The History of Wigs

A wig is a head of hair which can be made from various materials including human hair, horse hair, wool or synthetic hair. Wigs date back to the 1600s & have been worn for different reasons over the past centuries to the modern day.


16th & 17th Centuries
Wigs were used in the 16th Century mainly to compensate for hair loss & to improve personal appearance. Aside from this, they also served a practical purpose; due to the unhygienic conditions, head lice were common. This problem was reduced by shaving the hair & replacing it with a hairpiece or wig.

Wigs were also a symbol of Royalty & were very fashionable at this time for both men & women. Queen Elizabeth, who is renowned for her red hair, was infact bald & wore wigs to maintain her appearance as Queen. With this in mind, wigs became increasingly popular amongst men. ‘Perukes’ or ‘Periwigs’ were introduced in Britain following the French style inherited by Charles II after being exiled in France. These wigs were shoulder length or longer & imitated the long hair that had became fashionable in the 1600s. Wigs in this style soon became popular in the English court, a look that is still being worn by those of higher authority in court rooms.


18th Century
In the 18th century, men's wigs were powdered in order to give them their distinctive white or off-white colour. Contrary to popular belief, women in the 18th century did not wear wigs, but wore a coiffure (a hair style) supplemented by artificial hair or hair from other sources - the original hair extensions!

Among women in the French court of Versailles in the mid-to-late 18th century, large, elaborate and often themed wigs were in Vogue for women. These combed-up hair extensions were often very heavy & were weighed down with pomades, powders, and other ornamentation. In the late 18th century this style of hair became symbolic of the decadence of the French nobility.

During the 18th century, men's wigs became smaller & more formal with several professions adopting them as part of their official costumes - this tradition survives in legal systems. Until 1823, bishops of the Church of England and Church of Ireland wore ceremonial wigs. The wigs worn by barristers are in the style favoured in the late eighteenth century.


19th & 20th Centuries


Wearing wigs as a symbol of social status was largely abandoned in the newly created United States & France by the start of the 19th Century. Infact, full wigs were not fashionable in the 19th & early 20th Century & were often only worn by those who had lost their hair. However, during the late 19th & early 20th Century, hairdressers in England & France began supplying postiche - small hairpieces with curls or false buns - which were used to be incorporated into the hairstyle. The use of postiche did not become unpopular, even as women’s hair grew shorter between 1910 & 1920, but did seem to go out of fashion during the 1920s.


21st Century
In the modern day, wigs are worn by some people on a daily or occasional basis in everyday life. This is sometimes due to convenience, wigs can be styled ahead of time & come in a variety of styles & colours. However, wigs are also worn by individuals who are experiencing hair loss due to medical reasons - some women find that wearing a wig after suffering hair loss makes them feel more feminine again.

Wigs are also commonly used in film, theatre & television, & many celebrities wear wigs to completely transform their image when on stage, for example Lady GaGa, Cher & even Dolly Parton are well known for wearing wigs.

Skin Conditions & Make-Up

There are five basic facial skin types, however these can be affected from factors such as illness or even the weather. The most common skin types are oily, dry, sensitive, normal & combination.

Oily

Oily skin is caused by glands within the skin that produce too much sebum & excess oil. Due to this, individuals with oily skin are more prone to blackheads & skin breakouts. Oily skin needs special cleansing with plenty of hot water and soap to prevent the pores from being clogged. When make-up is concerned, those with oily skin are advised to use products which are oil free - the benefit of wearing make-up on oily skin is that it can mattify the complexion to avoid a shiny, greasy look. In this case a powder foundation would be beneficial as a liquid foundation will clog the pores which could irritate the skin & cause breakouts & just make the overall face appear more oily.

Dry

Dry skin is caused by under or inactive oil glands that do not produce enough sebum to keep the skin naturally lubricated. Due to this, the skin can often feel itchy & sensitive. Dry skin must be kept hydrated regularly with rich creams or lotions. Those with dry skin should choose a foundation that is hydrating & should avoid powder foundations which may cause the skin to flake when applied. I would recommend using a tinted moisturiser as it keeps skin hydrated but also gives the wearer a healthy, natural glow without harming the skin.

