The Ultimate Guide On Ancient Egyptian Makeup Looks For Eyes And Lips

Around 4000 B.C., the ancient Egyptians started wearing makeup; however, it wasn't just for women. Both men and women used almond-shaped eyeliner and skincare oils and perfumes to protect their skin and avoid irritating body odor to their gods and themselves. Ancient people even colored their hair and painted their nails. They were the first civilization to place a premium on looks.

Influencing The Modern Day Beauty World

'By looking at the exquisite scenes of Queen Nefertari, Ramsess The Great's wife, one can understand how far the ancient Egyptians had progressed in the sphere of beauty.

All subsequent civilizations were affected by Ancient Egypt's cosmetic items and how they were applied. They had highly varied looks that changed according to the person's skin type, age, and social status.'

Cleopatra and Nefertiti, two famous beauty queens, are the most iconic models for makeup lovers. Elizabeth Taylor portrayed Cleopatra in the 1963 film Cleopatra, and she developed the most famous appearance from the ancient era. Not only is Rihanna known for her unique makeup, but she also paid homage to Nefertiti on the cover of Vogue Arabia. Both of them wore heavy, dark eyeliner and rich blue eye makeup.

Egyptian Makeup Looks for Eyes and Lips

Ancient Egypt has always been one of history's most intriguing periods, and it's possible that today's references to the clothing, beauty looks, and color schemes of that visually amazing time were all first prominently brought to the forefront of our cultural arena in 1922. 

Egyptians used to highlight and accentuate their attractiveness by drawing attention to their eyes and lips and outlining them. Egyptian makeup looks had both black and green cosmetics on their eyelids to create magnificent looks.

Eye Makeup

In hieroglyphics and sarcophagi, ancient Egyptians are shown with large, almond-shaped eyes completely encircled with eyeliner. They believed that by wearing this eyeliner every day, the gods Horus and Ra would protect them from illness.

Because the liner was composed of lead salts, current scientists were startled to learn that it did not make them sick, despite the fact that lead is hazardous. Instead, the eyeliner protected them from infections in their eyes. Nitric oxide, which strengthens the immune system, was created by the lead salts. Egyptians wore a black liner made of Galena, a lead-based material found in abundance in the desert.

Kohl or Mesdemet, as their eyeliner was known, was made with soot and preserved in carved stone pots. They also used crushed malachite stone, a copper mineral, to make green eyeliner. They made a paste out of the powder by mixing it with water or animal fat and applying it with a bone, ivory, or wood stick. The material kept flies away and shielded the eyes from the sun's rays. Before mummification, even mummies' eyes were lined with liner.

Eyes and Lips

During the nineteenth century, eye makeup and lipstick were among the less popular cosmetics. Lampblack, also known as soot, was occasionally mixed with oil or water to create a black product that might be used as eyeliner, shadow, or mascara. Still, the result was artificial and not widely used.

Belladonna drops were occasionally used to brighten the eyes, despite their delicacy. Lip salves with a pink or crimson hue were offered in stores, and rouge may redden the lips. Overall, the middle and higher classes favored less evident makeup.