The first use of cosmetics and perfumes can be traced back in Egypt.
Cosmetics and perfumes were discovered in Egypt when archeologists became fascinated about other things that a country that was the birth place of science and technology had that has not been discovered.
So they started searching and excavating because Egypt is a desert country, so over the years many of their historical sites had been covered with sand dunes,places like the valley of kings.
The valley of kings is a place where Egyptian kings called pharaohs were buried.
The Egyptians believing that their kings were gods buried their kings with treasures,yes the best treasures the kingdom could offer.because Egyptians believed that for someone to move to the afterlife that person has to pay his or her way with treasures so the buried the kings with treasures and the best ones to help their kings buy their way to the afterlife.
But the Egyptians didn't just bury their kings with treasures ,they also buried them with makeup kits and canisters and perfumes.
These canisters, kits and perfume jars were discovered by archeologists when they successful escalated their way to the King's tombs and discovered that there were makeup kits and canisters and perfume jars along side with treasures in the tombs.
Many Egyptian tombs contained makeup canisters and kits and perfumes jars.
The Egyptians made their makeup kits with the local things around them.
They grounded them and mixed some of the with animal fat for it to be easily applied. Some of these cosmetics like their lipsticks that got it's hue from ground Carmine Beatles and some women made their lipstick from mixing clay with water.
The Egyptians loved to pain their eyes so they used black and green paints to decorate the area around their eyes.
The black eye paint came from powered galena a type of crystal rock, this galena is what we call kohl.
This kohl was applied all around their eyes,this kohl was made from a mixture of lead,metal,copper, ash and burnt almonds.they believed this kohl was able to Ward off evil eyes and dangerous spirits.
The green eye paint was made from malachite powder it is a type of emerald coloured mineral.they powder it and mix it with ointment from animal fat and then apply it to their eyes using their finger or piece of bone or wood.
The Egyptians believed that one has to look good to be favoured by their gods, so because this men also applied makeup alongside with the women and also Egyptian pharaohs applied makeup.
The Egyptians used kohl as eyeliner and malachite as eye shadow.
PERFUMES
Because there were alot of scented flowers along the river nile the Egyptians also created alot of perfume.
They would distill these flowers with oils and fats to extract the scent by a method called enfleurage.
They would soak the roots,flowers or resins in fats then after sometime they will have lumps of scented creams or pomades.
Another process was by heating these flowers and their roots in a heated oil and then seiving it and shaping it then allowed it to cool.
The Egyptians also applied full body paints, full body paints that were based on chalk and white lead pigment were used by nobles to showcase their pale skin and sign of aristocracy and position.
So you have all seen the birth place of the perfumes and cosmetics we use today. The ancient civilization of Egyptians contributed alot to our modern day civilization and i believe there is more to be discovered .
Thanks for reading my article on how cosmetics and perfumes started please subscribe and give me a thumbs up and some upvotes as encouragement have a blissful day everyone.
