Arab Beauty Naturally: An Exploration of Ancient Egyptian Beauty Practices

posted on: Feb 1, 2017

BY: Christine Shahin/Ambassador Blogger

Beauty care rituals have been common throughout all cultures of the world for thousands of years, including hair, face, and body care, as well as makeup practices. Local herbs, spices, flowers, barks, clays, minerals, air, light, sound and more were used in beauty care rituals of ancient times. While the beauty world looks to the past and thinks of how much it has evolved into better practices, in truth, these traditions produce results that are more reliable and superior to today’s practices.

During ancient times, beauty practices were considered regular care and were not separate from health. It wasn’t until ideologies created a standard that divided spirituality from the body. What was once considered care of the “body temple” turned into “vanity” or “luxury”. As these intertwined parts of the Self became further separated, beauty came to be perceived as a medical treatment that “fixes” the body.

To combat this mentality, people can look to traditional, natural Arab beauty practices from diverse Arab cultures in this new offering called Arab Beauty Naturally.

What was used in Lebanon was perhaps different in Yemen, but by exploring and sharing research together, readers get to rediscover the depth and breadth of Arab beauty and its contributions to the world.

The exploration, of course, begins in ancient Egypt – a highly advanced civilization, undeniably known for its sacred splendor and beauty rituals widely used to this day.

A known ancient Egyptian alchemist, Renuatum, would have his patients eat a certain weed growing along the Nile River, and created a lotion from the same to be applied to an affected area. Clothed in white muslin, they would stroll along the Nile in the afternoon so the Sun God, Ra, would heal the patches of red scales.

Renuatum’s practices can still be found today. In 1974, Massachusetts General Hospital, with Harvard Medical School, created a medicated lotion called methoxysalen, which was derived from this Nile weed and its photoactive elements. When combined correctly with UV light therapy, the lotion inhibits the overactive growth of skin cells of psoriasis.

This weed, Ammi majus, originating along the Nile River banks is in the Apiaceae (carrot) family, and is also present in bergamot oil. After application to skin and exposure to UVA radiation, “the skin may turn brownish due to the phototoxic effects of methoxsalen present in the bergamot oil.” Most bergamot products remove Methoxsalen, though it was used by author John Howard Griffin (1920–1980) to darken his skin when he investigated racial injustice in the American South recounted in his book Black Like Me (1961).

While Renuatum was a prince and alchemist with immense wisdom of plants and chemical and electrical forces of pyramids, as well as an instructor of Cleopatra, his sister, Theosebia the Hermetic, was the primary power advancing cosmetics. At twelve, Theosebia would paint her body a pale yellow that appeared to glow in the sun. Her fingertips were colored with henna stain and her eyes lined top and bottom with green and black khol as she traced her veins with a blue colorant and wore hair extensions. At the time, only queens were allowed such adornment, but because she was also a student of her brother Renuatum, Theosebia had great understanding at a young age.

It is reputed that Theosebia’s cosmetics were not just for adornment, but were considered healing herbal treatments, too. The young alchemist also reportedly taught cosmetics to Cleopatra. Roman physicians sought her out, and Theosebia was the first cosmetic chemist and female alchemist. Because of her work, women became the leading Egyptian alchemists and the cosmetic industry adopted a mysterious front.

Ancient Egyptian cosmetic preparations were very advanced as they used distillation, extraction, fixation, and maceration practices that were basically unknown and not rediscovered until centuries later. To this day, many key ingredients are still unknown.

Seclusion, symbology and obscure parables that contained formulas and theories, are part of this mysticism. Herbal remedies founded in folklore medicine were shared and passed on through generations. Herbal cosmetics held secrets of the ointment alchemists, who often took their secret formulas with them to the afterlife; others kept the mystery by passing on formulas that lacked key ingredients.

All that is known today is that red ochre, sulfites (kohl), and malachite minerals were used as eye enhancements and liners, while lip color was made with purple and red dyes from seaweed, iodine and carmine beetles. Other substances for bath rituals and body care included almond oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, honey and milk, and of course henna and indigo for coloring hair.

Moisturizing emollients were being used in Egypt to protect skin from the climate as early as 10,000 BCE. Author Judith Illes, having researched ancient Egypt extensively, writes that Egyptians had access to, and used, around 21 different vegetable oils for a range of beauty purposes. Men and women regularly applied oil to their bodies.

Also valued in ancient Egypt was perfumes, which were respected for their uplifting health and wellness properties. Resins of Frankincense and myrrh were essential ingredients in perfumes, skin care treatments, dental hygiene, insect repellent, and a sacred component of the embalming process.

Uncovered burials revealed artifacts indicating that beautification rituals were revered in Egypt more than in any other culture. Even remnants of cosmetics were found inside ancient Egyptian tombs.

Of all the ancient Egyptian beauty practices, one that remains highly relevant in the Arab world today is body hair removal. Many Arabs have memories of their mothers and aunties sugaring, a natural method of hair removal made with sugar, lemon and water to various thicknesses, depending on what worked for the individual. I was truly a fascinated watching my mother and aunt make and use it – they actually would set aside a small portion for us little girls to nibble – yum!

Undoubtedly, Arab Beauty Naturally will be revisiting Egypt on its  journey. There is much more to learn from ancient Egypt, the birthplace of extraordinary beauty ritual pioneers of not only physical beauty and wellness, but also of the cosmos and how they included the mystical in everyday affairs. Join me on the journey through ancient beauty practices from the Arab world by sharing your family’s beauty practices and stories. Feel free to comment below or email me directly at christine@christineshahin.com with the subject line Arab Beauty Naturally. Thank you!

Christine Shahin, author of Natural Hair Coloring, is a licensed cosmetologist and holistic beauty practitioner who owns and operates a popular natural beauty-salon/spa that attracts clients from across the United States. She has a conventional cosmetology license, though her interest and focus have always been on using natural, safe, ecologically responsible approaches to self care.