Eye shadow

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An eye with heavy purple eye shadow

Eye shadow is a cosmetic which is applied on the eyelids and under the
eyebrows, to help make wearer's eyes stand out or look more attractive. Eye
shadow adds depth and dimension to one's eyes, compliments the eye color, or
simply draw attention to the eyes. Eye shadow comes in many different colors,
and is usually made from a powder, but can also be found in liquid, pencil or
mousse form.

Civilizations across the world use eye shadow predominantly on females, but also
occasionally on males. In Western society, it is seen exclusively as a feminine
cosmetic, even when used by men. On average, the distance between eyelashes
and eyebrows is twice as high in women as in men, and so the use of pale eye
shadow to visually enlarge this area has a feminising effect.

A powder eye shadow palette with brown shades for normal day wear; the two
center colors are sparkly while the purple and white shades are for creating
shadows and highlights.

In Goth and some Punk subcultures, black or similarly dark-colored eye shadow
and other types of eye makeup are popular amongst both genders.
Many people use eye shadow to simply improve their appearance, but it is also
commonly used in theatre and other plays, to create a memorable look, with bright
and even ridiculous colors. Depending on skin tone and experience, the effect of
eyeshadow usually brings out glamor and attention.

Mascara is a cosmetic used to darken, thicken and define eyelashes. Mascara

comes in three forms: liquid, cake and cream. It also comes in many formulas,
tints and colors. The general purpose of mascara is to emphasize, thicken,
lengthen, and define lashes. Mascara is available with tube and wand applicators.
Ingredients in mascara include water, wax thickeners, sometimes bat guano in
generic brands, film-formers and preservatives. Mascara brushes can be straight or
curved, to curl eye lashes, with fine or thick bristles. Some mascara wands contain
rayon or nylon fibers to lengthen eyelashes.

[edit] History

The first mascara product was invented by Eugene Rimmel in the 19th century.
The word "rimmel" still means "mascara" in several languages, including French,
Portuguese, Italian etc.

This woman's eye has had mascara applied to the lashes

The word mascara derives from the Italian maschera, which means "mask"[1].
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, a combination of
his sister's name and Vaseline, eventually became a leading cosmetics company.

Mascara was available only in cake form, and was composed of colorants and
carnauba wax. Users wet a brush and rubbed it over the cake, then applied it to the
eyes. The modern tube and wand applicator did not appear until 1957, when it was
introduced by and founded by Helena Rubinstein.

[edit] 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, cannot be cleaned,
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 moisture in some
mascaras and primers can cause lashes to uncurl during application, which is
easily solved by using a drier, waterproof mascara. Waterproof mascara tends to
"clump" less but is more difficult to remove.

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 issues, mascaras should be discarded 3-6 months after opened.