Skip to main content

Ancient Greeks Used Exotic, Dangerous Cosmetics in Eternal Search for Beauty


A Pyxis, or circular box for containing makeup, 470-460 BC. Attica. The vessel shows the marriage of Thetis and Peleus. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

In the modern world of today we are privileged to take for granted that the ingredients in our cosmetics are safe. However, it is only recently that cosmetic manufacturers have taken on the responsibility to ensure that they will do no harm.

In the ancient world, as a matter of fact, lead was one of the most widely-used substances in makeup. Known today to cause severe developmental delays, infertility and dementia, it was used in a paste form, much like today’s foundation, to whiten the complexion and make a woman look more youthful.

It is believed that the Greeks were the first to use such ingredients in their makeup, despite a general distaste for the use of cosmetics (at least according to the writers of the time, who of course were exclusively male). Some Greeks of the day moralized that makeup was only used as a trick, by lower-class women or prostitutes, in order to lure men.

However, in reality, it is thought that women of all classes, both single and married, actually used cosmetics of all kinds, both to brighten the skin and to highlight their features.

Fresco of a woman, possibly Cleopatra,Ancient Roman fresco in the Pompeian Third Style possibly depicting Cleopatra, from the House of the Orchard at Pompeii, Italy, mid-1st century AD. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Greek word “kosmetika” is of course the root of the English word ‘cosmetics.’ However, in its ancient form, the word meant any preparations which protected the hair, face, and teeth. The term for beautifying make-up was “to kommotikon.”

Ancient Romans, who adopted so much from Greece, took up the practice of using both white and red lead in facial makeup, and, with few exceptions, the extraordinarily pale look this imparted continued to be popular even into the eighteenth century.

However, using these lead-based pigments actually ended up causing disfigurement — along with the other, much more serious maladies which surely occurred in those days as well, although they were never linked to lead in those times.

Kevin Jones, from New York City’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Museum, explained in the NBC News report that “It would eat the skin away, causing all sorts of scarring. And the way they covered that up was to apply thicker amounts of the makeup, which would then exacerbate the situation.”

Perhaps in the most disturbing visual of all, it was recorded in ancient times that lizard excrement, of all things, was used to combat wrinkles.

However, as much as we may scoff at ancient wisdom such as that, the modern cosmetic industry is still making use of time-honored medicaments such as snail mucin, or the excrement that they trail behind them as they move, which has made an appearance in recent years as a popular skin care ingredient.

The publication Women’s Health raved about its “hydrating properties,” saying that skin can be “softer, more moisturized and glowing with consistent use of snail mucin.”

Cleopatra — Queen of the Nile, Makeup Maven

Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile, who was the last descendant in the Macedonian Ptolemaic dynasty, was known not only for her power as the ruler of Egypt but for her alluring powers over men as well — and she amazingly even authored her own book on cosmetics.

As evidenced by myriad representations of other women in Egyptian art, she undoubtedly used kohl, a combination of oils and powdered metals — usually lead, antimony, manganese or copper — as an eyeliner, along with an array of other cosmetics, including eyeshadow and blush.

Swan-shaped makeup container, made from a hippopotamus tusk. Egypt, Bronze Age. Hechy Museum, Haifa, Israel. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

However, we know now, according to dermatologist Dr. Joel Schlessinger, that using these substances around the eyes leads to “irritability, insomnia and mental decrease,” according to a recent NBC News report.

Greek women also used more natural ingredients, such as red ochre from the earth, and dye extracted from lichen, for rouge, and ashes and soot for eyebrow color. Saffron, derived from the pistils of the crocus flower, was used as a rouge to give color to the cheeks.

Fresco”The Saffron Gatherers” from Akrotiri, Santorini. Minoan civilization. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The most widely-used eyeliner in ancient times, however, was derived from the element antimony, which according to the journal Nature is “poisonous by inhalation and ingestion,” and is carcinogenic as well.

Ocher, the naturally-occurring pigment from the earth, which occurs all around the globe, can be seen on portraits of Queen Nefertari, who lived in 1255 BC, which decorate the walls of her tomb. Cosmetics used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians were not only for beautifying the face, but were used for their more practical value as well.

Since very ancient times, skin moisturizers have been made from animal fats, including lanolin from sheep’s wool, and plant oils. Wood ash has been combined with fats to make soap in a process which continues almost unchanged to this day, when lye, which is derived from wood ash, is combined with olive or other fats and oils to make our modern soaps.

Perfumes from the Odyssey

Historians have noted that Greeks were known to have made perfume as far back as the Middle Bronze Age, from the 14th to the 13th century BC. Such toiletries were first mentioned in Homer’s works the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were written in the 8th century BC.

