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| Cosmetic tools used by ancient Egyptians (Image Source: The Met Museum) |
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but being and remaining beautiful is a cultural value that spans centuries. This is why it should come to no surprise that some of the great civilization of the world created and used various types of cosmetics, but in this blog post the topic of ancient Egyptian makeup will be the focus.
Ancient Egyptians employed various types of makeup and cosmetic techniques throughout its existence (6000 B.C.-A.D. 646). Much of what is known about their cosmetics comes from the burial goods discovered in various ancient Egyptian tombs. Since Egyptians believed daily life continued in the afterlife it was important that the dead had with them all the materials they would require to continue their day-to-day activities, and cosmetic tools (such as those shown in Figure 1) were commonplace. Egyptians were diligent in recording their cultural practices, and the Ebers papyrus documents the hundreds of plants used in their various makeup products (along with the other ingredients and the methods of manufacture).
Men and women of all social classes employed makeup techniques and wore cosmetics. This was not only for beautification but also for ritual, health, and therapeutic purposes. Dark kohl eyeliners reportedly shielded the eye from the harmful sun’s rays, while also brining attention to one’s eyes. Facial exfoliants kept skin soft, and facial powders acted as sunscreens. There were various colors of eyeshadows, lipsticks, and rouge (commonly referred to as blush today) also available. Each product was applied with a specific purpose in mind, be it for beauty or to imbue the wearer with specific powers brought upon them by specific ingredients.
Egyptian cosmetics were created with hundreds of different ingredients. Natural elements such as quartz, gypsum, galena, manganese, lead, and various other minerals, plant oils, as well as beeswax and animal fats were common ingredients, which were mixed by highly specialized makeup artisans. They took great pride in their craft and sold only the best products. Failure to do so not only resulted in a loss of business but a loss in station in the afterlife. Those who could not afford to purchase makeup would often make it at home. This contributed, in part, to the diversity of Egyptian cosmetics that are studied by scholars today. Other factors that affect this diversity include the availability of raw materials. In areas where trade networks were plentiful the cosmetic products tended to have more exotic ingredients. Additionally, time and space also affects the composition of Egyptian makeups.
Ultimately, the study of ancient Egyptian cosmetics demonstrate how cultural values pass on through the generations and permeate through various cultural groups over time. This is due in large part to the cultural supremacy ancient Egypt held during its fluorescence, but also the influence it had even after it was conquered and controlled by various foreign groups. Even today ancient Egyptian practices hold sway over modern cultural norms as some of the words and practices used by ancient Egyptians continue to influence modern cosmetic procedures.
Bibliography
Black, R. (2021, June 30). Makeup in Ancient Egypt. Retrieved from Natural History Museum of Utah: https://nhmu.utah.edu/blog/2021/06/30/makeup-ancient-egypt
Cohen, M. (1999). Cosmetics and Perfumes, Egypt, 10,000 BCE . Retrieved from Smith College: https://www.smith.edu/hsc/museum/ancient_inventions/hsc01b.htm
Deeb, C., Walter, P., Castaing, J., Penhoud, P., & Veyssi`ere, P. (2004). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations of ancient Egyptian Cosmetic Powders. Applied Physics A, 393–396.
Elansary, H. O., Mahmoud, E. A., Shokralla, S., & Yessoufou, K. (2015). Diversity of Plants, Traditional Knowledge, and Practices in Local Cosmetics: A Case Study from Alexandria, Egypt. Economic Botany, 1-13.
Mark, J. (2017, May 4). Cosmetics, Perfume, & Hygiene in Ancient Egypt. Retrieved from World History Encyclopedia: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1061/cosmetics-perfume--hygiene-in-ancient-egypt/
Riesmeier, M., Keute, J., Veall, M.-A., Borschneck, D., Stevenson, A., Garnett, A., . . . Devièse, T. (2022). Recipes of Ancient Egyptian kohls more diverse than previously thought. Scientific Reports, 1-11.
16 comments:
Cosmetics and or make-up is a billion-dollar industry today. Not only has it been used in ritualistic ceremonies but has been used to cover up imperfections. The use of cosmetics to enhance facial features is pleasing to the on-looker. Cosmetics today are used in every culture for different reasons. Thanks to the Egyptian culture for starting this beauty trend.
Mary Franklin
I’ve always known that cosmetics has always been apart of different cultures and has been along for a very long time. It was very interesting to read this blog and learn that what is known about Egyptian cosmetics came from the burials of Egyptian tombs. To know that men and women wore this make up and it was not only for beauty but also got rituals, health, and therapeutic purposes was also very interesting. After reading this blog I have learned that Egyptians were very resourceful when finding the goods to make these different cosmetics. It’s very interesting to read how far things like this have came in this world because of make up being such a big part in my culture.
