Ancient Egyptian Makeup
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Fashion and personal appearance was high priority among ancient Egyptians.
Applying makeup was a part of everyday culture and lifestyle for Egyptians.
Makeup was worn by both male and female, young and old, rich and poor. The
royalty of the time and the wealthy hired face painters to apply their makeup
for them. Those who could not afford a face painter applied their own. It was
customary to shave the facial hair from their faces for what they believed to be
hygienic reasons. Egyptians of the time believed facial hair was a sign of bad
hygiene. A common ingredient in Egyptian makeup was oil called balanos. Oils were considered a necessity in the hot dry climate of Egypt. They did not have soap to wash with but instead bathed in fragrant oils and citrus fruits. The oils, containing perfumes from various flowers and herbs, both moisturized their skin and provided a pleasant smell. |
Eye makeup is certainly the trademark of the ancient Egyptian makeup style. Eyes and eyebrows heavily lined with dark eyeliner can be seen depicted throughout Egyptian hieroglyphic murals. Black and green were the most popular color for Egyptian eyes. The eye color was made from Kohl, galena, green malachite, and soot. Many of the ingredients used contained harmful substances such as mercury and lead.
The components of the eye color were made from ground up powder of the dark substances and mixed with water or oil so it could be applied easily. Once the paste was made the color was applied to the eyes and eyebrows with the rounded tip of a stick or other long thin utensil. The dark shades of Egyptian eye color helped shield their eyes from the sun.
Ancient Egyptians colored their fingernails as well. They did not have fingernail polish as we do but used the orange or yellow colors of Henna to dye their fingernails. Henna is derived from a plant and can be seen today used in temporary tattoos called Mendhi.