A History of the Makeup Vanity: The Alter in our Beauty Rituals

Since the beginning of time, humans have been gazing at their reflections in muddy puddles and discovering ways to look more attractive. The desire to look good and keep all cosmetics organized is ingrained in human nature, and it led to the invention of the makeup vanity. Most people have a vanity tucked in the corner of their room these days. You may spend hours sitting in front of your beautifully organized vanity as you get ready for the day, and never get bored! Makeup vanities, or dressing tables, are such a convenience as they let you store everything in one place and simplify your life so that you can concentrate on your beauty rituals. But have you ever wondered how it all started?

While the modern vanity evokes an image of a huge mirror adorned with lights, a table with multiple drawers, and a luxury chair, this is not how the story began! The makeup vanity has changed throughout history to cater to the cultural and beauty standards of the time. However, one thing that remains just as applicable today as it was hundreds of years ago is how women have used their vanities to display their makeup and accessories. A vanity is a space you can adorn with countless makeup products, jewelry, and accessories that are used frequently. It is a symbol of the beautification ritual women go through daily before they present themselves to the world.

Today I want to take you on the journey of how makeup vanities evolved into the modern piece of furniture that we can’t live without, so let’s begin!
Vanities date back as far as the Ancient Egyptians, but they weren't even remotely like the vanities we see today! They kept all their cosmetics in beautifully crafted boxes that were buried with them, signifying that it played a crucial role in their daily lives. This laid the foundation of using boxes as portable vanities and led the way for metallic and silver boxes that were fashioned to hold cosmetic paraphernalia. This included exotic oils, perfumes, tools, and even mirrors made of polished silver, which you could take anywhere and use to enhance your appearance. The boxes were an expression of their love for makeup, and the desire to display the cosmetics appealingly.

As civilization advanced, boxes begin to evolve into vanities that we know. It was in the 17^th century that a dressing table with a table and chair was envisioned, and it opened a world of possibilities. The earliest of these makeup vanities were called Toilette tables, as they had a built-in sink to allow easy access to water, which was a must-have to remove the rather heavy makeup that was used in that era.

It wasn’t until the end of the 17th century that the elites and royals started to demand luxury vanities that worked as intricate pieces of furniture while also being a one-stop station to get ready. Perhaps the most critical role was played by Madame Pompadour, the French king’s mistress. She was one of the most influential people in the country at that time, even more than the queen! It is said that ambassadors from other countries would directly visit her if they needed a favor from the king, which speaks volumes of her importance in France. She was an icon of fashion and beauty in her country, so naturally, she wanted a workspace that stands out from the ordinary. The furniture designer Jean-Francois was employed to design a functional vanity, complete with a mirror and storage space.

Jean-Francois was a man of great taste, and after months of contemplation and perfection, he presented Madame Pompadour with the infamous Rococo style vanity. This makeup vanity was the epitome of utility and style, and it was a marvel that changed the dress table game for centuries to come. The Rococo style vanity combined the best of both worlds, and it featured gorgeous adorned flowers and motifs, which made it stand out in a room.

The Rococo vanity utilized the most advanced engineering of that time, and it allowed the top to slide back and the front to move forward. The sliding mechanism revealed a large mirror and increased the table area so that one could pull up a chair and perform all their beautification rituals on the dressing table. With built-in storage compartments and drawers, this vanity was the ultimate alter and revolutionized how women use vanities to store makeup. Madame Pompadour is said to have visited the vanity with her friends, and even received guests and corresponded with advisors while sitting on this vanity.

It wasn’t until the 19^th century that the vanity began to make its place in America and Victorian England. During this time, the makeup vanity became known as the classier name, dressing table. It didn’t take long after that for vanities to become a crucial part in the bedroom, and bedroom sets were deemed incomplete without a matching dressing table. These vanities were crafted from darker wood like oak and walnut, which was the hot-trend in furniture.

