Reliving Ancient Egyptian Makeup
The contribution of ancient Egypt makeup to the world’s sense of beauty can never be denied. They were the first to discover the wonders of beautification and makeup.
Ancient Egypt’s Concept of Beauty
It is interesting to note that for the ancient Egyptians, the concept of beauty was an integral part of their society. Beauty was always side by side with their mortal existence and even in their afterlife. They believed that the more beautiful you are, the more closer you will be to the gods. They valued makeup and ritualized them, and all the very first cosmetics were kept special in jars and packed in makeup boxes.
Egyptian Fashion
Of course, ancient Egyptian make up was well complemented by simple but elegant fashion. Men wore knee-length kilts tied at the waist, while women put on close-fitting linen kalisaris flowing from their breasts down towards their feet. Costumes also evolved in the later era, adding adornments, pleats and fringes.
Egyptian Eye Makeup
The ancient Egyptians primarily used different types of eye makeup:
l The Udju. The udju was made out of green malachite (copper ore) which they got from the mines in Sinai.
l Kohl. Their kohl was made out of galena or lead sulfide that were taken either from the coasts of the Red Sea or around the upper areas of Egypt. They used these (along with soot) as black eyeliners.
l Saffron. This was an expensive yellow-coloured spice that they used as eyeshadow.
l Jasper. A mineral that they ground finely to serve as medicinal eye treatments.
l Burnt Almonds. They used these along with minerals to create eye and brow colour.
They used goose fat to create cosmetic pastes. Egyptian eye make ups were packed carefully in jars, pouches or shells.
Egyptian Makeup for Lips and Face
For beautifying their faces, ancient Egyptians used the following:
l Ceruse. This was a white lead pigment they used to lighten their faces.
l Fat. They used goose or bear fat as wax base in adding pigments.
l Red ochre. They used this type of red clay for adding colour to their lips and cheeks.
l Wine. The dregs from wine were used as their form of ancient lipstick.
l Chalk. Chalk was also used to whiten the face.
Egyptian make up was all about a white face, dark brows and lashes, and nice, red lips.
How to Apply Egyptian Makeup
Allow yourself to transcend the barriers of time by putting on great Egyptian makeup designs. Of course, it is best not to use the kinds of cosmetics that they had far back. The key to applying Egyptian makeup is the use of the traditional kohl. They are still widely available today and usually come as stick applicators. Here is a step-by-step guide for applying kohl makeup:
1. Dampen the kohl stick.
2. Gently twist in until the makeup adheres.
3. Apply the kohl in the inner corner of your eye.
4. After application, close your eyes lightly.
5. Finally, draw the stick outward right between your close eyelids. This creates a smudge line on your upper and lower eyelids.
Egyptian eye makeup is quite central to achieving the trademark extended-eyeliner Egyptian look. In terms of face, lips and cheek colour, make sure that you use natural tones that are relatively close enough to your shade.
