The history of mascara

Before women used synthetic dyes to color their eyelashes, they mixed ingredients like ashes with elderberry juice in their homes to create a natural colorant (thanks to BeautyLiesTruth for this very cool potted history). Things didn’t change until 1830, when a French perfumer moved to London and began developing cosmetic products, starting with perfume. His son, Eugéne Rimmel, mixed coal dust and Vaseline petroleum jelly to create the first mascara product on the market. Eugéne’s product was widely used across Europe and the word “rimmel” became synonymous with “mascara.”

In 1917, Maybelline (a product from Maybell Labs) introduced the “cake mascara.” This was the first product that was presented with a small brush, to be used with a mixture of sodium stearate soap and pigments. Maybelline became a market leader in cosmetics, later bought by L’Oreal and renamed Maybelline New York. They continued to develop new, innovative products, focusing on eye products like eyebrow pencils and mascaras.

In 1933, women used Lash Lure eyelash and eyebrow dye to enhance their eyes. Advertisements for Lash Lure Eye Lash and Brow Dye promised their “new and improved mascara will give you a radiating personality, with a before and an after”. Lash Lure contained a dyeing agent that was extremely toxic to the body. Many women became permanently blind after using Lash Lure, and one woman died. Several states banned eyelash dyes after multiple incidents. Finally, in 1938, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act became a law.

Mascara has come a long way since then. Dr. Hauschka Volume Mascara 01 – Black 10ml is a volume mascara that gives you voluminous, curved lashes. The rapid-drying formulation thickens fine lashes without causing any clumping.

There are no nasty ingredients in this mascara, simply beeswax, candelilla and rose wax, combined with silk, protectively envelop each individual lash. Tried-and-tested extracts of black tea, neem and eye-bright care for the delicate skin surrounding the eye. Ophthalmologically and dermatologically tested.

Eye make-up can be gently removed using the moisturising, creamy Cleansing Milk. Simply pump a little Cleansing Milk onto a moist cotton wool pad and gently wipe away the eye make-up using a sweeping outward motion.

The Mascara adds the finishing touch to the eyes. Apply this first to the lower and then the upper lashes using a zig-zag technique: hold the brush at a diagonal to the lash growth direction and move it back and forth. Finally, drag the brush away to the side, not upward.