Throughout the ages, the standards of beauty and cosmetics have constantly shifted to fit the cultural, economical, and environmental aspects of the ages. Examples of cosmetic trends through history show how beauty is a result of external influences and not the other way around.

For example some African tribes will cut zebra shaped scars in their legs infused with dark powders to make stripes. This comes from a culturally shared experience of viewing herds of zebra all around them. This cosmetic practice is self inflicted.

During the renaissance and late into the 1800s having fair skin and a plump figure was considered beautiful for women. In this case the term "beauty" was defined by the economics of the time. If you were fair and fat it meant you were wealthy enough to sit around your house all day doing very little. It was the money involved that made it beautiful.

In ancient Egypt the environmental conditions of the time took precedence to creating their definition of beauty. For them sanitation was most important. Because of bugs they would shave off all of their hair. The act of complete hair removal resulted in the heavy eye makeup and black wigs that have come to define the Egyptian civilization.

Today we follow a pattern of beauty that is similar to the Egyptians. Most women wear heavy eye make-up accompanying that with complete removal of most hair on the body, usually through shaving, waxing or laser processes. Major cities such as New York, Chicago, and L.A. play a large role in paving the way for what makes our definition of beauty because of their economical and cultural presence in the U.S.