Make-up Fun Facts: Blusher

~ Blusher has been used by women (and in some cases men) to redden their cheeks from Ancient Egyptian times. Whereas the Ancient Egyptians are better known for their early takes on modern day eyeliner and lipstick (evident much in their art and hieroglyphics), their use of the earliest form of blusher is equally impressive.

~ The use of blush fell out of favour during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who made piercing red lips and ghostly white faces fashionable. Later on, during the Regency period, both men and women used blush for the same reasons it is used today - to create a flushed, youthful appearance as well as emphasizing their cheekbones.

~ The Victorians however looked down on this form of trickery, which resulted in women of the era resorting to pinching their cheeks to achieve the same flushed effect. Interestingly, this practice is still favoured by some women today as a natural alternative to cosmetics.

~ Ingredients used to make blusher have ranged from crushed mulberries and strawberries in ancient Greece to the talcum-based powder we use today, the colouring of which is often derived from the petals of the safflower.