Chinese charm - A brief history of beauty enhancement in China
Chinese women have been attentive to their physical appearance since the ancient times. As is common with trends related to people's personal appearance, they come and go, only to regenerate and take on new forms when the circumstances are right. Cosmetics have been used by people all around the world to accentuate their physical features for millennia. In China, this practice of face adornment gradually spread from the ruling class to the general population.
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According to historical accounts, women in China were completing their looks with lipstick, nail polish and perfumes as far back as two or three thousand years ago. During the imperial times, upper class women and traditional yiji entertainers were the main trend setters.
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Originally, makeup was used to show one's social status and to attract members of the opposite sex. In activities aimed at the latter, a woman who wished to let a man know of her amorous feelings could, for example, send him a handkerchief with a print of her painted lips pressed on it and the message would not be mistaken.
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Perfumes made from lilies, lotus flowers, chrysanthemums and other flowers have been worn by China's most sophisticated women for centuries. They were also used to diffuse a pleasant scent inside the house. A variety of incense sticks and candles were also burned to tantalize the sense of smell. Among the upper classes, it was a custom to invite guests to the house to enjoy the delicate fragrance imparted by the rarest incense candles. Incense burners were placed even in the bedrooms in order to more fully appreciate their soothing effect. Clothes were also imbued with their scent, so that those who wore them would smell fresh the whole day long.
Natural Beauty is the Beauty of Girl