Sensitive

Sensitive skin can be dry, normal or oily & is characterised by delicacy which is why it can be categorised more as a skin condition than a skin type. Sensitive skin reacts to environmental conditions & often requires special treatment to remain in good condition. Those with sensitive skin are prone to reactions when using products which contain alcohol, fragrance oils, synthetically manufactured oils, harsh ingredients or artificial colours. Due to this, individuals require skin care products which are free from these reactants & opt for gentle, natural products with essential oils. This should also be considered when choosing make-up products - choosing the right foundation or make-up can be difficult for those with sensitive skin as there are so many different products available, all with different ingredients - the best advice would be to try a variety of products & decide which works best for the individual.

Normal

In normal skin, the oil glands produce sebum at a moderate rate, resulting in a good skin balance - not too oily & not too dry - seems too good to be true! Despite this, normal skin requires no less attention than any other skin types & a good skin care routine should be practised daily to keep the skin maintained & in good condition. Due to this, those with normal condition are not limited to what make-up products they can use - lucky!

Combinition

Combination skin is characterised by an oily 'T-Zone' area which can cover the forehead, nose & chin, while the skin around the cheeks, eyes & mouth is normal or dry. This skin type requires different treatments, so those with combination skin should assess their skin regularly & use different products on different areas of the face. Where make-up is concerned, many individuals with combination skin have recommended using mineral make-up as they found it beneficial on the oily 'T-Zone' areas of the skin but not harsh on the dry areas.

All five of these skin types require a skin routine best suited for the individual in order to keep their skin in good condition. However there are also other factors that can affect any of these skin types, such as acne, eczema & even ageing; all which need particular care & attention.

Acne

Acne is a chronic skin condition that affects most people at some point during their life. It causes spots to develop on the skin, usually on the face, back and chest. The symptoms of acne can be mild, moderate or severe - in cases of severe acne, scarring can occur, however this can usually be prevented by seeking prompt treatment. Acne is thought to be caused by changes in hormones that are triggered during puberty & can cause great distress & have an adverse effect on a person's quality of life and self-esteem. Therefore, healthcare professionals recognise that the condition requires effective and sometimes aggressive treatment. In most cases acne is treated using specialised creams & lotions, however in severe cases antibiotics are prescribed to help clear the condition.

Eczema

Eczema is an itchy inflammation of the skin, which can cause symptoms such as; redness of affected areas of skin, general dry skin - which is often thickened in the areas that have been scratched, lumps or blisters in affected areas or signs of superficial infection, such as weeping or crusty deposits. Like acne, there are three cases of eczema which are catagorised by the severity of the condition - acute, chronic & infected. Those with eczema can take reactions to certain moisturisers or bath lotions, therefore it is vital that those with the condition use medicinal products to prevent the skin from becoming more irritated. In most cases, a GP will prescribe these products to the individual & advise them to use this on a daily basis to clear up the affected area(s) as much as possible, however in some severe cases powerful antibiotics must be prescribed if the skin does not respond to any previous treatment such as lotions or moisturisers.

Ageing

 

As we get older the skin becomes much more fragile & stops producing as much natural oils, therefore it requires alot of care & attention to keep the skin looking smooth & supple. Factors such as smoking & sunbathing can increase the ageing process, so extra care should be taken if this applies to any individual. Many argue that trying to prevent skin ageing is expensive, however if you practise a daily skin routine & healthy lifestyle choices & have done so from a young age, this should be enough to aid the gradual ageing process & is much better for you than plastic surgery or botox. There are many products available on the market to help ageing skin, some include collagen - a naturally occuring protein found in the skin which provides firmness & strength - which prevents the skin from sagging.

Halloween Make-Up

Three Halloween films with interesting make-up are The Exorcist, Saw & The Corpse Bride.

The first Halloween character I have chosen to write about is Regan, the possessed girl from The Exorcist. I have chosen this look as it is simple to create, but really effective & scary.

To recreate this look I would start by mixing white greasepaint with a little green & little yellow & apply this over the whole face to make the skin tone look like that of someone who is ill, or in this case - possessed! I would then use a red greasepaint & apply this on the areas of the face where I'm going to create scars & wounds. To create the scars I would use dermawax, then mould this to the skin & use tweezers to split the wax to create the illusion of an open wound. I would then fill this with wound filler & dab a brown/wine coloured greasepaint over this with a cotton bud to look like dried blood. To finalise her possessed look I would use teeth paint to make the teeth look rotted & unclean & backcomb the hair a little, you could also use coloured contact lenses to look more possessed & scary.