To make perfumes, plants, flowers, spices, and fragrant woods, including myrrh, rose, and cinnamon, would be infused in oils. Since oil was used as the base, most perfumes were in the form of a thick paste. This necessitated the use of a special spoon-like tool to extract it from its containers.

Amazingly, such implements have even been excavated in England, as part of a Roman settlement there. A bar brooch found there featured several miniaturized bronze tools hanging from it — one of them shaped like a tiny spoon, which was most likely used with solid perfume.

In ancient times, perfumes were used for the pure pleasure they gave, as well as to seduce; due to their labor-intensive manufacture, they were also a status symbol and were used in rituals (especially in burials).

Relief from a carved funerary lekythos at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, showing Hermes conducting the deceased, Myrrhine, to Hades. c. 430–420 BC. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Egyptian priests were known to anoint statues of gods with scented oils — and even applied make-up to them as part of their religious rituals.

Just as in Egypt, ancient Greeks often left their best cosmetics and perfumes in tombs to accompany their dead. Lekythoi, the graceful vessels used for storing fine oils and perfumes, were often decorated with themes related to burial and traveling onto the next life, when they were used for this purpose.

Pyxes, or decorated boxes, would also be left with bodies in their resting places, along with vessels called alabastrons, used for creams and ointment in Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.

Cleopatra Perfume

Intriguingly, in the 1970’s Italian chemist Giuseppe Donato recreated some fragrances from ancient texts; some have even been produced commercially, including Donato and Seefried’s “Cleopatra” perfume, based on one worn by the Egyptian queen.

Much as in sausages, where it is usually best not to know how they are made, hair dye in ancient times was full of stomach-wrenching ingredients.

Dyes, which are thought to have been used by both sexes, could be used to either make hair darker or lighter. The dye to darken hair was made by leaving leeches to rot in wine for forty days.

The other, perhaps marginally less disgusting, consisted of a mixture of beechwood ash and goat fat to make hair lighter.

It is also recorded that in order to achieve gleaming white teeth, ancient Greeks would use ashes to clean them.

Perhaps all these things were worthwhile, perhaps not — but it just goes to show how far human beings would go — and still do — in order to improve their looks.

Comments

Popular Posts

The World’s Oldest Living Olive Tree is on Crete

The most ancient olive tree in the world, in Crete. Credit: Dimitra Damian/Greek Reporter The oldest olive tree in the world is located in the village of Ano Vouves of Kissamos in Chania, Crete. The ancient tree is 3000 years old, as determined by the international scientific community. The ancient olive tree in Vouves has a trunk with a circumference of 12.5 meters (41 feet), and a diameter of 4.6 meters (15 feet). It belongs to the local tree variety of tsounati, and was grafted at a height of 3 meters onto a wild olive tree. Because of the grafting, its trunk has been so beautifully shaped by nature that it resembles a sculpture. In 1990, after a unanimous decision in the prefecture of Chania, the Vouves Olive Tree was declared a Natural Monument of great importance due to its status as the world’s oldest tree of its kind. The oldest olive tree still produces high-quality olives The fruits of the ancient olive tree make the best olive oil in the world, making the area...

Inside the Magnificent Minoan Palace of Knossos in Crete

The Minoan palace at Knossos. Credit: Gary Bembridge /Wikimedia Commons/ CC-BY-2.0 The Palace of Knossos, located about five kilometers (three miles) south of Heraklion on Kephala hill, was the largest of all the Minoan palaces in Crete. It was also at the core of the highly sophisticated civilization that flourished on the island over 3,500 years ago. The discovery of the Minoan Palace of Knossos The discovery and subsequent excavation of the palace dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. Before then, Knossos had only served as a place mentioned in Greek mythology. The first modern scholar to take a serious interest in the area was the German Heinrich Schliemann, who in 1870 had excavated the site believed to be Troy. Schliemann was certain that a major Minoan palace lay hidden near Heraklion, but the Ottoman authorities who still ruled the island at the time denied any permission to dig there. Years afterward, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, inspired b...

The Greek Who Taught the Japanese to Eat Feta Cheese and Olive Oil

Credit: Facebook/ Thanasis Fragkis Pioneering businessman Thanasis Fragkis was the very first person to introduce olive oil and other traditional Greek products to Japan more than a decade ago. Olive oil, wine, feta cheese and Greek yogurt, relatively unknown food items to this Far Eastern country, are now being enjoyed as the great gourmet delicacies they are. Speaking to Greek Reporter from his home in the town of Mito, around 120 km (76 miles) north of Tokyo, Fragkis was justifiably proud of his achievement. “We have taught the Japanese to eat olive oil, cheeses, including feta, yogurt that were not part of their diet. They hardly knew of olive oil,” he says in wonderment. Originally from the town of Kymi on the island of Evia, Fragkis emigrated to England, where he met his future wife, who is Japanese. “When we got married we thought ‘you are Japanese, I am Greek, what is the point of living in England?’. Greece was a difficult place to start a business in at the ti...

