Cosmetics In Ancient Egypt

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10,000 BCE: Men and women in Egypt used scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odor. Cosmetics were an integral part of Egyptian hygiene and health. Oils and creams were used for protection against the hot Egyptian sun and dry winds. Myrrh, thyme, marjoram, chamomile, lavender, lily, peppermint, rosemary, cedar, rose, aloe, olive oil, sesame oil, and almond oil provided the basic ingredients of most perfumes that Egyptians used in Religious rituals.

4000 BCE: Egyptian women applied galena mesdemet (made of copper and lead ore) and malachite (bright green paste of copper minerals) to their faces for color and definition. They employed a combination of burnt almonds, oxidized copper, different-colored coppers ores, lead, ash, and ochre — …show more content…

Eyebrows were shaved off, teeth painted gold or black and henna dyes applied to stain hair and faces.
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1000 BCE: Grecians whitened their complexion with chalk or lead face powder and fashion crude lipstick out of ochre clays laced with red iron.

EARLY COSMETICS

100 AD: In Rome, people put barley flour and butter on their pimples and sheep fat and blood on their fingernails for polish. In addition, mud baths came into vogue, and some Roman men dyed their hair blond.

300-400 AD: Henna was used in India as a hair dye and in mehndi, an art form in which complex designs were painted on to the hands and feet, especially before a Hindu wedding. Henna was also used in some North African cultures.

COSMETICS IN THE MIDDLE AGES

1200 AD: As a result of the Crusades, perfumes were first imported to Europe from the Middle East.

1300 AD: In Elizabethan England, dyed red hair came into fashion. Society women wore egg whites over their faces to create the appearance of a paler complexion. Yet, some thought cosmetics blocked proper circulation and therefore posed a health

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