The second look I have chosen is the puppet from Saw. I chose this as alot of people are freaked out by puppets & dolls & I thought this one is particularly creepy - great for Halloween.

To start this look I would mix white & grey greasepaint & apply this over the whole face, I would then use some highlighting & shading to create the illusion of the prominent cheekbones, narrow nose & furrowed brow - dermawax could be used to make the cheekbones & brow bone more prominent if desired. I would then apply black grease paint around the eyes to create the creepy, sunken in eyes. I would then apply a red greasepaint ontop of the black on the eyelids for the beady, doll eyes & add a black dot for the pupils & some white reflection lines to make it look more realistic. I would then draw the spiral designs on the cheek using red greasepaint & fill in the lips, extending the corner of the mouth upwards into the sinister, creepy smile. To make the moving chin, I would simply draw the lines down from the corner of the lips & make the lines meet together in a curving motion at the chin.

The third Halloween Character I have chosen is Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. I have chosen this as I think this look is very pretty, but eerie, & would look amazing when put together with the bride costume & a wilted looking bouqet of flowers.

To create this look, I would start by mixing blue & white greasepaints together to make the light blue shown in the picture & apply this over the whole face. I would then use a darker shade of blue around the eyes, nose & underneath the cheekbones to make them look sunken in. I would then draw the eyebrows on using black greasepaint, but I would place the eyebrows higher onto the forehead instead of the natural eyebrow - as this is an animated character, I would create the big cartoon eyes by applying white greasepaint over the whole eye. I would then use a dark blue greasepaint & apply this around a quarter over the 'eyes' to create her melancholy, sullen appearance. I would then use black to draw the pupil of the eye & outline the eyelid & eyelashes. The lips are very pale pink which can be mixed by using greasepaint & outlined using a lip liner which is a darker shade of pink. I could also create the scar which is seen on the side of her face using dermawax, but make it appear old & almost decomposed by using dark reds & browns instead of bright reds & fake blood. This is a great look for Halloween as it could be adapted to look more scary if desired by adding more wounds.

Halloween is one of my favourite holidays as it's the one time of the year you can dress up & have fun with make-up. This year I dressed up as a cat (original, I know) & wore all black which I completed with ears, a leopard print collar, fake eyelashes & I used face paint to create cat like features on my face.

In my Character Make-Up class, I chose to recreate a witch in order to practise some highlighting & shading (& to give people green faces!). I think John & Debbie made fabulous looking witches!

We also had a lot of fun walking around the college at breaktime with our Halloween make-up on & got alot of strange looks from some of the students! Happy Halloween :)

Fantasy Make-Up

Three fantasy films with interesting make-up is Roald Dhal's The Witches, Harry Potter & The Chambers Of Secrets & Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.


Majority of the make-up used in the Harry Potter films have now been replaced by the use of CGI special effects, however here is how I would recreate Hermione's cat look in the Chamber of Secrets film after she'd taken the polyjuice potion.

Prosthetics could be used to create the appearance of the prominent feline nose & mouth features which would be held onto the face by a special glue. The facial hair could be made on a malleable block, like that of a fake moustache or eyebrows, & applied to the face & held on using spirit gum to make it look like fur. Contact lenses could then finish the look to create the overall realistic cat appearance.


Jack Sparrow's 'Tribe Leader' eight eye Make-Up would be simple to recreate but is really effective as a make-up illusion.

The overall look can be recreated using greasepaints or face paints. The eyes are just an example of the illusions make-up can create on a person, although they look like real eyes they are infact painted on his eyelids - creepy! To create this look I would first use a foundation on the face. I would then block in the colour, like the green on his nose & the yellow on his cheeks, using greasepaints. To start the eyes I would start with the white, as drawing the outline in black to start could be smudged out by the white when it gets filled in. I would then mix some colours on my hand to make an eye colour which is natural looking & apply this ontop of the white to create the iris - once I have done this I could also add some subtle strokes of darker & lighter tones of colour to make the eyeball look more realistic - & finish with the pupil & some light reflections. Then I would outline the eyes in black & add the lines leading upto his nose. As I would use greasepaints for this particular look (as I can blend colours together easily, for example the eye colour) I would need to set this well using a generous amount of translucent powder - particularly on the eyelids as the colours may smudge & crease.


