetics have undergone some significant changes. For example, the materials used to make cosmetics were not always as good as they are today and using cosmetics could actually make you more ugly in time as they had a bad effect on you skin. There was also a time when cosmetics were mainly used by prostitutes and actors. However, those times went quickly because cosmetics were so appealing that people, especially women, did not last long until they had to use them.

Although cosmetics were and are intended to make women more beautiful and thus make them feel more confident, there were also some downs in the cosmetics business. Improperly tested, some cosmetics lead to blindness, deformities and even death among the users. This is very unfortunate, but it is something that belongs in the past. Today cosmetics are tested and there is not even the smallest threat of any problems occurring. Nowadays women have so many brands to choose from and the competition in the cosmetics world is so tight that no manufacturer can afford to make a mistake, especially a life- threatening one.