History of Wigs

Wigs dates back to when ancient Egyptians shaved their heads and wore wigs to protect themselves from the sun. Painted coffins from ancient Egypt ofter show the deceased person wearing a wig.

                                            This wig is made from human hair attached to a net.

Both male and females in ancient Egypt wore wigs either made from human hair, sheep's wool or vegetable fibre depending on their social status. There were several benefits for Egyptians from shaving their heads, firstly it was more comfortable in the hot Egyptian climate not to have hair, secondly it helped avoid getting an infestation of lice which was a problem at that time. However is seems the Egyptians preferred having hair which resulted in the creation of wigs. Wigs became a part of a daily wear to indicate a persons status as well as their role in a society or politics.

Other ancient civilizations whose people wore wigs were the Greeks, Romans and Assyrians. For the Romans, wigs were often made with hair from slaves. Roman women wore elaborate hairpieces to increase the volume and effect of the hairstyles.

The people of the ancient civilizations in the Far East, including China and Japan, rarely wore wigs excepts by actors performing in the theatres of China and Japan and certain types of female entertainers wore wigs such as the Japanese geisha or the Korean Kisaeng.

Fantasy Makeup

Fantasy make-ups are typically used for media personalities in order to change their looks and represent the characters they are supposed to be playing. Fantasy make-up kits contain a wide variety of make-up products and accessories such as glitter glues, creams, colour pencils and airbrush paints. Use of various colour patterns and body paints are an essential part of fantasy make-up, trying to represent the distinguished world of non-human elements. Some of the best examples of fantasy make-ups are found in the alien characters portrayed in the various television shows and film such as Star Trek, Start Wars and most recent film Avatar.

Style Icons

Style icons can give us inspiration towards our own personal style, over the years there have been many iconic celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe or Madonna - they all created their own unique styles. Now we have celebrities like Kate Moss, Rihanna or Lady Gaga - some of which have outrageous styles!
One of my personal favourites has to be Cheryl Cole, she is my inspiration when it comes to getting glammed up. I love everything about her, her hair, clothes and especially her make-up. I think she absolutely gorgeous and never looks too fake. I'd love to be a make-up artist and be able to do her make-up!
Another one of my favourite icons is Rihanna, I like her because she isn't afraid to try a drastic change in image. I personally prefer rihanna when she first became known, when she had long hair and a natural younger look - i love a natural look. I have to admire Rihanna for the simple fact that as soon as Rihanna died her hair bright red, everyone did - that on its own shows how iconic and inspirational she is to many people.

Special Effects

One of my classes is 'Special Effects', in this class we started off doing burns. To create a burn you use products such as laytex, gelatin, collodion, and grease paints. I found it really interesting and it was good how life like the burns looked.

In another class we learned to do Straight T.V Makeup (male&female) and Straight Theatrical makeup (male&female).

Hairdressing

We are learning lots of different techniques in hairdressing, i brought in my pal one of the days to practice a shampoo and blow dry on. Then i curled her hair using straighteners which is something i was never able to do but finally got the hang of it. My friend and i were both pleased with the outcome.



Makeup Products

My 5 favourite makeup products are;

•  Maybelline Dream Matte Mouse Foundation - I have been using this foundation for about 6 years now. I feel it goes well with my skin and I'm used to using it. The product is described as an innovative air-whipped formula which provides perfect coverage for 100% matte perfection. It blends well giving a natural looking, even result. It comes in a range of 15 different shades and it's ideal for normal to oily skin. It won't clog pores and is suitable for sensitive skin. (fragrance-free, tested under dermatological control).
• Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Mascara - I only used this recently and have found it to be one of the best mascaras i have ever tried so far. It made my eyelashes much longer and thicker. It has a patented spoon brush which fans out lashes from corner to corner and together with the Pro-Keratin formula, it instantly builds up to 3 times more volume. It is suitable for contact lens wearers and it's also available in waterproof.
• Avon Color Trend Pencil Play Eyeliner - I love wearing pencil eyeliner and have been using this one for a good few years now. I like an eyeliner that goes on dark and stays on and this eyeliner does exactly that. It has a creamy smooth formula which means it doesn't pull or drag on your skin.
• Collection 200 'HOT' Nail Polish - I've been using this nail polish for years, i love the variety of bright, vibrant colours you can get and how well the colour stays on your nails. My favourite colour is called 'Show Off' which is a bright, shiny blue. It is a fast dry nail polish which dries in under 60 seconds. It has an exceptional high gloss finish and high fashion on trend shades.
• Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs - I only recently starting using this product. I love wearing fake tan and have tried so many different kinds over the years and this one is my favourite, it really does make your legs look flawless. Its silky smooth, long lasting leg make-up that stays put and washes off. It covers imperfections, it enhances skin tone and makes the most out of what you have got. It provides an instant result which you can wash off, it also covers freckles and veins.

History of Makeup

From the copper and lead ore that the ancient Egyptians used to create the world's first cosmetics to the scientifically advanced products of today that can do everything from hiding pores and smoothing complexions, makeup has been an integral part of humankind for thousands of years. Over the centuries, women used burnt matches to darken their eyes or berries to stain their lips, they even swallowed ox blood in some misguided attempt to improve their complexions.
Women throughout history put their health at risk with many of their homemade cosmetics. In some cultures, for example, women used arsenic, lead, mercury, and even leeches to give themselves the pale appearance, which was seen as beautiful in the old days.
Today's multi billion dollar cosmetic industry must meet strict government regulations about what it can and cannot include in products and must follow safe manufacturing guidelines. Today, the most serious injury you're likely to receive from your cosmetics is an irritation or a rash from using a product that's too harsh for your skin.

The history of face makeup dates thousands of years back to the 1 st Century Egyptians. This is not to say that the Egyptians were the first to use face makeup, rather they were the first to document the importance of face makeup as an important part of culture as seen in the discovery of ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. Egyptians used natural ingredients such as unguent, a hydrating substance, and kohl, soot, to beautify the skin and appearance. Egyptians were well aware of the beauty of soft skin and seductive eyes.
 The 1 st century also showed the Roman use of kohl for eye makeup and eyelash makeup. The Romans also used chalk as a skin whitener. The Greco-Roman and Persian influences added the use of henna dyes to stain the face and hair.
Face makeup continued to evolve as did time. By the Middle Ages European cultures added to the popularity of pale skin. Pale skin became known as a sign of wealth and stature in society. Women went to great lengths to achieve white skin by resorting to bleeding themselves. Adding subtle pink as seen by the 13th century added a further sign of societal wealth and importance. Only the wealthy could afford pink face makeup. The focus of white skin as a sign of wealth continued into the Italian Renaissance. Again, women went to exaggerated measures to achieve status by using deadly ingredients such as lead and arsenic. By the Elizabethan Age, face makeup began to be associated with poor health. Women turned to egg whites to add a healthy glaze to the face. Heavy face makeup was used to hide disease and illness.