The court ladies were said to be so impressed, that they started decorating their own foreheads with a small delicate plum blossom design. Legend has it that once on the 7th day of the 1st lunar month, while Princess Shouyang, daughter of Emperor Wu of Liu Song, was resting under the eaves of Hanzhang Palace near the plum trees after wandering in the gardens, a plum blossom drifted down onto her fair face, leaving a floral imprint on her forehead that enhanced her beauty further. Cosmetics are also mentioned in the book of Esther, where beauty treatments are described.Ī Beijing opera performer with traditional stage make upįlowers play an important decorative role in China. They also used these products on their mummies, because they believed that it would make them irresistible in the after life.Ĭosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament, such as in 2 Kings 9:30, where the biblical figure Jezebel painted her eyelids (approximately 840 BC). These doubled as remedies for problems such as baldness and greying hair.

Jars of what could be compared with setting lotion have been found to contain a mixture of beeswax and resin. To improve breath the ancient Africans chewed herbs or frankincense which is still in use today. An alternative treatment was a poultice of carob grounds and honey, or an ointment made of knotgrass and powdered root of wormwood. For scars and burns, a special ointment was made of red ochre, kohl, and sycamore juice. Remedies to treat wrinkles contained ingredients such as gum of frankincense and fresh moringa. Despite the hazardous nature of some Egyptian cosmetics, ancient Egyptian makeup was also thought to have antibacterial properties that helped prevent infections. Lipsticks with shimmering effects were initially made using a pearlescent substance found in fish scales, which are still used extensively today. Ancient Egyptians also extracted red dye from fucus-algin, 0.01% iodine, and some bromine mannite, but this dye resulted in serious illness.

The use of black kohl eyeliner and eyeshadows in dark colours such as blue, red, and black was common, and was commonly recorded and represented in Egyptian art, as well as being seen in Egyptian hieroglyphs. The use of cosmetics in Ancient Egypt is well documented. One of the earliest cultures to use cosmetics was ancient Egypt, where both Egyptian men and women used makeup to enhance their appearance.

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