Secrets behind the stuff rubbed on the faces of billions 

By Madisyn Zipper 

From body paints to rosy cheeks and winged eyeliner, makeup has been used for centuries, although, the science behind it may not be related to what the average makeup-wearer believes. Makeup use is really all about fitting in and feeling confident, even in its early days of existence.

The first archeological records of clear makeup use come from Ancient Egyptian and Sumerian tombs dating as far back as around 3500 BC, according to the website You Beauty.

Cliques and confidence aren’t new, nor are the high standards for women.

So maybe it wasn’t exactly the same as the present-day rose gold tubes we carry goopy black stuff in, but makeup has been essential to women for many years now. Although the main reason it is worn could be subjective, or factual, women as a whole, need makeup for the sake of fitting in. This need for beauty will always be present unless “perfect” images of models cease to be rubbed into the face of society.

“Women tend to be naturally darker around their eyes and mouths than men of the same skin tone. When women use cosmetics to darken the eyes and lips, they are exaggerating this sex difference to make the face appear more feminine,” said Dr. Richard Russell, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Gettysburg College.

When women exaggerate their sex appeal, they are making themselves feel more confident around men, and men feel more attraction towards them, therefore, the likelihood that they will reproduce is higher.

The real reason women get up an extra thirty minutes early can be found in confidence and fitting in. Although it is upsetting that women really do need makeup to have a succesful social life, in most cases, it’s true.

Women spend $15,000 on makeup in a lifetime, according to the InStyle website. This huge expense can be summed up with three reasons: wanting to look like a woman, wanting to feel more comfortable, and wanting a busier social life.