Iranian women have become the Middle East’s second-largest group of makeup buyers, spending more than 10% of their income on makeup.

Just three decades ago nobody would have believed that this could ever be the case. After the 1979 revolution makeup was totally banned and women who were found breaking the rules and wearing lipstick were fined or even arrested by the moral police.

When laws were relaxed in the ’80s, and cosmetics were allowed for import again in the ’90s, Iran’s women swiftly descended on lipstick and mascara despite the massive costs from import tax and products sold on the black market.

It’s still tough though; Tehran’s police chief says he’ll arrest suntanned women who look like “walking mannequins.” and lipstick is forbidden in the workplace.