Ancient Egypt has not only given us the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The beauty treatments and procedures that many of us are enjoying nowadays are in fact inspired or derived from the practices of the old Egyptian civilization.
It is not really surprising that Julius Caesar and Marc ...Ancient Egypt has not only given us the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The beauty treatments and procedures that many of us are enjoying nowadays are in fact inspired or derived from the practices of the old Egyptian civilization.
It is not really surprising that Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony found Egypt as an interesting and intoxicating place. Although much of the perceptions of beauty that these two men had were influenced by their desire for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, it is safe to say that both Marc Anthony and Julius Caesar also found all Egyptians amazing because of their penchant for proper hygiene and beauty. Furthermore, women in Egypt were not the only ones who were concerned about the way they look and smell. Egyptian guys also fuss as much when it comes to their appearance.
In fact, scientists found that bath oils and other beauty implements were used as payment or wages, even to the lowliest of laborers. Moreover, cosmetics and other beauty-related products or ingredients, and not food, were the primary reason why ancient Egypt engaged in foreign trade. Here are some the beauty secrets from Ancient Egypt that can still be practiced even today.
Milk Bath
You must have heard of how AHA, or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, is important in exfoliating your skin. In fact, if you look at the ingredients of many skin products sold in the market today, you will realize that majority of them contain AHA. Queen Cleopatra, the epitome of beauty even up to the present, used AHA through milk baths to keep her skin soft and smooth as ever. It is a common misconception that AHA is a synthetic ingredient. In reality, however, this substance is naturally found in milk and other citrus fruits.
Since it would be quite wasteful (and expensive) to put gallons of full cream milk on your tub everyday, you can reap benefits of AHA in different ways. Surely there are bath soaps, bubble baths and lotions that contain milk to help you achieve the same effect as the milk bath enjoyed by Queen Cleopatra during the old days.
Honey Mask
Did you know that when mummies where excavated and examined, experts found that one food substance used on the bodies to keep them unspoiled was honey? In fact, many scientists believe that honey is one of the reasons why mummies of Egypt were preserved well.
Honey is not only beneficial in the embalming process. In fact, people who are alive and healthy can also make use of it to keep a clear and smooth skin. Since honey is a humectant, it can attract and maintain water, keeping your skin well-hydrated. You can use honey for your face, skin and hair. Just make sure that you rinse your face and body a few minutes after you put honey because you don't want to stain your sheets. Moreover, always go for pure natural honey, otherwise ants and other insects will feast on you because of the sugar content found in low-quality honey.
Myrrh
If there is one substance that kept Egyptians, particularly those in the highest social strata, smelling fresh and clean, it is myrrh. This fragrant oil was prized because it has to be imported from other places. Egyptians used myrrh as an incense and oil to disinfect their bodies or clothing and to make their breaths smell good.
Botanical Oils
Researches have discovered that people during this time used over 21 aromatic oils to protect their skin from the scorching sun, keep them from smelling bad, and treat skin problems like stretch marks, wrinkles and probably even cellulite. But since it would be hard to secure the same recipes for lotions and creams at present, it would be better for us to just stick to the lotions and creams that are available now.
What you can copy from the Egyptians is their diligence and regular application of these lotions and creams. Incidentally, if you have problems with cellulite, you may want to regularly apply an anti-cellulite cream, such as Celrase, to help minimize the appearance of dimples on your skin. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/8jkw6ma.
Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine www.thearticleinsiders.com.