Authors :
Kajol
Volume/Issue :
Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/2vbyvwct
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/rtwsfsdf
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul1682
Note : A published paper may take 4-5
working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and
ResearchGate.
Abstract :
Eye makeup includes everything from eyeshadow to eyeliner, mascara, brow tools, and even eyelash
enhancements, and has been in use since Egypt and Mesopotamia, some 4,000 years ago. Although there is a lot we know
about eye makeup, as it is ubiquitous across various cultures and has a huge economic impact on the global beauty industry
(estimated of over 500 billion USD), eye makeup is an under-developed and undocumented field of academic research. This
paper provides a thorough scholarly review of the literature on eye cosmetics across seven thematic areas: (1) History of eye
cosmetics from religious ritual to modern aesthetic practice; (2) theoretical frameworks such as feminist studies, material
culture, and semiotics, socio-technical studies, visual studies and consumer culture; (3) consumer behavior and market
dynamics; (4) health, safety, and cosmetic chemistry; (5) cultural and aesthetic differences between Western and nonWestern traditions; (6) media representation and social perception; and (7) methodological approaches used in the study of
eye cosmetics. Although eye makeup is seen as a means for self-expression, identity construction, gender performance, and
social signaling, the literature is fraught with lacunae: underexamined populations and intersectional analysis, definitional
and ontological ambiguity over product categories, less application of rigorous theory, less longitudinal safety studies for
emerging cosmetic technologies, and a predominant focus on Western consumer markets. A lexicon based on an ontology
for eye-makeup studies is proposed, along with the need to apply thoroughly feminist, practice and postcolonial theories,
and to broaden ethnographic and cross-cultural studies to further the field.
References :
- Biesiadecka, M., Szymkow, A., & Baryla, W. (2023). To Enhance, or not to Enhance: The Situational Context Shapes Women's Intentions on Amount and Diligence of Makeup Application. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Mingzhe Li, F., Spektor, F., Xia, M., Huh, M., Cederberg, P., Gong, Y., Shinohara, K., & Carrington, P. (2022). It Feels Like Taking a Gamble: Exploring Perceptions, Practices, and Challenges of Using Makeup and Cosmetics for People with Visual Impairments. [PDF].
- Montgomery, K. & Ulrich, P. (2015). Trends in Advertising Typology and Facial Cosmetic Emphasis, 1940-2010. [PDF].
- Hamelin, N., Mokannef, A., Gbadamosi, A., Hamelin, N., Mokannef, A., & Gbadamosi, A. (2018). Colour cosmetics consumption among Moroccan women: Examining the Nexus of Attitudes, Religion, and The media. [PDF].
- Jones, N. & Postma, A. (1980). The effects of eye cosmetics on the ocular physiology of hard contact lens wearers. [PDF].
- Panico, A., Serio, F., Bagordo, F., Grassi, T., Idolo, A., De Giorgi, M., Guido, M., Congedo, M., & De Donno, A. (2019). Skin Safety and Health Prevention: an Overview of Chemicals in Cosmetic Products. [PDF].
- Couteau, C., Girard, E., & Coiffard, L. (2022). Analysis of 275 DIY recipes for eye cosmetics and their possible safety issues. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Eye makeup includes everything from eyeshadow to eyeliner, mascara, brow tools, and even eyelash
enhancements, and has been in use since Egypt and Mesopotamia, some 4,000 years ago. Although there is a lot we know
about eye makeup, as it is ubiquitous across various cultures and has a huge economic impact on the global beauty industry
(estimated of over 500 billion USD), eye makeup is an under-developed and undocumented field of academic research. This
paper provides a thorough scholarly review of the literature on eye cosmetics across seven thematic areas: (1) History of eye
cosmetics from religious ritual to modern aesthetic practice; (2) theoretical frameworks such as feminist studies, material
culture, and semiotics, socio-technical studies, visual studies and consumer culture; (3) consumer behavior and market
dynamics; (4) health, safety, and cosmetic chemistry; (5) cultural and aesthetic differences between Western and nonWestern traditions; (6) media representation and social perception; and (7) methodological approaches used in the study of
eye cosmetics. Although eye makeup is seen as a means for self-expression, identity construction, gender performance, and
social signaling, the literature is fraught with lacunae: underexamined populations and intersectional analysis, definitional
and ontological ambiguity over product categories, less application of rigorous theory, less longitudinal safety studies for
emerging cosmetic technologies, and a predominant focus on Western consumer markets. A lexicon based on an ontology
for eye-makeup studies is proposed, along with the need to apply thoroughly feminist, practice and postcolonial theories,
and to broaden ethnographic and cross-cultural studies to further the field.
