Ancient Body Rituals - What women would do in the quest for beauty back in the day

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Women were made vain from the beginning of time and not having proper tubes and jars for them buy them from didn’t stop anyone from looking pretty. From applying curdled milk to treat acne to using crocodile fat as a wrinkle remover, find out some of the crazy rituals that was practiced in the past.

1. The term for a makeup artist in Egyptian hieroglyphic is derived from the root ‘sesh,’ which means, ‘to write, to engrave.’ Makeup application was taken pretty seriously back then, the same accuracy was needed to paint lips as to write out a text and by ‘text’ we mean etching symbols into a rock, not typing out a message on your iPhone.

2. In Renaissance Italy women created the ultimate red lip and cheek stain by mixing cochineal, sandalwood or cinnabar with wax or grease. The application process was complex, but the red colour lasted for over a week, even if she washed her face every day.

3. In ancient Greece, the most sought-after hair colour was blond. Not many Greeks were naturally blond, so light hair was probably perceived as beautiful because it was so exotic. Women would lighten their hair using plant extracts or arsenic. They also washed their locks with a mixture of ashes, olive oil, and water.

4. It's a shame that extensions weren't available during the Heian Period when a Japanese woman's beauty was judged by the length of her hair because it was considered almost two feet longer than her waist.

5. Lipstick was considered an essential item for female nurses in the armed forces during the Second World War, both to remind women that they were ladies first and military second, and because it might have a calming effect on the male soldiers.

6. Perfume was central to Egyptian civilization and was used for both cosmetic and medical purposes. For example, Kyphi, one of the most famous Egyptian perfumes, made from flowers, honey, wine and berries was also prepared as a drink to cure lung, intestinal and liver problems.

7. Despite being called the ‘Golden Age of Spain,’ having a tan was a serious beauty faux pas back then. In an effort to maintain a porcelain complexion, young women would eat clay, even though it often caused anaemia or chlorosis. In the late 18th century, members of The French Court such as Marie Antoinette also obsessed over having flawless alabaster skin. They faked it with thick layers of white powder made out of everything from white lead and talc to pulverized bone, combined with wax, whale blubber, or vegetable oil to give the face makeup a greasy consistency that adhered to the skin.

8. 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.

9. Before the first mass market hairspray was launched in 1960, women had to choose between slicking their hair down with a greasy brilliantine or using a mechanical sprayer to coat it with shellac dissolved in a solution of water and alcohol.

10. People have been playing, ‘kitchen beautician’ since the Middle Ages, when various foods were used as beauty aids. Curdled milk was applied to acne, cucumber juice removed freckles, while boiled nettles produced a smooth, even complexion. Women even attempted to remove wrinkles with the help of ointments made of wax and almond oil or crocodile fat.

Courtesy of MSN Life & Style http://lifestyle.malaysia.msn.com/Beauty/News/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4072084