Cosmetics have existed throughout human history. The ancient Greeks, the Egyptians, and Romans all used various kinds of makeup. Some of these cosmetics were used to improve one’s appearance, while others were used to protect one’s skin. However, in some cases, things used for makeup were dangerous or even deadly! Skin care treatments including perfumes, lotions, and cosmetic masks were common in ancient Egypt by rich and poor alike. As the inventor of some of the earliest sunscreens, Egyptians also developed oils and creams for protection against the sun and dry winds. Egyptians, as well as other ancient cultures, used various powders on their skin for beauty as well. Thousands of years ago, Egyptians wore black kohl around their eyes, Romans put white chalk on their faces, and Indians painted red henna on their bodies.

       Even though most of the ancient cosmetics were harmless, however, in the name of beauty, some people apply hazardous chemicals and toxic materials to their skin. During the Italian Renaissance, women wore white powder made of lead on their faces. Of course, doctors today know lead is like a poison for our bodies. Also around the time of the Renaissance, women in Italy put drops of belladonna in their eyes. These belladonna drops were made from a plant whose poison affects the nerves in the body. By putting belladonna drops in her eyes, a woman’s pupils will become very large, which was thought to make women more beautiful. Actually, this is where the plant’s name comes from. In Italian, belladonna means “beautiful woman.” 

       When Elizabeth I was queen in the late 1500s, some rather harmful cosmetics were also being used by women in England. In particular, women were using special hair dye made with lead and sulphur. The dye was designed to give people red hair, the same color as the queen’s hair, but over time, the dye made people’s hair fall out. Finally, just like the queen, women using this dye ended up bald and had to wear wigs.

       On September 11th, 2001, tragedy struck the city of New York when terrorists crashed airplanes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. From the ashes of those iconic buildings, however, would rise a new city landmark – the glimmering One World Trade Center.                      Construction on 1 WTC began in April of 2006, but it wasn’t until May of 2015 that the doors were finally open to the public. This was due to the numerous challenges facing architects, engineers, and construction crews while they worked on the project. First and foremost were the cleanup efforts in and around the area where the twin towers came down. This is the site that would come to be known as Ground Zero. This alone took eight long months.

     After the cleanup, architects and engineers had to put their heads together to determine how they would make this new structure fit in with the infrastructure that was already in place. Beneath the site there were already train and subway tracks to take into consideration, all at different depths. To make things even more complicated, construction of 1 WTC could not interrupt train or a subway service. This meant they would have to work around the train and subway tunnels. It wasn’t easy, but after analyzing everything that was there underground in four dimensions, the team was able to figure it out.

    Yet another challenge was the sheer size of the building, and how to put together its massive beams and columns, some weighing as much as 72.5 metric tons. In order to get this done, two of the largest cranes ever used in the history of New York City had to be brought in to lift them up.

    The result of all this time, planning, and effort is one of the safest and strongest towers ever built. In the end, the estimated price tag for the building was US$3.9 billion. However, for many New Yorkers, seeing a new tower rise up where the twin towers once stood is something no one can put a price on.