The history of makeup in Egypt demonstrates just how long cosmetics have been around. If you've ever seen Egyptian art, you've no doubt noticed the dramatic eye makeup present on men and women. Ancient Egyptians of both genders routinely wore makeup and other cosmetic aids, such as perfume.
They took great pride in their appearance and sought to enhance their looks with makeup. Ancient people had to work with what was available in their environment. Egyptians turned to the natural resources surrounding them to create cosmetics. As early as B. Some of the common cosmetics in Ancient Egypt included:. Once ingredients were gathered, time-consuming preparation was needed to make them ready to apply. Minerals were ground into powder and then mixed with a carrier agent often animal fat in order to make it easy to apply and stay on the skin.
Egyptians mostly used galena more commonly known as kohl and malachite powder a green mineral for eye makeup. Galena was a black paint that shielded eyes from the sun, while malachite powder made the eyes appear larger and protected those who wore it.
Both were applied using ivory, wood, or sticks made of metal. Black was mostly used around the eyes and an almond or feline-inspired shape was the norm. However, the galena could also be applied to the eyebrows and eyelashes for added definition. Green pigment was placed all over the eyelid and underneath the brow bone. Though styles varied as time went on, black and green were staples of beauty in ancient Egypt. Cosmetic reasons played a large role in the daily application of eye makeup, but it was also used for health and protection.
Both men and women participated in this elaborate ritual for a variety of reasons , such as a way to imitate the gods, to protect the skin from the sun kohl was believed to repel flies and ward off infections, among other things , and offer protection against evil eyes without makeup were thought to be vulnerable to the Evil Eye.
As a result, makeup became a source of personal power. The most obvious way to differentiate the upper class from the poor was to look at their applicators and storage. While everyone had access to the products used to decorate the skin, poorer people relied on clay pots and sticks.
Those with money had ivory containers and applicators that were beautifully carved and bejeweled. Though the eyes had the highest importance, men and women drew attention to the lips as well. This was typically done with the use of red ocher. It was often applied alone but in many cases was mixed with resin or gum for a longer lasting appearance. According to a Harvard paper on the history of lipstick , popular color choices included red, orange, magenta, and blue-black.
Cleopatra wore a unique red lipstick created from flowers, red ochre, fish scales, crushed ants, carmine, and beeswax. Her signature shade made red a popular choice, and as a result, the use of carmine became more widespread.
Ingredients were mixed in either brass or wooden bowls depending on class levels and once the color had been created it could be applied directly onto the lips. This was done using wet wooden sticks that acted as an applicator brush. There were many cosmetic reasons the Egyptians chose to accentuate the mouth.
Other cosmetics like face powder give glow to the skin after applying the base cream. The Eye of Horus , also known as wadjet, wedjat or udjat, is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power, and good health. The symbol "was intended to protect the pharaoh [here] in the afterlife" and to ward off evil. So the Egyptians created the first cosmetics no word on whether they received makeovers at malls along the Nile.
Makeup is meant to enhance outer beauty without harming the skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is a protective shell that needs to breathe and be nourished and nurtured. As part of a daily routine, most women use makeup to enhance their appearance. The art of wearing makeup was invented approximately 12, years ago by the ancient Egyptians.
Makeup and Cosmetics History. Take the ancient Egyptians for example who wore makeup made of lead ore and copper. Women of the ancient world were often innovative when it came to their cosmetic needs. Berries were used to darken lips, the ashes of burnt matches were used to darken eyes, and much more. Everyone wore jewellery in ancient Egypt, from poor farmers to wealthy royals. For the wealthy, pieces were made from semi-precious stones, precious metals and glass beads.
The poor substituted these with painted clay, stones, shells, animal teeth and bones. Why Did Egyptians Worship Cats? Because cats could protect against the tiny monsters that made Egyptian homes unsafe, Mafdet was regarded as the protector of the home— and of the kingdom itself! Most years saw a magnificent harvest of cereal barley and emmer wheat, which could be used to make bread, cakes and beer ; vegetables beans, lentils, onions, garlic, leeks, lettuces and cucumbers , and fruits including grapes, figs and dates.
The key ingredients present in most cosmetics include water, emulsifiers, preservatives, thickeners, moisturisers, colours and fragrances. Ingredients can be naturally occurring or artificial, but any potential impact on our health depends mainly on the chemical compounds they are made of. The first use of prototype cosmetics is usually traced back to the ancient Egyptians; many Egyptian tombs contained makeup canisters and kits.
Cleopatra used lipstick that got its hue from ground carmine beetles, while other women used clay mixed with water to color their lips. What was Egyptian makeup made of? Category: style and fashion makeup and accessories. Egypt Perspectives of Research.
Warsaw May Ancient Egyptian Eye Makeup. London: Penguin Books. I am a food lover interested in gender studies and environmental issues. My degree has sparked my interest in writing and my previous love of makeup inspired my blog on the significance of khol in ancient Egypt.
I hope you enjoy reading my findings. Well done! I reckon you could get a magazine like Grazia to give you an article there for its readers on this! And be paid for it! Dear Hypotheses blogger, We found your article particularly interesting. To increase its visibility so the community can more easily appreciate it, we made it a headline article on the en. Best regards, The Hypotheses team. I knew that the ancient Egyptians wore kohl, and that they believed it would protect their eyes from harm.
Given the rich history of dangerous cosmetic ingredients over the years, I just assumed that the lead harmed their eyes in spite of their belief that it helped! Did you know that some modern lipsticks contain lead? Although this is obviously concerning, some scientists have assured us that a person would need to eat thousands of lipsticks to develop lead poisoning.
Good article. Kohl has an interesting history for sure! No matter what eye shape you have — kohl always adds a wow factor and sultry element to the look. If you ask me, I love wearing different colored kohls especially black and dark green. Thanks, Cleopatra! Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Skip to content By Hazel Lunn Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in production of Cleopatra, portraying malachite and galena kohls used in Egyptian makeup.
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