Cosmetics are naturally or artificially obtained substances for external use created with the purpose of protecting, cleansing, enhancing and beautifying ones appearance. A very important role of cosmetics is to promote attractiveness, make persons more sexy and interesting and by this to increase the person's success at work, in society and of course to bring personal satisfactions.

Cosmetically products are generally classified in two major groups according to the purpose they serve for:
A.skin and hair care products including lotions, gels, perfumes, hair sprays, permanent waves, bath oils ant many others
B.Products using different colored substances made to improve the user's look; this category includes nail polish, eye colors, facial colors, hair dying products, lipsticks, and is generically named Make-up products.

Another important class of cosmetic procedures and substances also very new and innovating are the ones recently discovered and used in the medical domain dealing with the esthetical aspect of the human body as well as with its outer health. These specialties are called dermatology, alergology and plastic surgery. Innovating methods of cosmetics are also the very fashionable permanent and semi-permanent make-ups obtained by applying tattoos to the skin in different areas with help of laser beams and vegetal colors.

If referring to the chemical structure of the cosmetic products, buyers must be aware of the fact that many types of skin care products and make-up contain smaller or higher amounts of dangerous substances that might cause allergic reactions, irritations and even skin cancer. In order to look as shiny and as attractive as possible to the buyer's eye, many cosmetic products contain artificial colorants derived from SLS, petroleum and even parabens (preservatives used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry). Dermatologists advise users to purchase cosmetic products obtainers of natural ingredients.

Cosmetic are known and used by women but also by men since the antiquity; although today almost anyone has access to them, in the early ages the use of cosmetic substances and make-up was a sign of wealth and high social position. The first ones known to have used such products were the ancient Egyptians and Romans. In other parts of the globe, make-up was only introduced in the middle Ages and was restrictively used by the upper class. After the 1800's, make-up began to be used by prostitutes; Hitler, and also Queen Victoria 150 years before declared the use of cosmetics and make-up as vulgar and improper to be used, acceptation to this fact only making the actors.

Today the cosmetic industry is world spread but still it is dominated by a relatively small number of manufacturers dating from the beginning of the 20'st century. The use of cosmetics in our modern days is both an art of beautifying as well as a necessity for many of us.