If you're as obsessed with beauty history as I am, there's a 99.9% chance you follow Erin Parsons.
The makeup-artist-turned-content-creator has amassed nearly 8 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, not just for her vintage beauty tutorials, but also for deep dives into the archaeology of makeup. Be it demonstrating makeup techniques across eras—like the Victorian age using actual recipes from the period—or sharing her treasure trove of antique cosmetics, Parsons' content is a crash course in makeup history.
Now, she's expanded her universe with The Makeup Archive, a nonprofit digital museum featuring over 1,500 pieces from her personal collection that span from the 17th century through the 2010s. Three years in the making, the project came to life with the help of archivist Holly McGraw, who helped Parsons comb through 3,000 items to build the archive.
"Through my videos, and through how many views and how much engagement, [it's clear] that people are interested in beauty history," Parsons told host Jessica Matlin during a recent episode of the Fat Mascara podcast. "There's more to it than someone just putting on a red lipstick."
Parsons in front of the library of The Makeup Archive
Credit: Luisa Opalesky; Courtesy of Erin Parsons
#content
The makeup-artist-turned-content-creator has amassed nearly 8 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, not just for her vintage beauty tutorials, but also for deep dives into the archaeology of makeup. Be it demonstrating makeup techniques across eras—like the Victorian age using actual recipes from the period—or sharing her treasure trove of antique cosmetics, Parsons' content is a crash course in makeup history.
Now, she's expanded her universe with The Makeup Archive, a nonprofit digital museum featuring over 1,500 pieces from her personal collection that span from the 17th century through the 2010s. Three years in the making, the project came to life with the help of archivist Holly McGraw, who helped Parsons comb through 3,000 items to build the archive.
"Through my videos, and through how many views and how much engagement, [it's clear] that people are interested in beauty history," Parsons told host Jessica Matlin during a recent episode of the Fat Mascara podcast. "There's more to it than someone just putting on a red lipstick."
Parsons in front of the library of The Makeup Archive
Credit: Luisa Opalesky; Courtesy of Erin Parsons
#content
2 months ago
