Ancient beauty

Beauty rituals have long been an essential part of a woman’s lifestyle. We take a trip back in time and unearth some of the most praised and peculiar beauty rituals of the ancient world.

Despite the obvious differences between ancient times and our modern day, at least one thing still remains the same: a fascination with improving our appearance. Vitamins, botanicals, aromatherapy, lipsticks and an array of beauty products – all tried and tested in the quest for beauty – are nothing new.

An Egyptian ritual, which can still be found in spas around the world, is wrapping the body in oils and linen to encourage skin

rejuvenation. The Egyptians spent many hours pampering their bodies with oils and creams. Both men and women prized the sweetly perfumed oils as a way of restoring vitality and good health.

To the Greeks and Romans, beauty has always played a large role. Beauty goddesses had a strong presence, the most well known being Venus and Aphrodite. Like many other cultures of that time, the Romans used oil-based perfumes in their baths to moisturize and perfume the skin.

The ancient Greeks were among the first to paint their faces. Forget the luxury of hypoallergenic and dermatological-tested cosmetics we have today – many ingredients these beauties used were toxic. Carbonate, hydroxide and lead oxide, (which ultimately caused lead poisoning) were used to whiten their faces, and mercuric sulphide was used to redden lips. It was also said belladonna, or ‘deadly nightshade’, made the eyes sparkles. A high price to pay for beauty!

The Japanese have always been a race well known and envied for their flawless skin. The ancient Japanese sourced natural botanicals and minerals from the earth for their skincare. Traditionally, Japanese women would gently exfoliate their skin using adzuki beans, rice bran, mineral-rich clays, nutrient-rich powdered sea vegetables and powdered herbs. They would then moisturize using botanical oils, such as native tsubaki or rose hip and jojoba oil. To nourish their skin they used herbal teas, and nutritive intensive oils were used to enhance their complexion. To this day, Japanese beauty rituals are very popular amongst spas throughout the world.

For centuries Thai women have been using the butterfly-pea flower juices to promote dark, lustrous and thick hair. It has long been believed that the flowers’ juices are powerful in hair restoration, benefiting both growth and colour. This ancient beauty secret has been rediscovered and can now be found in many shampoos and conditioners.

Today in the ‘noughties’ the best of ancient ideas, nature and science are being combined to create new and innovative beauty products and treatments. So as you apply another layer of vibrant-shine lip-gloss with built-in moisturizers and sun protection, spare a thought for those hapless Greek beauties. Beauty has never been this easy.

Beauty rituals from around the world

Madagascar

Katrafay extract is sourced from trees and found in the western part of the country. It is used to remove impurities from the skin. The shamans of the area used Katrafay for herbal baths and it was also part of a common ritual performed after a woman gave birth to aid in recovery.

Turkey

To reduce ingrown hairs and exfoliate the skin the Turkish used a kees. A kees is a rough cloth mitt made from horsehair or plant fibers. This was a common part of the Turks’ bathing ritual.

South America

To boost the immune system, fight free radicals and deliver antioxidants to the body, South Americans used a native ‘miracle’ herb known as Una de Gato. This unique herb takes more than two decades to fully mature. To extract the goodness into a liquid form the root is boiled in water.

Bali

Long days in the rice fields resulted in painful and aching legs for the Balinese. The villagers used Boreh, an old-age spice, to alleviate muscle aches. Boreh was historically crushed by hand and combined with rice to form a paste. It was applied to the skin, which warmed up and revived tired legs.