1 4 Popular Culture – Cosmetic Industry Jennifer Moore IDS – 404 Pop Culture 2-2 Activity Topic Introduction Southern New Hampshire University November 6, 2022 The cosmetic industry is a billion-dollar industry with a long and complicated history. Its roots can be traced back to Ancient Greece when women would use natural ingredients to beautify themselves. Over time, the industry grew and changed, and today, cosmetic products are widely available and used by people of all ages (Sickler, 2022). One popular cosmetic product that is widely used is mascara. Mascara is used to making the eyes look larger and more open, and it can also be used to create a false lash effect. Mascara is available in a variety of colors, and it can be used to create a variety of looks. Mascara represents a popular culture that is popular with women. The population that engages with this area of popular culture is typically women. The mascara industry is marketed to women and typically contains products that are designed to enhance the appearance of the eyelashes. The larger global society has impacted mascara in a few ways. For one, the popularity of natural beauty products has led to an increase in the use of natural mascara formulas. Mascara has also been impacted by popular culture. For example, the rise of the “big eye” look in the 1990s saw an increase in the popularity of volumizing mascaras (Bazaar, 2020). Additionally, the trend for fuller and darker eyelashes has led to the development of more intense mascaras that can create a more dramatic look. One reason that cosmetics became something so associated with women is that women have traditionally been more concerned about their looks than men. Women have been socialized to care about their appearance, and they have been taught to believe that their looks are important (Britton, 20212). The general education interdisciplinary lens for analyzing mascara and the cosmetic industry was easy to choose because it is a lens that I have been interested in for a while. Additionally, this lens allows for a more in-depth analysis of the topic than the other lenses that were available. However, I would have liked to have had more lenses available to choose from to explore different aspects of the cosmetic industry. Mascara is commonly used in the cosmetic industry and is often seen as a necessary part of everyday life. The population is growing increasingly interested in the cosmetic industry and its products, which in turn has led to an increase in the sale of mascara. Societal situations such as the high rates of female unemployment and the rise of unrealistic beauty standards have led more women to turn to mascara as a means of improving their appearance. The use of a general education interdisciplinary lens allows for a more in-depth understanding of the ways in which mascara has been used and abused throughout history. Reference Bazaar. (2020, August 28). The best 1990s makeu.

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4
Popular Culture – Cosmetic Industry
Jennifer Moore
IDS – 404 Pop Culture
2-2 Activity Topic Introduction
Southern New Hampshire University
November 6, 2022
The cosmetic industry is a billion-dollar industry with a long
and complicated history. Its roots can be traced back to Ancient
Greece when women would use natural ingredients to beautify
themselves. Over time, the industry grew and changed, and
today, cosmetic products are widely available and used by
people of all ages (Sickler, 2022). One popular cosmetic
product that is widely used is mascara. Mascara is used to
making the eyes look larger and more open, and it can also be
used to create a false lash effect. Mascara is available in a
variety of colors, and it can be used to create a variety of looks.

2. Mascara represents a popular culture that is popular with
women. The population that engages with this area of popular
culture is typically women. The mascara industry is marketed to
women and typically contains products that are designed to
enhance the appearance of the eyelashes. The larger global
society has impacted mascara in a few ways. For one, the
popularity of natural beauty products has led to an increase in
the use of natural mascara formulas. Mascara has also been
impacted by popular culture. For example, the rise of the “big
eye” look in the 1990s saw an increase in the popularity of
volumizing mascaras (Bazaar, 2020).
Additionally, the trend for fuller and darker eyelashes has led to
the development of more intense mascaras that can create a
more dramatic look. One reason that cosmetics became
something so associated with women is that women have
traditionally been more concerned about their looks than men.
Women have been socialized to care about their appearance, and
they have been taught to believe that their looks are important
(Britton, 20212). The general education interdisciplinary lens
for analyzing mascara and the cosmetic industry was easy to
choose because it is a lens that I have been interested in for a
while. Additionally, this lens allows for a more in-depth
analysis of the topic than the other lenses that were available.
However, I would have liked to have had more lenses available
to choose from to explore different aspects of the cosmetic
industry. Mascara is commonly used in the cosmetic industry
and is often seen as a necessary part of everyday life. The
population is growing increasingly interested in the cosmetic
industry and its products, which in turn has led to an increase in
the sale of mascara. Societal situations such as the high rates of
female unemployment and the rise of unrealistic beauty
standards have led more women to turn to mascara as a means
of improving their appearance. The use of a general education
interdisciplinary lens allows for a more in-depth understanding
of the ways in which mascara has been used and abused
throughout history.

