As an introduction, Jo Chidley explained that ‘initially, only DIY cosmetics existed. Given up due to the industry’s mass production of cosmetic products, it is now making a strong comeback. And it is no coincidence…’

A history of DIY beauty

In the days of Cleopatra, ancient Greece, and even until the Middle Ages, cosmetics were made ‘upon request’ and mainly composed of oils, plants, or fresh fruit, but also of honey, milk, and salts… They already had the functions we know today, from exfoliation to skin protection, and there was already this will to delay aging signs.
Nothing fundamentally changed until the 19th century, even if, little by little, natural ingredients were completed with less ordinary substances, in particular to whiten the skin. And this paved the way for the appearance of chemistry and synthesis.
This movement boomed in the early 20th century, driven by deep social mutations and the higher incomes consumers started to benefit from. Major brands took over what has become a market, offering more technical products at first, to magnify each woman’s beauty (Avon already talked about customized cosmetics at the beginning of the century), and then more and more technical and less and less natural …