Skincare Rituals of the Ancient Egyptians
My Journey to Ancient Egypt
I have been fascinated by Ancient Egypt since I was a child, and in December 2022 I fulfilled my dream of visiting Egypt, which definitely lived up to all expectations. Apart from experiencing the pyramids, tombs, hieroglyphics and the River Nile, I enjoyed learning about beauty and skincare practices that the Ancient Egyptians used.
There are still traces of this in modern-day Egypt. At Edfu Temple, there is a perfume room where recipes for ointments, perfumes and inhalations are detailed in hieroglyphics on the wall, and at Philae Temple there is a large castor-oil presser. Castor oil was used for medicinal purposes.
Rituals
The ancient Egyptians, known for their timeless beauty, embraced skincare rituals that were deeply rooted in holistic and natural principles. These ancient beauty secrets offer valuable insights for people interested in the best vegan skincare and natural products for skin in this day and age. By embracing natural products for skin, we can draw inspiration from the timeless wisdom of the Egyptians and achieve radiant, healthy skin through holistic, natural means.
Egyptians cherished their skin as a symbol of health and vitality, using holistic skincare routines to maintain its radiance. At the heart of their regimen were natural ingredients, a testament to the efficacy of natural skin care.
Cleansing: Aloe vera and milk were key components in their cleansing rituals, removing impurities gently. Today, these natural skin care products remain popular for their soothing properties
Exfoliation: Egyptians used finely ground alabaster particles as exfoliants, revealing smoother skin. This mirrors the modern trend of using natural exfoliants like sugar and oats
Moisturisation: They relied on oils like castor and moringa to nourish their skin, highlighting the importance of natural oils in holistic skincare
Protection: A paste made of herbs and minerals acted as a sunscreen, showcasing their understanding of natural sun protection
Priests performed daily rituals in the temples whereby every morning the high priest would enter the sanctuary and anoint the god's statue with sacred oil and perfume. He would then put ceremonial clothing and paint on the statue and after, he would make offerings of food such as bread, meat, and fruit.
Beauty
In ancient Egypt beauty was extremely valuable, and taking care of the body was required for good health, warding off evil, and also as a sign of humility.
Perfumes - The ancient Egyptians used many perfumes derived from fragrant plants, flowers, and seeds. Their essences were extracted by squeezing, and then they were added to oil to create liquid perfumes. They were also mixed with fat or wax in order to create a powerful cream or salve. Some of the most expensive and luxurious fragrances used in ancient Egypt were derived from some of the best incense ingredients imported from East Africa. Frankincense, myrrh, and various aromatic woods were likely reserved exclusively for the gods, and possibly the very richest members of society.
Gold - The Egyptians used gold as a therapy for the skin, as it has curative and antibacterial properties. The exclusiveness of this ritual has not changed throughout the years, as only a certain number of elite spa’s around the world offer the expertise in using this expensive metal for skin and energy revitalizing purposes.
Hair removal - A hair removal method known as ‘sugaring’ also appears to have been used to keep skin smooth and hairless. Removing unwanted hair with a mixture of sugar, lemon, and water was a popular technique in ancient Egypt, and is still commonly practised today.
Skin - To keep the skin hydrated, a mixture of milk and honey may have been applied on a weekly basis. The use of almond, moringa, and castor oils all over the body was common for keeping skin soft, smooth, and wrinkle-free. Their use would have been an essential beauty secret in ancient Egypt as excessive exposure to the sun would otherwise have made it difficult to keep wrinkles at bay.
It is thought these oils were frequently used by the ancient Egyptians:
Cinnamon - used for foot massage, and also in the mummification process for its antifungal, antiviral and bactericidal properties
Moringa - highly valued and used to make perfumes and for protection against sun and desert wind. Egyptian royal women used it to soften skin, and oil hair. It was called Behen Oil and jars of it have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs
Castor - found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4,000 BC. Used as a natural remedy to treat ailments such as eye irritation, and to maintain natural hair growth and the strength of hair due to its nourishing properties
Frankincense - the Egyptians used this oil to rejuvenate the skin. It was also used to preserve mummies and was burned as incense at funeral ceremonies. Queen Hatsheput was thought to have loved frankincense: wall paintings in her temple show a large-scale expedition to collect it from the ancient land of Punt
Myrhh - used in the mummification process, and for treating wounds and skin sores. Also used by Egyptian women in cosmetic treatments to reduce wrinkles and preserve a youthful complexion
Olive - this oil was combined with beeswax as a cleanser, moisturiser, and antibacterial agent
Lavender - used in the mummification process, religious rituals and in perfumes and cosmetics. Traces of this oil were even found in the tomb of Tutankhamun
Egyptian Influence in my Natural Skincare Products
I love using oils in my skincare products that the Egyptians used, such as Frankincense and Neroli. I have many other ideas for more natural skincare products which will contain oils such as moringa, cinnamon, and olive.