Christa White
its crazy how Egyptians cosmetics was used for rituals and for other purposes and it is still used today it is influential in today's society
From your blog post, Ive learned about the use of cosmetics in ancient Egyptian culture, and how it was used for both beautification and practical purposes. I found it interesting that men and women of all social classes employed makeup techniques and wore cosmetics, and that the cosmetics were not only used for beautification but also for ritual, health, and therapeutic purposes. I also learned that the Egyptians believed that daily life continued in the afterlife, and that the dead had with them all the materials they would require to continue their day-to-day activities, including cosmetic tools.
-Mauriah Taylor
The evolution of makeup is the something I find very interesting. Cosmetics have been a part of different cultures for a long time. This blog explains that Egyptian cosmetics came from the burials of Egyptian tombs, and were used for beauty, rituals, health, and therapeutic purposes. Egyptians were resourceful when finding the goods to make these cosmetics. The way make up has changed over the years is impressive and the fact that we still use it today is amazing to me.
-Jada Johnson ANT 310
There are several surprising facts in this post. I was unaware that Egyptians believed that daily activities continue during the afterlife. I have not come across any other groups of people or religions with similar beliefs. In today's American society, gender does greatly determine the use of makeup and beauty products, but the post points out that men and women both used them in Egyptian culture. Social class in American culture also determines the quality of makeup, whereas the blog post informs the reader that makeup ingredients demanded high standards for all wearers. The fact that people who could not afford makeup made theirs at home emphasizes how crucial wearing makeup was in the culture. -Tala Caples
This was a post I enjoyed reading very much as I learned quite a lot. I have always been fascinated by ancient Egyptian history and culture. I was aware that Egyptians took pride in beauty, but I was unaware that the surviving examples are as extensive as this. The fact that an ancient record documenting these practices is extremely valuable in understanding the ancient culture. I was also unaware that many of the beauty products served a practical purpose such as protection from the sun, as well as the extensive variety of materials used. The fact that males commonly used these cosmetics as well is new information to me as this is not something I had considered before. This was a very informative post that taught me a side about ancient Egyptian culture I was not very familiar with.
Given how popular the time of the ancient Egyptians has been in modern times, it is loosely known that the ancient Egyptians regularly used various cosmetics. For just about every depiction of ancient Egyptians I have seen in media, be it movie or documentary, depicts the common use of cosmetics. I figured that a variety of ingredients were used in the manufacture, but I never knew the specifics. But, after reading the blog post and learning of some of those ingredients there was one that caught my eye. Lead is considered toxic in large amounts and now I am wondering that if lead was used in heavy amounts as ingredients for makeup, how would that have affected the people exposing themselves to it and is there any archeological evidence of side effects?
Trey, I know that there have been studies on lead exposure among other populations, although I am not sure to what extent that has occurred among Egyptians and if those studies focused on make up. That is something I encourage you to look into further as you are interested.
This was a great read as a Cosmetologist I found it very informative to learn about the history of Egyptian cosmetics. What stood out to me the most is the fact that they buried their dead with essentials that they felt were going to be needed in the afterlife. Great blog I look forward to reading the others.
To be very honest i was shocked to know that makeup was around for so long and would never had thought that makeup was made from natural elements such as minerals, plant oils, beeswax, and animal fats. We can even see that today, some of the words and practices used by ancient Egyptians continue to influence modern cosmetic procedures.
It's amazing how much we can learn about ancient cultures from their beauty practices. It's fascinating to see how the ingredients used in their cosmetics varied based on the availability of raw materials and trade networks. It's also nice to learn about how ancient Egyptians used makeup for purposes other than just beautification. I had no idea that some of their makeup also had therapeutic purposes.
-Alondia Gray
It is so interesting to me how the ancient Egyptians were buried with so many items, with the Book of the Dead and everything to help them in the afterlife. Though it is interesting that makeup was considered so essential to everyday life that they need to take it with them to the afterlife. I would be interested to see the class differences with makeup since everything was recorded. Like it would be cool to see what the stuff that was made homemade was composed of and how that was different from the cheaper ones or the more expensive ones.
It's interesting to learn that some of the values that people have now are deeply rooted in history. I am interested to learn the whole process that they had with creating make up, and curious to know how safe it was for their skin. The only difference between then and now is really just that it isn't necessarily normalized that men also wear make up.
Wow, ancient Egyptian makeup sounds fascinating! It's incredible how they used cosmetics for beauty, rituals, and even health purposes. From kohl eyeliners to facial powders, they had a variety of products with specific purposes. Plus, their diligent documentation of cultural practices helps us understand their methods. It's amazing how beauty and cultural values have transcended centuries
I was surprised to learn that makeup was used in Egypt not only for beauty, but also for ritual, health, and therapeutic purposes. I was also struck by the fact that both men and women wore makeup regardless of their status. I also felt that the fact that cosmetics were not just for beauty, but were believed to bring magical powers through certain ingredients, reflected ancient beliefs and cultural values.
Furthermore, the fact that Egyptian cosmetics were made from hundreds of different materials and that highly specialized artisans were responsible for their manufacture indicates that cosmetics were not just commodities, but were the product of technology and culture. I also agree that the study of these cosmetics is very important in understanding their cultural transmission and influence.
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