mascara

[Probably Spanish máscara, mask, akin to Italian maschera. See mask.]

Background

Mascara is a cosmetic applied to the eyelashes to make the lashes thicker, longer, and darker. It is one of the most ancient cosmetics known, having been used in Egypt possibly as early as 4000 B.C. Egyptians used a substance called kohl to darken their lashes, eyebrows, and eyelids. Egyptian kohl was probably made of galena or lead sulfite, malachite, and charcoal or soot. The Babylonians and ancient Greeks also used black eye cosmetics, as did the later Romans. Cosmetics of all sorts fell out of use in Europe after the fall of Rome, though eye cosmetics continued to be important in the Arab world. The use of cosmetics was revived in Europe during the Renaissance.

Early mascara from the modern era usually took the form of a pressed cake. It was applied to the lashes with a wetted brush. The ingredients typically were 50% soap and 50% black pigment. The pigment was sifted and combined with soap chips, run through a mill several times, and then pressed into cakes. A variation on this was cream mascara, a lotion-like substance that was packaged in a tube. To apply it, the user would squeeze a small amount of mascara out of the tube onto a small brush. This was a messy process that was much improved with the invention in the 1960s of the mascara applicator. This patented device was a grooved application rod that picked up a consistent amount of mascara when pulled from the bottle. The grooved rod was soon replaced with a brush. This new ease of application may have contributed to the increased popularity of mascara in the late 1960s.

Raw Materials

There are many different formulas for mascara. All contain pigments. In the United States, federal regulations prohibit the use of any pigments derived from coal or tar in eye cosmetics, so mascaras use natural colors and inorganic pigments. Carbon black is the black pigment in most mascara recipes, and iron oxides provide brown colors. Other colors such as ultramarine blue are used in some formulas. One common type of mascara consists of an emulsion of oils, waxes, and water. In formulas for this type of mascara, beeswax is often used, as is carnauba wax and paraffin. Oils may be mineral oil, lanolin, linseed oil, castor oil, oil of turpentine, eucalyptus oil, and even sesame oil. Some formulas contain alcohol. Stearic acid is a common ingredient of lotion-based formulas, as are stiffeners such as ceresin and gums such as gum tragacanth and methyl cellulose. Some mascaras include fine rayon fibers, which make the product more viscous.

The Manufacturing
Process

There are two main types of mascara currently manufactured. One type is called anhydrous, meaning it contains no water. The second type is made with a lotion base, and it is manufactured by the emulsion method.

Anhydrous method

• In this method, ingredients are mixed in tanks or kettles, which make a small batch of 10-30 gal (38-114 1). The ingredients are first carefully measured and weighed. Then a worker empties them into the mixing tank. Heat is applied to melt the waxes, and the mixture is agitated, usually by means of a propeller blade. The agitation continues until the mixture reaches a semi-solid state.

Emulsion method

• 2 In this method, water and thickeners are combined to make a lotion or cream base. Waxes and emulsifiers are heated and melted separately, and pigments are added. Then the waxes and lotion base are combined in a very high speed mixer or homogenizer. Unlike the tank or kettle above, the homogenizer is enclosed and mixes the ingredients at very high speed without incorporating any air or causing evaporation. The oils and waxes are broken down into very small beads by the rapid action of the homogenizer and held in suspension in the water. The homogenizer may hold as little as 5 gal (19 1), or as much as 100 gal (380 1). The high-speed mixing action continues until the mixture reaches room temperature.

  The following steps are common to both types of mascara.

Filling

• After the mascara solution has cooled or reached the proper state, workers transfer it to a tote bin. Next, they roll the tote bin to the filling area and empty the solution into a hopper on a filling machine. The filling machine pumps a measured amount (typically about 0.175 oz [5 g]) of the solution into glass or plastic mascara bottles. The bottles are usually capped by hand. Samples are removed for inspection, and the rest are readied for distribution.

Quality Control

Checks for quality and purity are taken at various stages in the manufacture of mascara. The chemicals are checked in the tank before the mixing begins to make sure the correct ingredients and proper amounts are in place. After the batch is mixed, it is rechecked. After the batch is bottled, representative samples from the beginning, middle, and end of the batch are taken out. These are examined for chemical composition. At this point they are also tested for microbiological impurities.

