Walk Like An Egyptian: Cosmetics in the Shadows of the Pyramids

Just for my own entertainment, I like to read about the history of makeup and its roles in different eras. I thought I'd share a few of the sexy, fun facts I learned with you. Before there was Sephora, there were all kinds of homemade recipes that societies had for making themselves beautiful. From the simple crushed berry to the complex process of mining ore and extensively treating it, the people of yesteryear knew how to "rock" their own looks with what they had.
Ancient Egypt was one of the first civilizations from which we have recorded proof of the use of cosmetics. From as early as 4000BC both men and women, rich or poor were applying different concoctions to their skin to protect it and to decorate it.

 Find out more after the jump!

Red Ochre

• Naturally tinted clay was mined from the ground, washed to seperate it from sand, dried in the sun, and burned to enhance its color. The result was a pigment called red ochre which was reconstituted with water to create a paste used as lip and cheek color.

•  Eye makeup was very common and used as both protection (from the sun, insects, and eye disease) and as an elaborate form of self expression. The two most popular colors were black and green (good, solid choices!), the latter believed to envoke the eye of Horus, the god of sky. For this reason green makeup was thought to increase the protection of those who wore it.

                  Black eye makeup was made by mixing galena (blue-grey mineral form of lead sulfide) and soot with animal fat to make eye kohl.

Galena

                  Green eye makeup was made by crushing malachite stones (copper ore) with animal fat.

Malachite

• Henna, a natural dye derived from drying and crushing the leaves of the Lawsonia Inermis shrub was used to paint nails and dye hair (still done by crunchy granola eaters today!) a deep shade of red.
• Perfume was extremely popular and made with ingredients which included myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, chamomile, lavender, peppermint, lily, cedar, aloe, rosemary, CKOne (just making sure you're paying attention), and roses blended with animal fats and oils. A common method was enfleurage: flowers, roots or resins were soaked in layers of fat to create creams and pomades. These were worn in the shape of a cone on top of their heads and would melt throughout the day, running down their faces and necks, scenting them.

Egyptians wearing perfume cones on their heads.

• While everyone in ancient Egypt wore makeup, a signifying difference in social status was how it was kept. The wealthy kept their cosmetics in ornately jeweled boxes and applied them with ivory tools. They were usually buried with these fancy items so that they could look hot in the afterlife. The poor used clay pots for storing their makeup and wooden sticks for applicators. I guess it was like using Wet n' Wild compared to MAC?

Ornate Cosmetics Case