BACKGROUND

Welcome

The Makeup Museum is pleased to present A Splash of Color: Makeup for Merfolk. The exhibition explores the the history of mermaid-themed cosmetics, including makeup styles, advertising, and packaging. Shedding new light on the connections between cosmetics and these mythical creatures, the exhibition traces the evolution of mermaid-inspired makeup from the early 20th century through the present, endeavoring to identify the meaning of mermaid makeup.

All images in the exhibition are from the Makeup Museum’s collection unless otherwise noted.

General Mermaid History

Before the topic of mermaid makeup can be addressed, it is necessary to understand the cultural significance of these fictional beings. A complete history of mermaids is beyond the scope of this exhibition, but a brief summary will suffice. The concept of merpeople (i.e., hybrid creatures consisting of a human upper body and the lower half of a fish) descended from ancient water deities. Various cultures from across the globe described sea gods and goddesses who were linked to fertility and creation, as well as danger. As scholar Melissa Jones explains,“Many of these cultures also believed in nymphs, sea fairies, or nereids, which were children of sea gods or merpeople with various characteristics and supernatural abilities. The belief in semi-gods, or mer-creatures, was manifested in stories of sightings, not just in the religious beliefs of gods and goddesses. Some of these creatures were portrayed as being harmless, but some were portrayed as being dangerous. They looked human-like but had scales, and could often be heard singing. These mermaids were usually thought to have beautiful voices, but with the potential to be dangerous to humans when they wanted to be.”

As colonialization increased the frequency of mermaid sightings and organized religion overtook pagan beliefs, the concept of mermaids became firmly entrenched in the popular imagination while their male counterparts largely faded. Mermaids became a staple of folktales, poems, encyclopedias and visual art all over the world. (1) With a few exceptions, such as the beliefs of some indigenous tribes in North America whose folktales spoke of mermaids as benevolent beings and capable of happy marriages with humans, most cultures regarded mermaids as beautiful yet dangerous seductresses who lured men to their death, or at the very least deceived them and prevented them from knowing their true form. In his book, Merpeople: A Human History, scholar and historian Vaughn Scribner describes how the Christian church’s overtly sexual depictions of mermaids were largely responsible for the association of mermaids with sin, especially vanity. (2) However, the few mermen that were represented during this time (mostly on maps), were not assigned any negative connotations. The rise of Christianity, colonization and the African diaspora also created hybridizations of mer-people and water deities from various cultures.

By the 19th century, scientists had definitively proven that the idea of alluring, half-human, half-fish ladies belonged solely in the realm of fiction, with more “genuine” representations such as the FeeJee mermaid becoming commonplace. However, this development paradoxically led to a return of the conventionally attractive mermaid as a sort of reaction against the less visually appealing modern portrayals. Artists and writers also began conceiving of mermaids as largely benevolent. Jones describes the shift that took place. “Despite the public’s disappointment with mermaid specimens, artists still used the classic idea of the beautiful sea creatures in their paintings. This could be because people desired to see mermaids as they had always pictured them, so artists worked to fulfill these wants since museums were not doing so. In fact, mermaids as artistic inspiration reached its peak in the nineteenth century during the era of Romantic art…As mermaids became accepted as part of man’s imagination, people felt free to make them into romantic and kind beings, instead of the dangerous creatures of folktales. In many ways the little sea-maid who saved a human she loved is a stark reversal of old folklore about mermaids who seduced men with the intention of murdering them.” The 19th century also solidified mermaids’ default imagery. Scribner explains, “While in the early modern period various cultures integrated Western notions of mer-people into pre-existing water deities, by the nineteenth century Western capitalism, combined with the popularity of Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, led many peoples to create their own form of mer-person according to the Western ‘model’”(p. 229).  In terms of physical attributes, mermaids generally adhered to Western beauty ideals: slim, white, with long hair and Eurocentric facial features. This vision of mermaids is still the most prevalent today.