The Future

Some mascaras on the market today boast all-natural ingredients, and their recipes vary little from products that might have been made at home 100 years ago. One development that may affect mascara manufacturing in the future, however, is the development of new pigments. Researchers in the plastics industry have developed bold, vivid pigments that have recently been introduced to lipsticks. Plastic-derived pigments may be of interest to mascara manufacturers as well.

Where to Learn More

Books

Angeloglou, Maggie. A History of Make-up. The Macmillan Company, 1970.

Aucoin, Kevyn. The Art of Make Up. Harper Collins, 1994.

Schemann, Andrew. Cosmetics Buying Guide. Consumer Reports Books, 1993.

Wetterhahn, Julius. "Eye Makeup," in Cosmetics: Science and Technology. M. S. Balsam and Edward Sagarin, ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1972.

Periodicals

Iverson, Annemarie. "Pigment of the Imagination." Harper's Bazaar, May 1995, pp. 160-164.

[Article by: Angela Woodward]

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: makeup that is used to darken and thicken the eye lashes

For the city in Algeria, see Mascara, Algeria.

For the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode, see Mascara (CSI episode).

A mascara tube and a wand applicator

Mascara is a cosmetic used to darken, lighten, colour, thicken, lengthen, or define eyelashes. Mascara comes in three forms: liquid, cake, and cream. It also comes in many formulas, tints, and colours. Mascara is available with tube and wand applicators. Ingredients in mascara include water, wax thickeners, film-formers, and preservatives. Mascara brushes can be straight or curved, to curl eyelashes, with fine or thick bristles. Some mascara wands contain rayon or nylon fibers to lengthen eyelashes.

Contents 1 History 2 Composition 3 Use 4 References

History

The first mascara product was invented by Eugene Rimmel in the 19th century. The word "rimmel" still means "mascara" in several languages, including Portuguese (rímel), Turkish (rimel), Romanian (rimel), Dutch (rimel), Italian (rimmel), Persian (rimel) etc.

The woman's eye has had mascara applied to the lashes for a fuller effect

The word mascara derives from the Italian maschera, which means "mask"^[1]from Middle Latin masca or from Old Occitan masco ^[2]. Modern mascara was created in 1913 by a chemist named T. L. Williams for his sister, Mabel. This early mascara was made from coal dust mixed with Vaseline petroleum jelly. The product was a success with Mabel, and Williams began to sell his new product through the mail. His company Maybelline, whose name is a combination of his sister's name and Vaseline, eventually became a leading cosmetics company.

Mascara is used to darken and thicken lashes, and was composed of colorants and carnauba wax. Users wet a brush and rubbed it over the cake, then applied it to the eyes. Mascara is used by women to enhance eyes as well as draw attention to them.

The modern tube and wand applicator was more appealing to the market than the old "cake" mascara. Max Factor was the first to create a mascara with a wand applicator in the product tube, which started the modern mascara products available today.

Composition

Modern mascaras can be divided in two groups: water resistant mascaras (often labeled waterproof) and non-water resistant mascaras.

Water resistant mascaras have a composition based on a volatile solvent (isododecane - an isomer of dodecane), animal-derived waxes (beeswax), vegetal based waxes (carnauba wax, rice bran wax, candelila wax), mineral origin wax (ozokerite, paraffin), pigments (iron oxide, ultramarine) and filmifying polymers. These mascaras do not contain water-sensitive moieties, offering an excellent resistance to tears, sweat or rain. As a result, these mascaras can only be removed with a specific make-up remover, able to dilute the dried mascara film.

Egg whites are often used in colored mascara.

Non water-resistant mascaras are based on water, soft surfactants (like triethanolamine stearate), animal-derived waxes (beeswax), vegetal based waxes (carnauba wax, rice bran wax, candelilla wax), mineral origin waxes (ozokerite, paraffin), pigments (iron oxide, ultramarine), thickening polymers (gum arabic, hydrophobically modified cellulose) and on preservatives. These mascaras can run under the effect of tears, but are easily removed with some soap and water.

Polymers in a water dispersed form (latexes) can bring some level of water resistance to the group of normally non-water resistant mascaras.

Waterproof mascaras are similar to oil-based or solvent-based paints. Non water-resistant mascaras behave like water based paints. For intermediate water sensitivity, mascaras and latex-based paints (acrylates) contain polymer dispersions.

