Ancient Egyptian Beauty Rituals
Do you know that the first archaeological and documented evidence of use of skincare products for beautification traces back to the Egyptians to 6000 years! While the Egyptians were particular about beautifying themselves with cosmetics and skincare recipes, and associated holiness with them, these products were not only limited to the living but had to be done on the dead too as a sign of strong belief in afterlife and the importance of hygiene and beautification there. The Egyptian Book of the Dead was strongly referred to, and it was believed that if a body entered afterlife without being perfumed and cleaned, it would be unable to speak and would earn the god’s wrath. Surprising this is, yet it was a deep seated religious and social belief!
In terms of skincare, a daily ritual was to start the day by bathing first and then moisturizing the skin with natural emollients such as soap based paste made out of olive oil and milk for retaining moisture on skin. The use of oils such as moringa, olive and castor for their anti-ageing properties were also practiced amongst the affluent alongside milk baths with fragrant oils and soaps made out of soda ash. Dead sea salt for exfoliation and rejuvenation of skin was a trend followed by honey masks for moisturizing. Use of other rich botanicals like thyme, lavender, rosemary in either powdered form or infused in oil has been documented and is proven by modern medical science for being an extremely valuable addition to today’s skincare recipes and formulas.
When it comes to the depth of skincare knowledge that the Egyptians possessed, it leaves us amazed and makes us realize how they were so ahead of their time in terms of understanding the problems and requirements of the skin. To avoid tanning and skin being dehydrated, experts curated botanical blends made out rice bran extract, jasmine and lupine to act as sunscreen. Making a paste out of it and layering it over the face was common amongst the affluent so they could retain a non-tan, and pale looking complexion which would make them stand different from the poor labor who tanned their skins under the sun.
Today, Egyptian beauty records are a prized contribution to modern skincare and provide us with insights about beauty as a phenomenon in the ancient Egyptian world, the myths that surrounded it and the utmost importance that beauty held in the social and religious belief system.