Ten Unforgettable Things to Do Around Syntagma Square in Athens

  Syntagma Square, Athens. Credit: Public Domain Syntagma Square has literally been the very heart of Athens ever since the city became the capital of the modern Greek state. With the Greek Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier looming over it, it is rich with history and is the place where most major events of the last two centuries have taken place. Its name in Greek means “Constitution Square,” a name granted by Greece’s first modern royal, King Otto, on September 3, 1843, after an uprising of the people. This was a smart political move, since the royal palace overlooked the square. In 1934, the royal palace was turned over to the Greek Parliament, and ever since that time, Syntagma Square has been the place where all public protests and demonstrations have taken place. Syntagma Square home to historic demonstrations and protests In December of 1944, just after the departure of the occupying Nazi troops, a people’s rally at the square was marred b...

Water Shortages On Islands Plaguing Greece This Summer

  Tap water is a precious commodity on the Greek islands and one that is in short supply. Credit: Ishwah Murth Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Island water shortages and stoppages are plaguing Greece this summer. Promoted for its beautiful seawater surrounding all the Greek isles and its entire coastline, many islands are suffering from a lack of quantity — and quality of tap water. Turning on the tap and finding an abundant flow of water has become a basic expectation in civilized society of the 21st century, particularly when you are on a vacation that is meant to offer a bit of away-from-home luxury. However, on some Greek islands, access to whiskey is easier to come by than water. Greek island water shortages and water stoppages are common nowadays. Carol Berkley, from London, who is vacationing at an AirBnB property in the area of Marathi on Mykonos told Greek Reporter, “We had just come back from the beach. There are four of us here on the property....

Έκανε το εμβόλιο της Johnson και δεν μπορεί να περπατήσει

Την περιπέτειά του μετά από τον εμβολιασμό του με το σκεύασμα της Johnson & Johnson περιγράφει μέσω του Instagram o Γιώργος Βαγιαννίδης. Όπως αναφέρει στην ανάρτησή του, έκανε το εμβόλιο την 1η Σεπτεμβρίου και σήμερα νοσηλεύεται σε νοσοκομείο αφού δεν μπορεί να σταθεί όρθιος, ούτε να περπατήσει. Μάλιστα δημοσιεύει και φωτογραφίες από το νοσοκομείο. Δείτε αναλυτικά όλα όσα αναφέρει στην ανάρτησή του: Καλησπέρα σας, ονομάζομαι Γεώργιος Βαγιαννίδης. Επειδή τον τελευταίο καιρό έχουν ακουστεί πολλά, οφείλω να ξεκαθαρίσω τη θέση μου, για να μην υπάρχουν περαιτέρω αερολογίες σχετικά με την κατάσταση της υγείας μου. Τετάρτη, 1 Σεπτεμβρίου, έκλεισα το ραντεβού για τον εμβολιασμό μου (Johnson’s and Johnson’s). Να τονίσω πως ήταν καθαρά δική μου επιλογή και ΚΑΝΕΝΑΣ δε μου προέτρεψε να το κάνω. Πήγα λοιπόν στο ΓΝ Κατερίνης και το έκανα. Όλα αυτά γύρω στις 16.00. Πολύ τυπικά τα πράγματα. Το μόνο που μου είπαν είναι «Περίμενε...

Κορονοϊός Ινδία: Για πρώτη φορά πάνω από 50.000 κρούσματα σε ένα 24ωρο

Η Ινδία ανακοίνωσε σήμερα, Πέμπτη 30 Ιουλίου, πάνω από 50.000 νέα ημερήσια κρούσματα για πρώτη φορά, λόγω της αύξησης των μολύνσεων στις μη αστικές περιοχές σε μια περίοδο κατά την οποία η κυβέρνηση χαλαρώνει περαιτέρω τους περιορισμούς στις μετακινήσεις και το εμπόριο. Το τελευταίο 24ωρο καταγράφηκαν 52.123 νέα κρούσματα, σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία των ομοσπονδιακών αρχών υγείας, με τον συνολικό αριθμό των κρουσμάτων να φθάνει σχεδόν το 1,6 εκατομμύριο. Το ίδιο διάστημα, 775 άνθρωποι έχασαν τη ζωή τους λόγω του κορονοϊού, με τον συνολικό αριθμό των θανάτων να πλησιάζει τους 35.000 –που αν και είναι χαμηλός συγκριτικά με τον συνολικό αριθμό των κρουσμάτων, δεν εμφανίζει ιδιαίτερες τάσεις επιβράδυνσης. Ενώ οι μεγάλες πόλεις, όπως το Νέο Δελχί και το Μουμπάι, καταγράφουν επιβράδυνση στον αριθμό των κρουσμάτων, τα περιστατικά στις αγροτικές περιοχές συνεχίζουν να αυξάνονται με αλματώδεις ρυθμούς, προκαλώντας ιδιαίτερη ανησυχία στους ειδικούς που φοβο...

