The Ultimate Makeup Quiz


4 Min Quiz

The ancient Egyptians made the first makeup out of ________.

Copper and lead ore were the ingredients in the earliest cosmetics.


Why did the Egyptians wear eye makeup?

The thick kohl eyeliner sported by ancient Egyptians was said to ward off evil spirits and improve eyesight.



It was more fingernail stain than polish in those days, but the lower classes were forbidden to wear bright nail color. Members of the Chou dynasty stained their nails gold or silver.


What did ancient Roman women use to lighten their skin?

The Romans had a pretty extensive range of makeup to choose from, including face-lightening creams made with chalk.



One theory holds that belladonna got its name, "beautiful lady," from the women who unknowingly poisoned themselves in the name of cosmetic enhancement.



White lead paint was de rigueur for fashionable women in Elizabeth's day. It also most likely contained arsenic.



T.L. Williams watched his sister, Mabel, apply petroleum jelly and coal dust to her eyelashes and knew there had to be a better way. Soon, mascara (and, eventually, Maybelline) was born.



The success rate for Dr. Burchett's tattooed lipstick was apparently a little spotty (and can you even imagine the pain?), but women flocked to him.


What's the world's largest makeup company?

French giant L'Oreal owns Maybelline and Lancome, among others, and commands a 22 percent share of the worldwide cosmetics market.


What cosmetics brand owns the M.A.C and Bobbi Brown makeup lines?

Est&eacute;e Lauder is no slouch, either, with high-end brands M.A.C and Bobbi Brown on its books.



Great Lash mascara was an instant hit when it was introduced in 1971 -- and it's still going strong.


What's the top-selling brand of makeup in the world?

Maybelline, thanks to Great Lash, is tops, with 7.4 percent of the market in 2004.



Revlon revolutionized cosmetic marketing with the Fire and Ice campaign and forever linked the company name with fire-red lips.



Ah, the vagaries of advertising. L'Oreal made these subtle changes in response to market analyses and consumer psychology studies.



In a micropigmentation treatment, you could get permanent eyeliner, in the form of iron oxide pigment, injected directly into your skin.



Bismuth oxychloride is a byproduct of lead and copper smelting that's used in makeup for its shimmery effects. Problem is, it isn't naturally occurring, and it's known to irritate sensitive skin.



There's little real evidence proving that natural cosmetics are better for your skin.


Top saleswomen from this cosmetics company drive around in pink Cadillacs.

Mary Kay has an all-female sales force, and top earners get the iconic powder-pink Cadillac.


About how long should you keep lipstick before tossing it?

Lipstick's shelf life is only about eight months.



OPI is responsible for these cleverly named colors.


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Image: refer to hsw

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