From the beginning of the 20th century through the present, depictions of mermaids in Western art and pop culture became more widely varied despite them having more or less the same physical characteristics. The medium of cinema is rife with examples of mermaids’ diverse identities. They are presented as friendly beauties who simply want to be near humans (Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, Splash, Aquamarine); alluring and dangerous monsters (She Creature, Killer Mermaid, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [3]); and benevolent yet powerful creatures who will go to battle when necessary (Siren, The Lure, The Mermaid). Additionally, feminist, queer and trans perspectives on mermaid stories – especially Hans Christian Andersen’s and Disney versions of The Little Mermaid – emphasize mermaids’ conflicting, dualistic nature, strength, and magic. Dr. Sarah Peverley, Professor of English at the University of Liverpool, explains the contemporary fascination with mermaids. “The symbolism attributed to mermaids still persists; they embody difference, personal freedom and the natural world. Perhaps part of the mermaid's current appeal is that they're frequently perceived as autonomous. They possess a serenity and oneness with the world that is hard to obtain in our constantly switched on and fast-paced world. A #MermaidLife is a magical life, full of possibility and wonder."

Many LGBTQ individuals also identify with mermaids for several reasons. They are commonly “othered,” particularly trans people, for not engaging in a traditional performance of gender. Mermaids are also seen as “other” in that they are only part human and don’t fully belong on land. Along those lines, mermaids and trans people experience a hostile curiosity with their genitalia. Another reason some LGBTQ see commonality with mermaids is that gay and trans people are accused of being deceitful just as mermaids were. Says journalist Kristin Iversen: “[The] mythological perception of mermaids as being shape-shifting temptresses, whose sole purpose was to ruin the lives of men, trapping them with their siren calls, tricking them to succumb to their basest, carnal natures, is not so dissimilar to how queer people have been cast as duplicitous; there's a virulent aspect of homophobia which maintains that the LGBT community is trying to ‘lure’ straight men and women into their clutches through deception and trickery.” Writing for Allure, Janet Mock summarizes the similarities between mermaids and trans women: “Like mermaids, trans women are wrongly accused of seducing men…Like mermaids, trans women are viewed as half-women, half-other. Like mermaids, trans women grapple with people’s disturbing curiosity with their genitals.” But, as she and others conclude, these aspects are being reclaimed and recast in a positive light by the LGBTQ community. “And like mermaids, we are fascinating and beautiful and magical,” Mock declares. Adds Iversen, “[As] the queer community did with countless other symbols meant to signify their otherness in an undesirable way, mermaids became embraced icons within the queer community; their legendary beauty and wildness were celebrated rather than stigmatized...while it's understandable to dismiss Disney's The Little Mermaid as being the cornily uplifting version of Andersen's tragic tale, it is also possible to see its happy ending as a declaration that queer people have happy endings, too; that even if their parents don't understand them and their voices are taken away, they are not only deserving of love and acceptance, but capable of achieving it, too, on their own terms.” Finally, Sacha Coward, a freelance museum professional and mermaid historian, points out that mermaids’ capacity to switch between human and aquatic form is a meaningful characteristic to some trans individuals. “Having spoken to parents and their kids who are part of Mermaids UK, they said that the mythological figures are a powerful symbol for them and the trans community because of their ability to transform, and because their physical genitalia are not visible and so irrelevant to their gender.”

So how are the various meanings attributed to mermaids throughout history expressed through makeup? As detailed in the exhibition, mermaid makeup is as varied as the interpretations of the creatures themselves. No-makeup looks signify their bond with nature, while blue and green colors, along with dewy skin, speak to their watery environment. Mermaids’ shape-shifting abilities and other magical qualities are conveyed through iridescence and glitter, as both appear to change color depending on how light hits them. And while the majority of mermaid-inspired makeup styles, colors and packaging embody the conventional beauty standards that have long been associated with these mythical beings, they also encourage play, represent feminine strength and impart a sense of fantasy and wonder.

1. See Skye Alexander, Mermaids: The Myths, Legends and Lore, 2012.

2. See Chapter 2, along with this article on the relationship between mermaid ideology and female sexuality.

3. While most of the mermaids in Stranger Tides are murderous, the captured mermaid Syrena is kind to the sailor who protects her.