The History of Blush

Blush. Blusher. Rouge. Whatever you may call it, it still serves the same purpose; to provide a healthy flush of color to the cheeks. Blush has always been worn to give a youthful and radiant appearance, but it’s actually one of the more controversial forms of makeup in history.

Rouge, as it was called, became popular in ancient Egypt, where both men and women wore it. In addition to heavy black makeup on their eyes, many ancient Egyptians wore rouge on cheeks and lips to add the pop of red.

Rouge originated as a thick paste, and was made from a range of things: from strawberries, to red fruits and vegetable juices, to the powder of finely crushed ochre. It became popular in ancient Greece for women to whiten their complexion with chalk or lead face powder, and then paint their cheeks with a paste made from crushed seeds and berries. This look was a sign of the wealthy elite, but let i be known – the lead wasalso extremely deadly!

During ancient times, the rise of Christianity resulted in the decline of rouge. The new stricter dress codes and norms caused people to frown upon artificial cosmetics, and it was seen as too flashy or better yet – promiscuous. Interestingly enough, there was a fine line drawn where acceptable rouge was concerned. It was most common among upper class women and prostitutes, and was often seen as immoral.

As soon as Queen Elizabeth embraced makeup in the early 1660s, it became more acceptable. Many women wore lead paints mixed with vinegar to create a past called cerise for whitened skin, and mercury sulfide for rouge. This combination is the reason why high foreheads were in fashion, because the chemicals caused hair to fall out! AKA: receding hairlines for women. Lead and cerise were later discovered to cause major health issues for women, including facial tremors, paralysis, and even death.

Through the years, there were many attempts to ban makeup: whether it was for moral or religious beliefs, or simply so that women wouldn’t be able to “fool” men with a false beauty (Clement of Alexandria of Greece and a Greek Historian from the 4th Century believed that women were deceiving men, tricking them into marriage with makeup.). Even as recent as 1770, a law was put forth to the British parliament, suggesting that a marriage could be annulled if the bride used cosmetics before the wedding day.

After a long, and ever changing ride, rouge has evolved into today’s blush: an item essential to any woman’s makeup bag. Thanks to modern science and technology, blushes aren’t just more affordable today, but they’re completely safe. And luckily, using it no longer makes you appear promiscuous or improper!

More Fashion Fabula

History of American Women’s Fashion

In 2010, The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City ran an exhibition called, “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” It explored

The History of J. Crew

J. Crew originally started out as Popular Merchandise, Inc., founded in 1947 by Mitchell Cinader and Saul Charles. They started out by selling low-priced women’s

History of Fashion: Plaid

Whether you love it or find it a symbol of all things hipster, plaid has been remarkably successful. It’s one of the most widespread, recognizable

How to Wear Earth Toned Workwear

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE EARTH DAY TO WORK WITH A NATURAL COLOR PALATE Discussions of color – and adding color into one’s wardrobe –

Trend to Try: Graphic Liner

Graphic liner is not for the faint of heart. Not only is it attention grabbing, but it has a higher difficulty level than your average

Origins of the Overcoat

As with many contemporary staples, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the overcoat first emerged. Several online accounts name 1772 as the year the overcoat

Rainwear Style Guide

No matter where you reside, dressing for wet weather is a skill that’s surprisingly hard to master. Most women fall into one of two categories.

Behind the Brand: A.P.C.

Known for it’s minimalist designs and timeless aesthetic, founded by Mr Jean Touitou in 1987, A.P.C. (which stands for Atelier de Production et de Création)

How To Organize Your Closet

There’s little point in owning the latest bag or dress if you can’t find it in your closet when you’re getting dressed. A clean, well-organized

The At Home Classic Manicure

Skip the time-consuming and costly trips to the salon and perfectly polish your nails at home. With the right equipment, your favorite polish color and

Pre-Fall Style Guide

There are more designers and brands participating in pre-fall than ever before, and this season, there was a definite shift toward looser, baggier, and odder

On Trend: Floral Prints

Wondering how to get your wardrobe to flourish this spring? Look no further than the floral trend seen again this year on the Spring 2015

Sunglasses: Shop By Face Shape

Ever wonder which sunglass frames work best for your face shape? We’ve got you covered with this guide. Summer is almost “officially” here so we’re

3 Quick Hairstyles for Work

For most of us, the daily grind isn’t always inspiring. Even if you are totally jazzed about your 9-5, it’s likely that you’d rather hit

5 Summer Tops You Can Wear to Work

Dress codes for work are already challenging enough and with rising temperatures it may seem almost impossible to dress appropriate. While in the colder months,

Do Well: Recycle Your Garments

We live in a culture where replacement is king. We routinely fix big-ticket items, like cars and washing machines, but primarily it’s easier and cheaper

Fall Trend: Men’s-Inspired Look

Menswear as womenswear has been an on-going trend in fashion for quite some time. Remember Diane Keaton, the androgynous bohemian, opposite Woody Allen in Annie

Fashion Brands

Feedback/Suggest Brands

Again, welcome to Your Brandzaffair. Our goal is to be your daily source for immediate access to all your favorite brandz with their best offers, in addition to providing insights and reviews in your lifestyle interests. We want to always continue to improve your experience. Please tell us what you think and what we can do better.

Spread the Word