Frankincense is one of my favourite oils due to its extremely powerful properties. It is fantastic for toning the skin and using as an anti-aging ingredient, and also great for helping with anxiety and depression. My Relaxing Lavender Bath Oil contains this amazing oil, and my Soothing Flower Facial Balm contains Neroli, which helps to revive skin.
Perfume
Hieroglyphics in Egyptian tombs indicate that Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians were making perfume as long ago as 3,000 BC. The first perfumers were Egyptian priests, and they used aromatic resins to sweeten the smell of sacrificial offerings. People believed that burning incense connected humans with the Gods and pleased the deities.
Egyptian priests and their Pharaohs were entombed with fragrances. In 1897, when the tombs were opened by archaeologists the perfumes were discovered to have retained their original, sweet smells. Important figures in Egyptian history were buried with scented oils, to ensure their ‘olfactory needs’ were fulfilled. Many of the ingredients used are still prized in perfumery today, such as Jasmine, Frankincense resin (gathered from the Boswellia shrub), Nile lotus, Myrrh, and Madonna lilies.
Kyphi incense recipes featured 16 ingredients pounded together, including myrrh, sweet rush, Cyperus grass, wine, honey, raisins, resin and juniper. Kyphi was burned every night to please and appease the Gods, as they began their journey to the underworld, and to ensure the safe return of the sun God, Ra, the next morning.
The Egyptians also enjoyed perfumes in daily life, just as we do today, whether we’re spraying shop-bought perfumes from a bottle, or burning scented candles. They understood that perfumes could help maintain a mellifluous balance between body and soul, and used various concoctions such as:
Megalion - a soothing balm for inflamed skin or burns and for stomach problems
Blending cardamom and myrrh - was worn as a perfume
Theriaque – blending myrrh, frankincense, cinnamon, balsam, sweet rush and serpent skin to soothe anxiety (this is still sold today, at Cairo’s Khan al Khalili souk)
Cleopatra’s Skincare
Although historical records are limited, it is believed that Cleopatra used a variety of natural ingredients for her skincare routines. Her beauty regime included:
Milk Baths - Cleopatra was famous for her luxurious milk baths as a moisturising and softening skincare treatment. Lactic acid in sour donkey’s milk would exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, and sometimes honey was added
Aloe Vera - it is likely that Cleopatra used aloe vera gel on her skin to keep it healthy. It has extremely soothing and healing properties
Olive Oil - Cleopatra was said to have used olive oil as a key component in her skin care regimen. It is moisturising, softening, and rich in antioxidants
Essential Oils - Cleopatra may have used oils like rose, frankincense, and myrrh, for fragrance and skincare benefits
Sea Salt Scrubs - Dead Sea salts in baths were used as an exfoliant in order to remove impurities/dead skin cells, and promote a radiant complexion
Natural Masks - Cleopatra may have used masks made from ingredients like clay and herbs for deep cleansing and detoxification. It is also highly likely that she used honey as a facial treatment or mask to maintain her complexion, as it was commonly used in ancient Egyptian beauty practices, and she was known to use honey in her skincare routines. Honey has natural antibacterial and moisturising properties, which make it beneficial for cleansing and hydrating the skin
Try incorporating some of these incredible ingredients into your beauty and skincare routine. I have yet to try milk baths, but aloe vera is fantastic for sensitive or burnt skin, essential oils are highly beneficial for the mind and body, and I will be using the Dead Sea salts I brought back from Jordan in the near future!
The Seven Sacred Oils of Ancient Egypt
The “Seven Sacred Oils” term is based upon the archaeological evidence of temple inscriptions, tomb art, oil palettes and containers, and papyri spanning the 3,700-year history of ancient Egypt. The seven oils were known collectively as Merhet (a generic word for vegetable oils). The jar-shaped hieroglyph is the symbol for Merhet, which is depicted in many tombs. The oils were an important element in the Egyptian burial and offering rituals, and their names first appear on jar labels from the royal tombs of the 1st Dynasty at Abydos. The seven Merhet are listed in the Temple of Horus at Edfu:
Seti Heb - ‘festival scent’
Hekenu - ‘jubilation oil’
Sefet - ‘fir oil or pine oil’
Nesmen - ‘rejoining oil’
Tua - ‘support oil’
Hatenash - ‘first-class cedar oil’
Hatentjehenu - ‘first-class Libyan' unguent’