EXCLUSIVE NEW SERIES! "How Did The Ancients Do It ?"™ A Historical Look At Ancient Egyptian Cosmetology & Beauty Techniques

Everything has a beginning, an origin as one might say. As part of our new series "How Did The Ancients Do it?"™ We will be chronicling, searching, investigating and looking back at some of the greatest civilizations that walked the earth. And finding out their beauty secrets! And ultimately asking "How Did The Ancients Do It?"™ And how in return has that inspired our beauty techniques and products of today.

Our first look stems back to one of the first and most significant ancient civilizations that marked our historical stories - Ancient Egypt. They were accustomed by religion and a daily lifestyle that fit amongst the gods. In such a hot and tropical climate, certain beauty methods were most certainly used in their ancient usage of cosmetology. From wigs and ancient cone oils that were used by soaking layers of flowers in fat. And thus a popular form of pomade was 'cone shaped' and worn on top of the head. This would melt down slowly and run down the face and neck of the wearer. These cones were filled as soon as they got empty throughout the evening! This was one of the first uses of fragrances that we know.





Today designers such as Giorgio Armani have brought back some of these Egyptian inspirations within their beauty lines. Privé - is a fragrance collection based on ancient techniques bringing forward three very different and evocative lines.

Bois d’encens - part of the Privé haute couture collection (and personal favorite of Giorgio Armani). Is kept true and original in it's appearance - a stark dark wood container replaces glass, and a gem stone caps off the top. The fragrance itself is dark, warm and woody. With notes of spicy incense and woody vetiver as enchanting as exotic massage oil. Once again we see the modern world enveloping the earthy and natural tones of the ancient world.


Actress Elizabeth Taylor embodied the Egyptian way in her role as Queen Cleopatra. Here we see her donning the classic head piece with crown and of course that infamous eyeliner. Which has become an iconic classic derived from this age.

Egyptians were very particular about their eye make up , and popular shades of eye make up were black and green. The most common being black derived from kohl.
Udju (green) was made from green malachite (green ore of copper) from Sinai. Sinai and its mines were considered under the spiritual dominion of Hathor, ancient goddess of beauty, joy, love and women. She bore the epithet "Lady of Malachite."


Black (kohl) was called galena. Galena was found around Aswan and on the Red Sea Coast. It was also among the materials brought back by Pharaoh Hatshepsut's famed expedition to Punt and was given in tribute by Asiatic nomads.

Even men wore eye make-up. One of the most famous historical figures, King Tututankhamun whose face was recently reconstructed from his original mummy head (above), to show scientifically the true likeness of the ancient boy King.

Both malachite or galena were ground on a palette with gum or water to make a paste. It was applied with sticks which were round ended and were made up of wood, glass or bronze. The packaging and preparation of eye makeup was quite different from what we are used to today.

Cosmetic giant Maybelline are in constant promotion of their eye enhancing products. Such as their Volume Express mascara - a true inspiration of Egyptian divinity, and the eyes in focus being of visual importance. And a trademark towards true beauty.

Today, we have the choice of liquid or powdered eye makeup, and of course we have since advanced from these ancient techniques to today's 'Maybelline' and 'Cover Girl'. Still the premise and inspirations have been layed afoot. Leading cosmetic companies still promote today the importance of the 'eyes'. With enhancing liquid eyeliners to mascaras that will give you that 'extra volume'. Even lash growing products such as Luminess have hit the market strongly, and with increased popularity. Needless to say, the ancient Egyptians gave modernization a step forward from their ancient world transitioning into our world today.

© 2009 Article by Jacqueline Hudson for Jacqueline Luxe "How Did The Ancients Do It?"™ is a trademark

Images from Google, Giorgio Armani, National Geographic, Maybelline