The most prevalent style was the Queen Anne vanity, and this design became the desire of thousands of makeup lovers around the globe. These vanities had long S-shaped legs, a wide table-top, and a delicate round mirror to complete the look. These dressing tables were luxurious, and they had subtle patterns painted on them, making them fit for a royal!

The other style worth mentioning here is the Chippendale style of vanity, which was the most popular in America. This vanity featured a huge mirror and table-top, along with the familiar S-shaped legs. This was a more toned-down style as opposed to the Queen Anne Vanity.

The art deco era spawned across the 1900s, and it was in this time that vanities became modernized into the form that we see around us. Hollywood played a massive role in this change, and cosmetic lovers were inspired by the elegant vanities seen in the films. These movies featured the heroines sitting on a luxurious and elegant vanity in her bedroom, which popularized the vanity among the masses like nothing else. The vanities of this decade sought inspiration from Normal Bel Gaddes' enamel vanities, and designs became sleek and modern.

Due to the mass production of glass, the prices dropped, and vanities started using giant glass mirrors to satisfy the women who were now ready to see themselves on a full-size scale. As mirrors took center stage in vanities, the next big style that erupted was the tri-fold mirror vanity. This vanity featured a full-sized central mirror and two smaller mirrors on the sides. These mirrors could be folded on desire, which enabled the women to get a 360 view of their attire.

By the 1950s, the makeup vanity had evolved and changed once again. Previously, curvy edges and circular mirrors were all the rage; however, this decade's vanities were much sharper and streamlined. A large rectangular mirror replaced round mirrors, and clean, crisp lines replaced waterfall edges. In this era, designers started experimenting with mahogany wood to fashion the dressers, which made darker and red-hued vanities the new fashion. The clean lines and refined design may have taken away some of the ornamental value from these vanities, but it was to meet the demands of the masses seeking sleek designs.

The 1970s was the decade where designers began to experiment with shape and color, and they traded light-colored materials like pine and metals in favor of oak and mahogany. This was like a breath of fresh air after decades of dark-colored, wooden vanities, and it represented the much-needed modernization that was the need of the hour. Even though vanities changed tremendously, at heart, they remained the same. They still had huge mirrors and even more storage space to allow women to organize all their cosmetics in one place so that they can enjoy their daily makeup ritual. 

At the beginning of the 21^st century, the makeup vanities started to change as the technology advanced, and modernization set place. Vanities with different and futuristic styles began to pop up in the market, and the designs became contemporary and playful. The dressing tables had new and unseen finishes, and chrome vanities quickly became the latest trend. This was achieved through silver lacquers and was often paired with shimmer. The vanities had an overall mirror finish due to the chrome finish and large mirrors, and it was a nod to the glitter obsession of the era.

The modern vanity

After a long journey that started from wooden boxes, we have polished and perfected the design, and the result is the modern vanity tables we can see these days. The contemporary dressing tables are larger, and they can take up a whole wall or may have a dedicated room, which signifies the importance of makeup in this age. Many women have a substantial cosmetic collection, and to cater to their needs, the vanities now occupy closets and rooms, with endless storage to organize everything.

The modern vanity is a far cry from the toilette or rococo vanities from the past, and they are designed to be up-to-date and stylish. Most vanities have a glamorous mirror adorned with professional lighting, a vast table-top containing multiple drawers, and narrow column shelves on the sides to expand the storage.

In the end, let's take a look at the most expensive vanity made of crystal and embellished with gold, and it is a sight to behold. This gorgeous piece belonged to , and it is on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The perfect symbolism of extravagance!

Vanities have changed a lot during the years, but I think it is safe to say that they have acted as the alter in our beauty rituals since the beginning. There is nothing that brings more satisfaction to a makeup lover as this designated piece of furniture that elegantly displays all their cosmetics and provides them a safe haven where they can beautify and get ready to face the day! Dressing tables have always paid homage to the human desire of looking beautiful, and the immense serenity one feels while immersed in this beautification ritual.