Body painting with
clay and other natural
pigments existed in most, if not all,
tribalist cultures. Often worn during ceremonies, it still survives in this ancient form among the indigenous people of
Australia,
New Zealand, the
Pacific islands and parts of
Africa. A semi-permanent form of body painting known as
Mehndi, using dyes made of
henna (hence also known rather erroneously as "henna tattoo"), was and is still practised in
India and the
Middle East, especially on
brides. Since the late 1990s, Mehndi has become popular amongst young
women in the Western world.
Indigenous peoples of South America traditionally use
annatto,
huito, or wet
charcoal to decorate their faces and bodies. Huito is semi-permanent, and it generally takes weeks for this black dye to fade.
Actors and
clowns around the world have painted their faces--and sometimes bodies--for centuries, and continue to do so today. More subdued form of face paints for everyday occasions evolve into the
cosmetics we know today.
