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10 Products That Changed Beauty Forever
You probably own more than one.
Beauty is always evolving—looking to the future and pushing toward new looks. But there's a handful of key products that forever changed the industry...and, no surprise, those are the ones that will forever be staples in our beauty arsenals. We dove into the stories behind ten products that truly disrupted the scene and earned the elusive title of Instant Classic.
Eyeliner
We like to look to powerful women for inspiration, so why not try to emulate the Egyptian queen who conquered anything (and anyone) who challenged her? The iconic cat-eye look could not be done without the eyeliner, whose early origins can be traced all the way back 12,000 years ago (with the look popping back up in the 1920s).
Red Lipstick
First made in Ancient Egypt from crimson-coloured beetles and ants, red lipstick has become more than a simple cosmetic product. There’s something about a red lip that makes everyone stop and stare—it’s the ultimate power statement.
Highlighter
Highlighter's having a moment in the beauty scene, but highlighting and contouring have actually been around for centuries. We can trace this method back to the 1500s, when English stage actors would apply chalk and soot to their faces so that the audience could read their facial expressions more clearly.
SHO NOW MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finish in Soft Frost - £25.50
Natural Products
Today, smart consumers expect complete transparency when it comes to the ingredients we're slathering on our skin. Though 'green beauty' made the crossover from the hippie fringe to the mainstream decades ago, you can thank 2015's Personal Care Products Safety Act for demanding real regulation of how beauty products are made.
Cushion Compact
The K-beauty trend that took the American beauty market by storm a couple of years ago all started with the cushion compact. It’s basically a feather-light BB cream with a sponge application that makes it so that formula really soaks into the skin. While the Asian market has been enjoying this genius product for awhile, it first entered the US market in 2014.
Safe Haircare
Dyeing hair is an ancient practice, but the more research that is done, the more we learn that only safe chemicals have any business on our strands and scalps. In 2006, the European Commission banned the use of any chemical in hair dye that hasn't been proven to be safe; the FDA similarly approves chemicals for use in dye.
SHOP NOW L'Oréal Paris Préférence Wild Ombré Brush-On Dip Dye - £7.98
False Lashes
False lashes can give you a gorgeous, wide-eyed look while cutting down on the rest of your beauty routine. In 1911, a woman named Anna Taylor received a U.S. patent for artificial lashes that are the crescent shape that we still use today.
Nail Art
Everyone loves a good manicure. While nail art can be traced back to ancient times, it wasn’t until the 1920s that the glossy manicure we know and love came to be. The paint used for cars (!) was adapted to use on fingernails, and Hollywood stars popularised the the 'moon manicure.'
Hair Dryer
The way we style our hair now wouldn’t be possible without the hair dryer. In 1888, French hairstylist and inventor Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy patented the earliest version of a blowdryer.
Science-Based Skincare
It’s hard to imagine a time where consumers weren’t given the science behind transformative skin care. But that was exactly the case before Estée Lauder introduced its cult classic Advance Night Repair in 1982. It was the first skin care formula rooted in research and the first repair product in the beauty industry.
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