As per archaeological findings cosmetics are believed to have been first used in Egypt around 3000 BC. By the twentieth century use of make up gained widespread acceptance in all sections of society. The cosmetic industry is one of the most profitable industries in the world. With technological advancement, improvement in the manufacturing and testing of cosmetic products and the ever increasing demand for these products the cosmetic industry continues to make profit.

Cosmetic products manufacturers are no longer limited to their geographical boundaries as technology has bridged the gap between manufacturers and consumers sitting miles away in the comforts of their homes. The advent of globalizations has brought one of the biggest revolutions in business and trading called internet. The usage of internet gives the consumers to access information on different cosmetic products being manufactured and used all over the world. It is no longer impossible to buy cosmetic products being used by your favorite celebrity.

Cosmetic products manufacturers can enhance their business interests and market visibility by marketing their products on online portals and trade directories or websites. This helps manufacturers display their company and product information to a larger audience. Displaying information on portals or websites also help you get feedback on your range of products. Cosmetic products manufacturers can touch base for clients interested in placing bulk orders for cosmetic products. Cosmetic products manufacturers can look to foster a long term working relationship with spas and beauty saloons looking to buy cosmetic products on a regular basis.

One of the major changes witnessed by the cosmetic industry in the last few decades has been a gradual shift towards natural and organic cosmetic products. Eco friendly and natural cosmetic products are one of the biggest market trends currently in vogue. Owing to the growing trend there are many established cosmetic products manufacturers that have partnered with small scale cosmetic products manufacturers in developing natural and eco friendly cosmetic products. This has helped many cosmetic products manufacturers gain market recognition and make use of market opportunities.

Cosmetic products manufacturers are using eco friendly materials for the purpose of packaging and distributing cosmetic products. Usage of eco friendly products has also reduced energy input during the process of manufacturing as light weight environment friendly packing materials increase recyclability as well.

There is a widespread demand in natural products around the world it is important for cosmetic products manufacturers to comply with government regulations. The concept of manufacturing natural cosmetics can go a long way in increasing the sustainability of cosmetic products manufacturers. By publicizing natural cosmetic products on different mediums of communication manufacturers can look to educate consumers on ethical and environmental factors involved in producing natural and organic cosmetics.

Cosmetic history worldwide has gone through a sea of change over
the past few centuries. Today the cosmetic industry is worth over $50
billion, but this was not always the case. Before we study more about
the history of cosmetics, we need to search the origin of cosmetics.
Cosmetics was not a business during its nascent stage and it was solely
used to enhance the look of the facial skin. It all started during the
4th century BC when cosmetics and business were words from two different
worlds.

If we look into the history of cosmetics then we find
that the Egyptians were the precursors of cosmetic use. Here the women
of the upper class used animal fat, scented oils and eye color to give a
real ‘facelift’ to their faces. During its initial years, cosmetics
were restricted to the confines of a room where they were prepared from
natural ingredients. Cosmetics had not yet found any commercial use
though it was exchanged among women.

The western world also
embraced it (though a little late) much to the dissatisfaction of the
Church and Queen Victoria. The use of cosmetics here was more among the
lower class women and this is what slowly gave rise to cosmetics being
manufactured for sale among the common masses. The French were the first
to manufacture cosmetics on a large scale with the use of new and
improved methods. They replaced the dangerous ingredients like copper
and lead with Zinc oxide and other harmless chemicals. This soon
resulted in wide sales of cosmetics and women from the elite as well as
lower classes started to use it for their facial beautification.

The
history of cosmetics changed with the end of World War II and the
industrial growth during the 1940’s, when cosmetics found acceptance
among women from all corners of the world. With the advent of the
electronic media like Television and Radio, things looked really sunny
for the cosmetic industry as actresses wore cosmetic makeup that
attracted the general masses – a huge boost to the sales figures. Soon
more and more women turned it into a habit to wear cosmetic makeup for
almost all occasions.

People, mostly associated with the cosmetic industry,
wanted to manufacture healthier and better products because they did not
treat this as a business but something that even had use in their
homes. Technological advancements made it easier for the companies to
try out different ingredients for their cosmetics and this has also
provided a plethora of options in front of modern consumers. Cosmetic
history worldwide is all about providing the right kinds of cosmetics to
satiate the obsession to look beautiful and remain young..

Nowadays,
the cosmetic industry is not only concentrating on cosmetics for women,
but even providing the metro-sexual males a chance to improve their
facial looks. Today, the world’s cosmetic industry faces a huge demand
and a real challenge in producing good quality cosmetic products. It is
still a highly lucrative business for new entrants, but the challenge
now comes from clinical studies that show the existence of toxic
ingredients that are currently used in the manufacture of cosmetic
products. These ingredients, used over long periods of time, are now
being considered harmful to one’s health. Therefore, the history of
cosmetics today wills evolve into where the industry will go in the
future with this new information that indicates the continuous use of
these toxic ingredients could be harmful to one’s health.

Little
did the Egyptians know then, when they were short of options and they
sat in front of the mirror to use their cosmetics, what challenges would
exist today.