Powder puff
Encyclopedia
Powder puffs are pieces of soft material used for the application of face powder
. They may be shaped as balls or pads.
Historically, powder puffs have been made of very fine down feather
s, cotton, fine fleece
, etc. In modern times synthetic materials are widely used for powder puffs.
In addition to softness, an important characteristic of powder puffs is their intake ability, i.e., the ability to hold powder. It was reported that for synthetic fibers important factors in designing high-intake powder puffs are mostly geometric ones: fiber diameter, pile
length, and space between fibers, with little dependence on material factors.
Powder puffs have been used as a stereotype image for soft, careless femininity
, as seen, e.g., in the term "powderpuff sports," including collegiate sorority flag football leagues. The name of the Powerpuff Girls is a pun on the word "powder puff".
Face powder
Face powder is a cosmetic powder applied to the face to set a foundation after application. It can also be reapplied throughout the day to minimize shininess caused by oily skin. There is translucent sheer powder, and there is pigmented powder. Certain types of pigmented facial powders are meant...
. They may be shaped as balls or pads.
Historically, powder puffs have been made of very fine down feather
Down feather
The down of birds is a layer of fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers. Very young birds are clad only in down. Powder down is a specialized type of down found only in a few groups of birds. Down is a fine thermal insulator and padding, used in goods such as jackets, bedding,...
s, cotton, fine fleece
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
, etc. In modern times synthetic materials are widely used for powder puffs.
In addition to softness, an important characteristic of powder puffs is their intake ability, i.e., the ability to hold powder. It was reported that for synthetic fibers important factors in designing high-intake powder puffs are mostly geometric ones: fiber diameter, pile
Pile (textile)
In textiles, pile is the raised surface or nap of a fabric, which is made of upright loops or strands of yarn. Examples of pile textiles are carpets, corduroy, velvet, plush, and Turkish towels.. The word is derived from Latin pilus for "hair"...
length, and space between fibers, with little dependence on material factors.
Powder puffs have been used as a stereotype image for soft, careless femininity
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
, as seen, e.g., in the term "powderpuff sports," including collegiate sorority flag football leagues. The name of the Powerpuff Girls is a pun on the word "powder puff".