The Grand High Witch - from Roald Dahl's 'The Witches' - is transformed into her true appearance by prosthetics & special effects make-up.

A silicon mask was used in the film to create the Grand High Witch's scary apperance, however, I'm going to explain how I would recreate this look as a simplified version. I would apply a bald cap & blend this into the skin first. I would then apply the prosthetic pieces, for example her nose, chin & the stretched skin on her ears using a glue to make them stick. I would then use dermawax on the face to create her prominent cheeks & forehead & latex to create some extra stretched, hanging skin which I could fill with tuplast in some areas to make the appearance of warts. With all of this blended into the skin appropriately, I would then start her make-up - greasepaints could be mixed together to make her almost decaying looking skintone & also be used to highlight & shade any areas such as her cheek bones or temples to make them look sunk in. I would also use a purple on her eyelids & a red on her lips as shown in the picture. To finalise the look I would use some brown teeth paint to emphasise the disgusting, scary witch look.

The History of Make-Up

Make-Up has been used all around the world for thousands of years & defines numerous eras & cultures. A particular era that interests me is the Ancient Egyptians.

The Egyptians were renowned for their thickly lined eyes, & are apparently the creaters of khol eyeliner. Make-up had no limits in Egypt, both men & women lined their eyes to create the appearance of the Pharoes they worshipped & believed that their eye make-up would deter evil spirits. They were very particular about their eye make-up & popular shades of eye make-up colours were black & green. Henna was also used to color hair, lips and nails.


Egyptians believed strongly in cleanliness & considered facial or body hair a sign of neglect and uncleanliness. Tweezers with blunt or sharp edges were used to remove hair. Various oils & perfumes were used to protect their skin from the hot climate & prevent body odor. They were fond of strong scents & made perfume by extracting scents from flower, fruits and seeds.


Human hair wigs were also popular amongst the Egyptians. They would shave their hair & replace their natural hair with wigs. These wigs were precious to them & they kept them clean by washing them & keeping them in a box with cinnamon to keep them smelling nice.

The Egyptians used many different materials as make-up. Saffron & burnt almond were used as eyeshadows, chalk was used to whiten the face & wine was used to stain the lips like a lipstick. Cleopatra would also bathe in milk to keep her skin soft, many which could argue created the original 'body milk' moisturiser.


Although modern make-up contains different materials & there is many more different products available, Ancient Egypt created the fundamental make-up products which have been developed & redesigned through to the modern age - something that they should be eternally thanked for! :)

Favourite Make-Up Products

5. Rimmell Stay Matte powder - I've been using this powder for years. As my skin is quite dry, I use a liquid foundation which can leave my face appear oily & looking like a melted welly - I use this powder ontop of my foundation to mattify my complexion & make it look flawless.

4. Soap & Glory 'Sexy Mother Pucker'- This is my favourite lipgloss. I love the red tint of colour & the gloss is quite sticky which makes it stay on for a long time.

3. St Moritz fake tan - Because life is better with a tan :) I think this is a great product, I use the mousse because I find it really easy to apply & it lasts for days without getting patchy. The colour is very natural looking & can be built up over a few days to make it darker if desired.

 2. Eyelure 'Miss Kitty' false eyelashes - I love fake eyelashes & these suit my eye-shape really well - I have hooded eyes & I find that they make my eyes look bigger & make them stand out more. The length is perfect as they are not too short to the extent that you can't notice them, but not too long to look tacky or scary!

 1. 'Eyebrows-A-Go-Go' by Benefit - My favourite make-up product! I was given this as a birthday present & I've never looked back. I'm obsessed with eyebrows & this mini kit has all of the essentials. It comes in a cute compact with two eyebrow powders, a wax to keep your eyebrows in shape, a highlighter, a cream eye brightener, pencil eyeliner, an applicator brush & tweezers. Although it seems quite pricey, the product lasts for a really long time - I've had mine for nearly a year now & it's nowhere near done & I use it everyday - also the quality is amazing, definitely worth the money.

