SMOKY, VAMPY
The Ancient Egyptians did eye makeup so well they ruined it for everyone else for the next several thousand years.
A bit of an exaggeration, but not much.
From Cleopatra’s time until Theda Bara’s, most of the Western world considered major eyeliner an exotic and sexy outlier. Even in times when heavy makeup was the norm, visible eyeliner wasn’t part of the kit.
Heavy liner was so clearly identified with the ancients, and later, with the Middle Eastern cultures along the trade routes, that it just never made it into Western daily makeup.
That doesn’t mean women didn’t enhance their eyes.
While they didn’t have pots of ground lapis-lazuli or malachite on their vanities, ladies definitely had subtler – if not necessarily safe – means. Soot was always popular, whether from a burning twig, or later, inside a lamp. Even later, women would burn down a match, creating a primitive liner pencil.
All always carefully and subtly smudged, especially in the Victorian Era, where the most innocent pink lip-salve might mark one as no lady in some circles. Smudgy eyes weren’t fashionable anyhow, and usually not worth the risk.
Big bright eyes, though, were at some points…and women would drop belladonna into their eyes to dilate the pupils and give a brighter gaze. Everybody who’s ever had a comprehensive eye exam knows how much fun that one was!
Even with the influence of stage greasepaint, burned matchsticks and a little pomade on the lashes were about as far as eye makeup went until the early 20th century…when the Vamp arrived.
The Vamp, the evil sexy woman who lures men to their (exceedingly pleasurable) doom, was a huge silent movie favorite. And she rocked that eyeliner. Sometimes almost raccoon-like circles around her dangerous eyes. Theda Bara, the stage name of one Theodosia Goodman, set the trend playing exotic roles like Cleopatra, and maybe that’s where she got the idea for the liner. Soon, though, heavy liner was showing up in modern movies – and the street – as a sign of wicked sexiness.
Women quickly realized that there was something between Theda Bara’s smudges and nothing at all…and subtle eye makeup became an accepted part of many looks until another Cleopatra drew the heavy lines in the 1960s. Of course, Elizabeth Taylor.
Liner colors would change – and styles would go from the architectural New Wave looks of the 1980s to grunge smudges in the late 90s -- but liner has never really gone away since. And I bet I’m not the only one who has a few really crazy-bright crayons from the height of the mask mandates.
Then, of course, there’s guy-liner. Men wore it loud and proud in Ancient Egypt, but the fellas didn’t put much effort into eye makeup again until the 1980s rock stars. Even now, visible eyeliner on a man is a statement. Honestly, probably a statement most guys who aren’t legendary frontmen can’t pull off – but it’s not my call!
Got a #ThrowbackThursday idea? Drop it in the comments!
A bit of an exaggeration, but not much.
From Cleopatra’s time until Theda Bara’s, most of the Western world considered major eyeliner an exotic and sexy outlier. Even in times when heavy makeup was the norm, visible eyeliner wasn’t part of the kit.
Heavy liner was so clearly identified with the ancients, and later, with the Middle Eastern cultures along the trade routes, that it just never made it into Western daily makeup.
That doesn’t mean women didn’t enhance their eyes.
While they didn’t have pots of ground lapis-lazuli or malachite on their vanities, ladies definitely had subtler – if not necessarily safe – means. Soot was always popular, whether from a burning twig, or later, inside a lamp. Even later, women would burn down a match, creating a primitive liner pencil.
All always carefully and subtly smudged, especially in the Victorian Era, where the most innocent pink lip-salve might mark one as no lady in some circles. Smudgy eyes weren’t fashionable anyhow, and usually not worth the risk.
Big bright eyes, though, were at some points…and women would drop belladonna into their eyes to dilate the pupils and give a brighter gaze. Everybody who’s ever had a comprehensive eye exam knows how much fun that one was!
Even with the influence of stage greasepaint, burned matchsticks and a little pomade on the lashes were about as far as eye makeup went until the early 20th century…when the Vamp arrived.
The Vamp, the evil sexy woman who lures men to their (exceedingly pleasurable) doom, was a huge silent movie favorite. And she rocked that eyeliner. Sometimes almost raccoon-like circles around her dangerous eyes. Theda Bara, the stage name of one Theodosia Goodman, set the trend playing exotic roles like Cleopatra, and maybe that’s where she got the idea for the liner. Soon, though, heavy liner was showing up in modern movies – and the street – as a sign of wicked sexiness.
Women quickly realized that there was something between Theda Bara’s smudges and nothing at all…and subtle eye makeup became an accepted part of many looks until another Cleopatra drew the heavy lines in the 1960s. Of course, Elizabeth Taylor.
Liner colors would change – and styles would go from the architectural New Wave looks of the 1980s to grunge smudges in the late 90s -- but liner has never really gone away since. And I bet I’m not the only one who has a few really crazy-bright crayons from the height of the mask mandates.
Then, of course, there’s guy-liner. Men wore it loud and proud in Ancient Egypt, but the fellas didn’t put much effort into eye makeup again until the 1980s rock stars. Even now, visible eyeliner on a man is a statement. Honestly, probably a statement most guys who aren’t legendary frontmen can’t pull off – but it’s not my call!
Got a #ThrowbackThursday idea? Drop it in the comments!
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