Marjorie Goliner, age 15, of Rutland, Vt., for her question:

WHEN WERE COSMETICS FIRST USED?

Cosmetics have been used by men and women for thousands of years. As early as 400 B.C. the ancient Egyptians were applying perfumes and anointing their bodies with oils. They used cosmetics for decoration, for protection against the weather and for religious reasons.

The ancient Greeks and Romans also used cosmetics. Some of their products were made from plants while hair dyes and face and eye makeup were made from powdered minerals.

By the A.D. 1100s, the use of cosmetics had spread to Western Europe. People of early African cultures of about the same period painted their bodies for war and for magical ceremonies.

In North America, the first cosmetics used were those made from animal fats by the Indians long before European explorers arrived. The Indians applied these substances as a base for their body paint and for protection from insects and the cold.

The Europeans who settled America brought cosmetics with them.

By the early 1900s, most people only used a few basic cosmetics such as face powder, rouge and shampoos. The demand for a wider choice of cosmetics grew tremendously after the 1930s, chiefly because of increasingly widespread advertising and promotion of these products.

The word "cosmetics" comes from the Greek word "kosmos," meaning adornment or order.

Today cosmetics are substances that are applied to the body to cleanse, to promote attractiveness or to alter a person's appearance. Cosmetics include deodorants, face powder, lipstick, nail polish, perfume, shampoos, skin creams and toothpaste.

More than 5,000 different ingredients are used by manufacturers in making cosmetics. These ingredients include alcohols, alkalies, dyes, oils, glycerol, talc and waxes.

A person who manufacturers or sells cosmetics or who applies them to others is called a cosmetician. The study of cosmetics is called cosmetology.

Most cosmetics today can be classified into four main groups, depending on the part of the body for which they are used: skin, hair, nails and mouth.

Skin cosmetics include blushers, face powder, foundations, lipstick and rouge. They also include eyeliners, eye shadow and mascara as well as bubble baths, cold cream, deodorants, foot powder, hair removal substances, perfume, shaving cream and suntan lotion.

Soap is not considered to be a cosmetic.

Hair cosmetics include shampoos, sprays, conditioners, permanent waves and straighteners. They also include a wide range of hair coloring items.

Nail cosmetics include nail polish and cuticle softeners as well as creams and lotions that promote the growth of nails.

Mouthwashes and sprays as well as toothpaste and other substances used to clean the teeth are included in the mouth’s cosmetic group.

Many people use special medicinal cosmetics to conceal birthmarks, scars and other skin blemishes.