An Ancient Egyptian Guide To Beauty

An Ancient Egyptian Guide To Beauty

An Ancient Egyptian Guide To Beauty

Makeup and cosmetic products are far from being a recent invention. For centuries, men as well as women have been looking for ways to enhance their appearance using cosmetics. The Ancient Egyptians were innovative thinkers that made a massive contribution to mankind with inventions that are still in use to this day such as the doorlock and written language. But we can also thank them for another thing which many of us also use on a daily basis - makeup.

We now know that some of the techniques they employed were highly inadvisable such as painting their faces with a deadly mixture of lead carbonate and water. They did however pioneer techniques we can learn from and use today. Here are some of them.

Beeswax - The Ancient Egyptians realised that beeswax had moisturising properties and regularly used it to moisturise their skin from the effects of the hot Egyptian sun. You can buy ready made moisturisers containing beeswax or alternatively you can make your own in combination with other ingredients such as olive oil.

Egg white facials - Ancient Egyptian women used egg white facials to pamper their skin. To make your own, simply whisk one egg white with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, apply and leave for 10-15 minutes before rinsing away with tepid water.

Perfume - Perfumed oils containing frankincense and myrhh were popular in Ancient Egypt. DKNY Delicious Night is an example of a modern perfume containing these ingredients.

Kohl - Outline your eyes with a thick line of kohl eyeliner to recreate the look of beautiful Ancient Egyptian women such as Cleopatra. For a really authentic look, team with coloured eyeshadow.

Milk and honey - The Egyptian queen Cleopatra famously bathed in milk to maintain her beautiful skin. To try this for yourself mix fresh milk, honey and almond oil into your bathwater.

Sea salt scrub - For a truly authentic Ancient Egyptian style bath, use ground sea salt as a body scrub to exfoliate your skin after a milk bath.

Rosewater - The Ancient Egyptians created all manner of cosmetic and beauty products using natural ingredients. One such product was rosewater which they used to nourish their skin. There are a number of rosewater beauty products available to buy from facial toners to bath oils. Or if you enjoy getting creative, make your own rosewater by boiling rose petals (make sure they are free of chemicals) in spring water.

Apple cider vinegar - This was used as an invigorating face wash. To try it for yourself, add a 3:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar to warm water.

This is just a few of the amazing, natural beauty techniques that the Ancient Egyptians pioneered. The trend for cosmetics derived from naturally based ingredients is far from a recent phenomenon. The Ancient Egyptians were way ahead of their time.

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Simple And Effective Tips In Maintaining Beautiful And Healthy Hair

A woman's hair is her crowning glory. But the same is actually true for men. Who would want to go around having dull, dry hair? All of us want to sport healthy, luxurious tresses that can enhance our physical attractiveness. Nevertheless, it's also a reality that not all of us are born with beautiful hair. Some have inherently limp and dry hair. Others cannot even manage to have a head full of it. Indeed, there are those with genetic scalp problems that prevent them from having a thick head of hair. Still, there are also those with good enough tresses. However, they do not know how to care for it.

Most of the problems we have with our natural head covers arise out of unhealthy or improper grooming habits. For example, a lot of people think that shampooing their hair every day will keep it healthy. This is not exactly the case. The natural oils of your locks will be removed if you do this. There are also those who keep on styling their tresses without thinking of the adverse effects. It's great to keep yourself in style, but you should also be more careful. That is why there are a few essential things to always bear in mind.

The first is to be very careful with the kind of shampoo and other hair care products you use. Make sure that it's compatible with your hair type before buying. Some shampoos are quite strong. They may end up damaging your locks instead of strengthening them. You should also take into account the climate. If you live in a tropical zone, your hair would be often exposed to sunlight and rainfall. You will need more protection in such cases. You will need to condition your hair every other day apart from shampooing it regularly. You might also need to use hair repair products and such.

The second tip is to get a haircut on a regular basis. You don't need to cut off a lot if you love to wear your tresses long. However, you definitely need to get it trimmed at least once each month. This is to keep your locks healthy. This will also prevent split ends from developing. The third tip is to regulate using curling irons and straightening tools on your hair. Spray your locks after with anti-hair damage products if you do these things on a daily basis. All-natural recipes are even better. Some examples are aloe and coconut milk. Last of all, comb your hair gently every night before bedtime to let the natural oils out.

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Maintaining Beautiful Skin Through Nutrition

Your skin is not only your largest organ, it is also the thinnest. Only 1/10th of an inch separates you from all sorts of toxins. It is highly permeable, allowing what you apply to your skin access to your bloodstream, and thereby to the rest of your body.In light of the above, it is best that you do not put anything on your skin that you would not be willing to eat. The following are some of the pertinent facts about your skin and its composition:

• The skin comprises 15% of our total body weight

• It consists of 70% water, 25% protein, 2% lipids, trace minerals

• The skin stores about 15% of the water you drink each day

• It has 90 million cells

• The pores in these cells absorb 60% of everything you put on it

Dermis: The dermis is the middle layer of your skin. It is a mesh of collagen and elastin fibers, connective tissue, sweat and oil glands, hair, and nerve endings. It is here, in the middle layer where the collagen and elastin structure is located and also where wrinkles start.Since this layer is rich in collagen and elastin, it gives youthful skin its suppleness. The dermis also contains blood vessels for hydrating and nourishing the skin.Collagen: Collagen is the structural matrix that provides the rigidity factor in the dermis, and is the foundation for your skin cells. It relates to the degree of tautness or sag in your skin.Elastin: Elastin is a connective protein and provides the elasticity factor in the dermis layer. It represents the amount of suppleness and bounce in your skin.Wrinkles: The skin reflects what is happening inside. Wrinkles on the face and neck indicate that collagen and elastin tissue throughout the body are being destroyed faster than they can be replaced. Adequate vitamin C and the amino acids lysine and proline from quality sources of protein are crucial for the formation of collagen.Wrinkles are a tell-tale sign of aging. A huge industry profits from creams and lotions intended to reduce wrinkling. The better of these contain natural antioxidants, vitamins, and moisturizing factors.However, even the best of these products are of limited effectiveness. They deal with the symptoms of the problem and not its root causes.The underlying causes of poor skin health may include:

• Poor diet,

• Nutritional deficiencies,

• Dehydration,

• Sluggish digestion,

• Excess refined sugar,

• Artificial sweeteners,

• Blood sugar imbalances,

• Artificial additives in processed food,

• Pesticide residues,

• Food allergies, and

• Overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut.

As you can see from the above list, it is not only what you do eat, but also what you don't eat that counts in large amounts when it comes to maintaining beautiful skin with age. Refined sugar and artificial additives are particularly troublesome and should be reduced and then eliminated entirely from the diet.Remember, the skin is nourished from the inside. To remain healthy, glowing, and wrinkle-free it needs at least the following nutrients on a regular basis:

• Vitamin A: Growth and maintenance of skin health and structure

• Vitamin C: Especially, for building elastin and collagen

• Vitamin E: Antioxidant and cell membrane protector

• Essential Fatty Acids: For the integrity of skin cell membranes

• Oleic Acid: Contributes beneficial, healing fats

• Protein: Right sources, lysine and proline for building elastin and collagen

• Silicon: Ultra-trace mineral, micronutrient for skin matrix

• Water: Lots of water, binds to collagen to keep skin hydrated and full

To find out how to maintain soft, glowing, wrinkle-free skin, you need to get a hold of the e-book entitled Maintaining Beautiful Skin with Age.

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