Use

Green mascara

Mascara may be used on all eyelashes, from inner to outer corners. The mascara wand is dipped into a clean tube of mascara, applied close to the base of the lashes and worked out to the tips. Mascara wands are made of plastic and should never be shared. Mascara can be applied to the top eyelashes for a 'heavy-lidded' look, or to the bottom lashes to widen the eyes. It is usually applied to curled lashes and may be preceded by a lash primer. The desired lengthening effect is achieved by reapplication of the mascara in 2-3 minutes. The moisture in some mascaras and primers can cause lashes to uncurl during application, which is easily solved by using a waterproof mascara with a drier formula. Waterproof mascara should be carefully removed in order to limit eyelash breakage.

Mascara that contains nylon fibers can give lashes a fuller and longer appearance because it clings to the lashes like mini extensions. Provitamin B5 in mascara acts as a conditioner for lashes, giving them a softer and more natural feel. For safety and health reasons, mascaras should be discarded 3 months after opening.

References

1. ^ Oxford dictionary definition and etymology
2. ^ Online Ethymology Dictionary

• Vincent J-R Kehoe, The Technique of the Professional Make-Up Artist, ISBN 0-240-80217-9
• Gustafson, John. "Handbag.com: Beauty"
• Calandra, Alice. "Eye Makeup Application Technique"

v • d • e Cosmetics Products Lips: Lip gloss • Lip liner • Lip plumper • Lipstick Face: Concealer • Foundation • Face powder • Rouge • Bindi • Thanaka • Tilaka • Cleanser-Toner-Moisturizer Eyes: Eye liner • Eye shadow • Kohl • Mascara Other: Shampoo-Conditioner-Styling cream • Nail polish • Anti-aging cream • Body powder • Cold cream • Sindoor Ingredients International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients • List of ingredients Related topics Cosmetic advertising • Beauty salon • Spa • Cosmetology • History of cosmetics Treatments Cosmetic surgery • Botox • Facial • Bleaching • Manicure • Pedicure • Hair removal ( Waxing - Threading ) • Hair styling Major brands Almay • American Beauty • Anoo's • Artistry • Aveda • Avon • Bath & Body Works • Biotherm • Bobbi Brown • The Body Shop • Bonne Bell • Bourjois • Burt's Bees • Cargo • Carol's Daughter • Clarins • Clinique • CoverGirl • Creme 21 • Daigaku Honyaku Center • Dr. Hauschka • Eden Allure • Elizabeth Arden • Estée Lauder • Fabergé • Hard Candy • Helena Rubinstein • Kanebo Ltd. • Kao Corporation • Kevyn Aucoin • Kiehl's • Lancôme • Laneige • Laura Mercier • Lise Watier • L'Oréal • L'occitane • Love Cosmetics • Lush • MAC Cosmetics • Mary Kay • Max Factor • Maybelline • ModelCo • NARS • Natural Wonder • Neal's Yard Remedies • Neutrogena • Nexxus • Nivea • Open Sundaes • Oriflame • Origins • Red Earth • Revlon • Richard Hudnut • Rimmel • Sephora • Shiseido • Shu Uemura • SK-II • Stila • Tom Ford Beauty • Trish McEvoy • Ulta • Urban Decay • Vichy • Victoria's Secret • Vie at Home • Wella Categories Chemicals • Companies • People • History

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - mascara
v. tr. - påføre mascara

Nederlands (Dutch)
mascara

Français (French)
n. - mascara, rimmel
v. tr. - appliquer du mascara

Deutsch (German)
n. - Mascara, Tusche
v. - tuschen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μάσκαρα, καλλωπιστική βαφή βλεφαρίδων

Italiano (Italian)
mascara

Português (Portuguese)
n. - rímel (m)

Русский (Russian)
тушь для ресниц

Español (Spanish)
n. - máscara, rímel
v. tr. - ponerse rímel

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - mascara

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
染眉毛油, 涂染眉毛膏于, 涂染睫毛膏于

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 染眉毛油
v. tr. - 塗染眉毛膏於, 塗染睫毛膏於

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (화장품의 일종) 마스카라
v. tr. - (눈에) 마스카라를 하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - マスカラ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نوع من المستحضرات التجميليه للعين‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮צבע לעיניים, פוך‬
v. tr. - ‮שמ/ה פוך סביב העיניים‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.