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Rouge (cosmetics)

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Rouge is a special cosmetic used to color the face. The word rouge means "red" in French. People use it to color their cheeks or their lips.

Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990
Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990

It can be a powder, a cream, or a liquid. Some people use it to show the shape of their face. Today, many people call this product blush. It comes in many colors like pink, orange, or brown. People spend about US$25 billion on rouge every year.

Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13
Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13

There are many ways to make rouge. Modern powder is often made from talcum. It might use petals from a safflower flower. Some powders use carmine in a mix with rosewater. This rosewater is often perfumed with rose oil.

Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13
Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13

There is also a cream version called schnouda. This is a colorless mix of Alloxan and cold cream. It turns the skin red when it is applied. You can use a brush to put powder on your cheeks.

Many cultures have used rouge for a very long time. Ancient Egyptians were famous for making cosmetics. Their art shows men and women wearing rouge on their lips and cheeks. They mixed fat with red ochre to make a red stain.

Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990
Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990

In China, rouge was used during the Shang Dynasty. People there used juice from red and blue flowers. They sometimes added pig pancreas or bovine pulp to make it thicker. In China, the color red means happiness and good luck.

Other groups of people had different ways to make color. Greek men and women used crushed strawberries or red beets. They also used crushed mulberries or red amaranth to make a paste. In Ancient Rome, people used minerals like cinnabar and red lead.

Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990
Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990

Sadly, these Roman mixtures could cause sickness or even death. In the 16th century in Europe, people used white powder on their faces. They often added heavy rouge to their cheeks as well.

Coloring the face is linked to how humans act. Sometimes our faces turn red on their own. This is called blushing. Blushing happens when people feel embarrassment, guilt, or shame.

Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13
Blush-Rouge- 2013-08-29 12-13

Scientists study these red cheeks to understand social feelings. Blushing can show that a person wants to be kind to others. It is a natural way to signal social intentions. This shows how our bodies and our feelings work together.

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File:Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990.jpg
Make-up box MAN Paestum T.4-1990.jpg
File:Blush-Rouge-_2013-08-29_12-13.jpg
Blush-Rouge-_2013-08-29_12-13.jpg
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