3. Reference
Bazaar. (2020, August 28). The best 1990s makeup looks that
are on-trend today.
Harper's BAZAAR.
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/makeup/g33597880/90s-
makeup-looks/
Britton, A. M. (2012). The beauty industry's influence on
women in society.
https://scholars.unh.edu/honors/86/
Sickler, J. (2022, July 18). Beauty industry: Cosmetic market
share, trends, and statistics.
Terakeet.https://terakeet.com/blog/beauty-industry/
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MASCARA AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY 3

4. Mascara and Its Impact on Society
Jennifer Moore
Southern New Hampshire University
IDS-400 Popular Culture
Professor Kozlowski
November 13, 2022
Mascara and Its Impact on Society
The cosmetic industry has seen drastic growth from its
origins in ancient Greece. Specifically, the use of mascara has
grown to be used by many, regardless of age and gender. While
celebrities like Boy George have set the trend for men wearing
mascara, the product is mainly seen as a feminine product
(Rodrigues et al., 2015). The use of the product has had a
significant impact on society. Through the social science lens,
mascara has had a massive impact on various societal
institutions, with its effect mainly being felt in the community
and the economy.
The use of mascara has contributed to the debate on gender
politics. Since the 1980s, society has been embroiled in a heated
debate concerning gender, with the debate centering around
gender fluidity (Heyes & Latham, 2018). On one side are the
conservatives, who argue that there are only two genders. On
the other are the left-wing individuals, who advocate that

5. gender can be fluid and anyone can be any gender they wish.
Mascara has helped to further this debate. For a long time,
wearing mascara was seen as a feminine trait. However, as
gender politics continue to shape society, men and other
genders (for example, non-binary individuals) have begun to
wear mascara as a symbol of their identity (Heyes & Latham,
2018). This has kept the debate on mascara on society's lips,
helping to advance its discussion.
Mascara, along with other cosmetic products, has also
raised the debate concerning beauty standards. The product has
been in use for a very long time and has come to be associated
with beauty (Marasca, 2020). This means that women who do
not apply mascara are often seen as short of beauty. However, at
the turn of the new millennium, there was a debate concerning
the use of make-up and standards of beauty. Public figures such
as Alicia Keys have stopped applying cosmetic products such as
mascara, further increasing the debate on cosmetic products
such as mascara (Marasca, 2020). This has helped alter
perceptions of beauty, especially in contemporary society.
Mascara, as part of the cosmetic industry, has made a
significant impact on society's economy. People purchase
mascara, making the industry a profitable enterprise. With
money in people's pockets, society can grow and fund itself,
which is often a positive detail.
The cosmetic industry has deep social roots. It is nearly
impossible to understand the social and gender dynamics
properly. The main entity that has shaped the societal
perception of mascara and other cosmetic products is the
societal perception of beauty, especially toward the female
gender (Mazzetti, 2022). Wide eyes have for a long time been
associated with beauty, which is why women widely use the
product. Societal views on beauty have profoundly shaped the
use of mascara.
Understanding the social roots that define the use of
mascara can help someone better understand the world by

6. helping bring contemporary gender issues to a newer and more
refined perspective (Mazzetti, 2022). No one can blind
themselves to these issues, as everyone is affected. Therefore,
understanding mascara from a social point of view allows an
individual to understand world issues such as gender politics
even better.
References
Heyes, C. J., & Latham, J. R. (2018). Trans surgeries and
cosmetic surgeries: The politics of analogy.
Transgender Studies Quarterly,
5(2), 174-189.
Marasca, D. X. (2020). Exporting and Moulding Ideals of
Beauty: Boom of the South Korean Cosmetic Industry in the Era
of Globalisation.
Mazzetti, M. S. (2022). Is the future of the cosmetic industry
genderneutral?.
Rodrigues, F., Pimentel, F. B., & Oliveira, M. B. P. (2015).
Olive by-products: Challenge application in cosmetic industry.
Industrial Crops and Products,
70, 116-124.