Three Fashion Icons

My three fashion icons are Lady GaGa, Nancy Spungen & Marilyn Monroe - I find all three have made a valuable contribution to fashion throughout the eras & inspire me by their individual fashion styles & make-up looks.


Lady GaGa inspires me as her fashion is a representation of her art form & creativity. Although she is a musician, her 'GaGa' persona is defined by her contraversial costumes & make-up - she is a character. I love her look as it is constantly changing. Through use of colour, false eyelashes made from unconventional materials such as feathers & glitter, wigs & even prosthetics, Lady GaGa is always in the fashion limelight; her make-up styles are so renowned & popular that she has launched a special edition lipstick & lipgloss for MAC Cosmetics & has been in numerous photoshoots to promote their products.   

Lady GaGa's look inspired me to experiment more with my own make-up, especially her defined eye-brows which were used in her 'Telephone' music video & playing card inspired false nails in her 'Poker Face' video which fascinated me to look more into her make-up styles. She also attracts me to make-up artistry as she shows how using unconventional looks have a part to play in modern make-up styles, completely transforming someone into someone, or something, else to cause shock & wonder, often like that of an artist. With her use of prosthetic horns, fangs & sharpened nails, Lady GaGa depicts that make-up has no limits & that character make-up is not just for film or TV.


Nancy Spungen is another fashion icon of mine as I like her trashy, punk style. As the girlfriend of Sid Vicious from The Sex Pistols, she inherited the Punk look which was seemingly created by the band manager, Malcom Maclaren's wife & business partner - fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. After the 'Free Love' era of the 60s, Punk developed from a divide in political opinion in the 1970s & created a revolution in music & fashion,- people wanted to rebel & express themselves & their opinions freely, particularly through image.

Despite being a Punk icon in London, Nancy kept some of her American Glam Rock styles & mixed leather with leopard print & accessorised simple outfits with studs & chains & instead of dawning a mohican or a shaved head, she was well known for her peroxide blonde perm. By mixing two completely different fashion styles together, she created her own look & therefore did not 'belong' to a particular sub-culture.


 Nancy's make-up reflects her personality portrayed by the media - brashy, loud & attention seeking. As a previous groupie of the New York Dolls, her make-up was very typical Glam Rock with dark red lips & magenta blusher on her cheekbones which she made more Punk Rock by lining her eyes thickly with black eye-liner & black eyeshadow - a look which was very popular with both male & female Punks & still is today. Many modern make-up professionals would argue that lips, blush & eye colours should compliment eachother & not clash, however Nancy, took this as an opportunity to rebel & used both her clothes & make-up to make a bold statement that she didn't care what people thought of her & that she could do whatever she wanted, which is one of the reasons why I admire her.

My final fashion icon is Marilyn Monroe. She attracts me to make-up artistry as her look was very natural & classy, yet she could transform  herself into a glamorous, sex-symbol just by the use of make-up. Her natural look is defined by her flawless skin, blushed cheeks &  highlighted features which gave her the sweet, flirtatious look she is renowned for. Marilyn’s 1950s make-up has influenced many women throughout the eras to the present, including myself, as it is a look that can be adapted to suit anyone: for example blushers & highlighters can matched to suit different skin tones & wearing an eye-shadow that compliments your eye colour can create a subtle yet striking look.

Marilyn is also very well known for her trademark red lips & beauty spot, which is now distinguished as the traditional ‘pin up girl’ attire, a look which Dita Von Teese & Paloma Faith are now famous for wearing.

The 50s theme is also a popular selling point for some make-up brands such as Benefit & Soap & Glory, often using retro, black & white images of natural, confident women which attract myself & many others to their products in order to re-create Marilyn’s look. The 50s is also still a popular theme for make-up shoots in majority of magazines all around the world – this shows how iconic her make-up style is & allows Marilyn’s classic image to be introduced to a new generation of people.

She is an ambassador for the abnormal which is why so many people respect her, as she is not afraid to push the boundaries & be herself. Which has inspired both men & women to experiment with make-up & not be scared to express who they are.