Eyelashes: A constant flux in the history of beauty trends
Styling eyelashes have been a prominent practice in the beauty industry. However, the way eyelashes were perceived in terms of beauty and fashion has constantly changed, from no eyelashes to people having eyelash extensions to exaggerate their beauty. Since historical times, how someone styled them has been an active determinant of a person’s social and economic status.
During the early Renaissance, women started plucking their eyebrows and eyelashes because hairless foreheads were considered elegant. Also, the Catholic Church issued several edicts that declared the presence of any female hair sinful. The trend took a complete 180-degree turn, and later on, longer, thicker eyelashes were considered more beautiful. The emphasis laid on eyelashes for beauty could be understood by how some Frenchwomen during the 1800s sewed the hair from their heads on their eyelids- with hardly any sort of anesthesia- to elevate their beauty game.