|
Rouge (French: Red), also called Blush or Blusher, is a cosmetic typically used by women to redden the cheeks so as to provide a more youthful appearance, and to emphasise the cheekbones.
Historically, rouge was used as early as in ancient Egypt. It was also applied on the lips, the way lipstick would be used today. In some times and places, both men and women wore rouge, such as during the Regency period in England. In Britain's Victorian Age, when wearing makeup was associated with low morals, ladies resorted to pinching their cheeks (and biting their lips) to make them appear red instead.
Various substances have been used as rouge. In ancient Greece for example, crushed mulberries were favoured, while red beet juice and crushed strawberries have also variously been used.
In modern times, rouge generally consists of a red-coloured talcum-based powder that is applied with a brush to the cheek. The colouring is usually either the substance of safflor (the petals of safflower), or a solution of carmine in ammonium hydroxide and rosewater perfumed with rose oil. A cream-based variant of rouge is schnouda, a colourless mixture of Alloxan with cold cream, which also colours the skin red.
A concealer or colour corrector is a type of makeup used to cover pimples, dark circles and other small blemishes visible on the skin. Women mainly use this product.
Depending on what is being covered, concealer may be green, white, blue, purple or matched to skin tone. White can be used to hide dark circles or bruising and brighten dull skin, green helps to cover up redness caused by pimples or broken veins, blue whitens a reddish complexion, purple adds a healthy glow to yellow-toned skin and matched concealers are not only the easiest to find and cheapest to buy, but are held by some to be the most effective at hiding pimples, blackheads and blemishes.
Concealers are typically used in conjunction with foundation rather than by themselves for optimal effect.
|
