MASCARA
Egyptian women from the First Dynasty developed the art of decorating the eyes by blackening the lashes and upper lid with kohl, a preparation made from antimony or soot. By the middle of the first century AD, this technique was also widely used by the Romans. By the beginning of the twentieth century, mascara was commercially developed by cosmetic busi- nesses and universally marketed.
Modern mascara has a base of soap (the majority of product), oils (e.g., lanolin), waxes, and fats. Mascara is colored and darkens the eyelashes by the presence of pigments such as iron oxide (brown), carbon or lamp- black (black), chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) (green), titanium dioxide (TiO2), or a silicate that contains sulfide ions named ultramarine (blue). Despite the term “lengthening mascara,” these types of marketed mascaras simply darken the ends of the lashes for increased contrast, allowing the lashes to have a longer appearance. While a typical composition is ap- proximately 40 percent wax, 50 percent soap, 5 percent lanolin, and 5 percent coloring pigment, mascara may also contain shellac, quaternary ammonium, alcohols, antimony, nickel, antibacterial agents, or colophony (rosin) derived from coniferous trees, which yields good tackifying properties and increased water resistance.
Allergic reaction to mascara ingredients (e.g., colophony) is of concern to product manufacturers and regulators. More serious concerns, how- ever, are eye infections caused by bacterial contamination from consumer- shared eye makeup and/or regular use of eye makeup more than three months of age as well as potential corneal damage from misuse of the mascara wand applicator.
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