Ancient Egyptian Oils & Creams
The Ancient Egyptians used many oils, creams and perfumes in their daily lives. The ingredients used in Egyptian oils and creams were made from various natural sources, such as flower that were ground up for their scents. To the Egyptians, the use of these cosmetics was not simply aesthetic, it was in many cases practical and sometimes even mystical. Does this Spark an idea?
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Hygiene
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Egyptian civilization sprung up along the Nile river, giving the people access to water for cleaning. The Egyptians used a paste called swabu, which was paste made from ash or clay mixed with natron (sodium bicarbonate). Egyptians often shaved much of their hair off to prevent the spread of lice and other parasites. An alternative to this was to apply olive oil to any body hair that might invite parasites.
Ceremony
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Egyptian gods were often associated with the fragrances of various flowers. Because of this connection between the gods and perfumes, Egyptians used scented oils as a way to become closer to their deities. Royalty and priests were anointed with scented oils during ceremonies, and were generally more fragrant than commoners. Because of this association with the gods, perfumed oils were also used as a part of the mummification process. It is also suspected that the gum resins and oils used in mummification were used as a deterrent to insect activity.
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Skin Care
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Egypt's desert climate can be harsh on the skin. Egyptians used olive oil and honey as moisturizers to prevent dry skin. Some oils were even used to prevent the signs of aging, such as fenugreek seed oil and maringa oil. You may find some products in your local store's cosmetics aisle that advertise these same ingredients.
Medicine
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Many of the cosmetic oils and creams also had medicinal properties. Honey contains small amounts of antibacterial agents, which were used to treat cuts and burns. Henna, a naturally occurring dye used cosmetically as hair dye and nail polish, was also made into a cream and applied as a treatment for burns.
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References
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