<P> In Japan, geisha wore lipstick made of crushed safflower petals to paint the eyebrows and edges of the eyes as well as the lips, and sticks of bintsuke wax, a softer version of the sumo wrestlers' hair wax, were used by geisha as a makeup base . Rice powder colors the face and back; rouge contours the eye socket and defines the nose . Ohaguro (black paint) colours the teeth for the ceremony, called Erikae, when maiko (apprentice geisha) graduate and become independent. The geisha would also sometimes use bird droppings to compile a lighter color . </P> <P> In the Middle Ages it was thought sinful and immoral to wear makeup by Church leaders, but many women still did so . From the Renaissance up until the 20th century the lower classes had to work outside, in agricultural jobs and the typically light - colored European's skin was darkened by exposure to the sun . The higher a person was in status, the more leisure time he or she had to spend indoors, which kept their skin pale . Thus, the highest class of European society were pale resulting in European men and mostly women attempting to lighten their skin directly, or using white powder on their skin to look more aristocratic . A variety of products were used, including white lead paint which also may have contained arsenic, which also poisoned women and killed many . Queen Elizabeth I of England was one well - known user of white lead, with which she created a look known as "the Mask of Youth". Portraits of the queen by Nicholas Hilliard from later in her reign are illustrative of her influential style . </P> <P> Pale faces were a trend during the European Middle Ages . In the 16th century, women would bleed themselves to achieve pale skin . Spanish prostitutes wore pink makeup to contract pale skin . 13th century Italian women wore red lipstick to show that they were upperclass . </P> <P> Some Indian American tribes painted their faces for ceremonial events or battle . Similar practices were followed by Aboriginals in Australia . </P>

When was the first evidence of nail care recorded in history and where was it recorded