Εκσυγχρονισμός του στόλου: Στο τραπέζι δύο προτάσεις για αγορά φρεγατών

Ο πρωθυπουργός Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης ανακοίνωσε την Τετάρτη ότι είναι ανάγκη να ξεκινήσει άμεσα το εξοπλιστικό πρόγραμμα των ενόπλων δυνάμεων.  Η κρίση με την Τουρκία έδειξε ότι στο επίκεντρο είναι η ενίσχυση του Πολεμικού μας Ναυτικού. Η οικονομική κρίση των τελευταίων ετών σε συνδυασμό με το μεγάλο κόστος απόκτησης νέων μονάδων είχε ως αποτέλεσμα να μείνει πίσω ο εκσυγχρονισμός του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού. Σύμφωνα με το ρεπορτάζ του Open, η απόφαση του Γενικού Επιτελείου είναι γνωστή εδώ και καιρό: Πρέπει να αγοραστούν νέες φρεγάτες.  Το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό έδωσε τις προδιαγραφές και αμέσως ξεχώρισαν δύο προτάσεις, οι γαλλικές φρεγάτες Belhara και το αμερικανικό πλοίο πολλαπλών ρόλων MMSC. Κύριος στόχος ένα πλοίο που θα μπορεί να επιχειρεί στο Αιγαίο αλλά και την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο. ...

Ιαβέρης για το τροχαίο στη Βουλή: «Η ευθύνη βαραίνει τον οδηγό του αυτοκινήτου, παραβίασε τον ΚΟΚ»

Για το δυστύχημα στη Βουλή που κόστισε τη ζωή σε ένα νέο παιδί μίλησε ο οδηγός αγώνων αυτοκινήτου Αναστάσιος Μαρκουΐζος ή πιο γνωστός ως Ιαβέρης στο Metropolis 95.5 και στην εκπομπή «Weekend με τον Γρηγόρη Κόκκινο» τονίζοντας ότι η ευθύνη είναι αποκλειστικά του οδηγού που έστριψε αντικανονικά ενώ παράλληλα υποστήριξε ότι πρέπει να απαγορευθεί η στροφή αυτή.  Αναλυτικά όσα είπε: «Όποιον ενοχλεί η αλήθεια, ας πιει ξύδι. Με αφορμή το τραγικό γεγονός του θανάτου ενός 23χρονου, που η οικογένεια του δεν θα τον ξαναδεί, πρέπει να νιώσει κάποιος πολίτης ότι όταν χάνεται ένα παιδί, χάνεις και το εγγόνι σου. Δεν είναι σαν τον κορωνοϊό.  Έχει σκοτώσει 7.000 απώλειες υπερήλικων και περίπου 3.500 ατόμων των 30 ετών. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι οι άνθρωποι αυτοί χάνουν τη ζωή τους πριν γεννήσουν. Αν ρ...

Άρης: «Είναι ωραία στη 2η θέση, είναι και δίκαιο»

Έχοντας σε μεγάλη μέρα τον Κρίστιαν Γκάνεα, ο οποίος πέτυχε ένα γκολ και μοίρασε άλλο ένα, ο Άρης επικράτησε 3-0 του Ατρομήτου και βρέθηκε ξανά στην δεύτερη θέση της βαθμολογίας και πλέον ρίχνει το βάρος στο παιχνίδι Κυπέλλου που ακολουθεί με τον Ολυμπιακό στο Βικελίδης. Ο Άρης έδιωξε με εντυπωσιακό τρόπο μια κατάρα δέκα χρόνων απέναντι στους Περιστεριώτες, καθώς επικράτησε του Ατρομήτου 3-0 στο «Κλεάνθης Βικελίδης» χάρη στα τέρματα των Γκάνεα, Σάσα και Σίλβα. Με τη λήξη της αναμέτρησης οι «κιτρινόμαυροι» χτύπησαν στα social media για τη νίκη επί των Περιστεριωτών και τη συνέχεια σε  Πρωτάθλημα και Κύπελλο: «Είναι ωραία στη 2η θέση. Είναι και δίκαιο. Δεν σταματάμε...».

Airline Training Center

Car 'n Motion

Αthletix.gr

Φόρμα επικοινωνίας

Name

Email *

Message *