Ancient Egyptians relied on various secret beauty treatments in order to achieve a flawless appearance, from simple remedies that were effective and efficient to more complex techniques that required more intricacies of research and testing.
Kohl was traditionally applied to the eyes to protect them from sun and fly exposure and keep skin smooth and wrinkle-free.
1. Milk Baths
Bathing can be an easy, natural way to unwind and relax. Not only will taking a bath help improve skin conditions and relieve aches and pains, it can also relieve stress. Many people enjoy taking milk-filled baths in order to achieve soft and beautiful skin with a healthy glow.
Milk offers more than just soothing effects when taken as part of a warm bath – it contains vitamins and minerals that can give your skin numerous advantages, including protein and lactic acid that moisturize and exfoliate, plus helps prevent the formation of dark spots on the skin.
Before diving in a milk-filled tub, make sure that you have all of the right products available to make it as healthy and wholesome an experience as possible. Ingredients such as goat’s milk, coconut milk, rice milk or powdered milk are considered nutritious for both body and skin health.
Milk-infused soaps, bath bombs and other bath products made with milk-derived ingredients like essential oils and bath salts can also be found at your local health food store or online.
Milk baths can not only relax your skin, but they may also be beneficial in reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Milk contains proteins and lactic acid which help improve cell turnover which allows more supple, smooth skin.
Milk baths may help soothe redness and inflammation on your skin, offering therapeutic relief for those living with psoriasis or eczema. While more research needs to be conducted into their efficacy for treating such skin conditions, milk baths can provide soothing comfort, potentially relieving symptoms of itchy and flaking skin conditions.
If you’re curious about giving milk baths a try, consult your dermatologist first to ensure it will be suitable for your skin. Lactic acid present in milk may irritate those with sensitive skin so it is wise to check with a healthcare provider first.
Milk’s lactic acid can help exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, but can cause itching or irritation for those with dry, sensitive, rosacea-prone or acne-prone skin. Furthermore, dairy allergies or lactose intolerance should avoid using dairy products altogether.
2. Honey
Ancient Egyptians have long appreciated honey for its sweetening properties; not only was this treat used as a treat, but ancient Egyptians also relied on honey as medicine!
Honey has been used since ancient Egyptians worshiped it as an offering to their sun god, Ra, as a source of protection and purification – making honey an essential component in religious ceremonies. Many artifacts and historical records attest to its use during Egyptian civilisation. Honey was venerated as part of their religion as well as being venerated as symbols representing him, making honey an integral component in religious rituals.
Honey was also used as part of the embalming process to preserve the bodies of deceased kings and queens after they passed. Pharaohs would place jars filled with honey within tombs belonging to those they had lost as an act of memorializing their loved ones who had passed.
Bees gather nectar from flowers on trees and plants they forage for, then store it in their hives until it solidifies into honey. Once in their hive, worker bees distribute the honey among themselves until its water content has been reduced by as much as 20% so it is suitable for human consumption.
Honey was widely recognized as a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory remedy, making it a favorite remedy for wounds. Because of this healing power, Egyptians used honey in the “Three Healing Gestures”, consisting of applying grease (mrht), honey (byt) and fibres (ftt).
Hippocrates was an ancient Greek physician known for prescribing honey mixed with vinegar for pain relief and honey combined with water for various conditions including baldness, wound healing, constipation and eye diseases.
Honey has long been recognized as an effective natural treatment for coughs and colds in Egypt, where its widespread usage is commonplace in households. Ramy, founder of HoneyCure, grew up with this tradition and understands just how effective raw honey can be at treating coughs, respiratory conditions, and more.
Honey has long been used as an effective remedy for cuts, burns and scrapes as well as coughs or colds. Studies have also proven its anti-tumour capabilities for cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus; its mechanisms of action may include cell cycle regulation, activation of macrophages and T-lymphocytes activation as well as inhibiting tumour cell proliferation.
3. Dead Sea Salts
Egyptians have long relied on Dead Sea Salts as part of their skincare regime to achieve a youthful, healthy complexion. These natural salts act as an effective exfoliator that contains many essential minerals and nutrients essential for keeping skin hydrated and youthful-looking.
Regular baths with Dead Sea Salts can be an excellent way to refresh and revitalize your skin, treating common conditions like acne, dry skin, psoriasis and eczema. In addition, detoxifying your body and balancing pH levels help rectify chemical imbalances that contribute to these problems.
Dead Sea Salts contain high concentrations of magnesium, calcium and sodium which are all vital elements for maintaining optimal body functioning and helping you reach weight maintenance, regulate blood pressure levels and enhance digestion.
Dead Sea Salts have also been shown to help relieve muscle pain, stiffness and fatigue. According to one study conducted on this matter, bathing in Dead Sea Salts for 10 days reduced symptoms associated with fibromyalgia; an ongoing condition which causes joint pain, sleep disturbances and muscle spasms.
Dead Sea Salts contain beneficial minerals for your skin, including phosphorus and magnesium which aid self-healing of damaged cells and tissues. Dead Sea Salts have proven particularly useful at treating psoriasis – an ongoing condition in which patches of reddened and scaling skin form on various parts of the body – making treatment of this chronic disorder highly successful.
Dead Sea Salts contain minerals that help alleviate inflammation in the body and relieve joint pain and swelling, including phosphate and magnesium – essential ingredients that reduce joint discomfort and swelling.
These salts can be used both as an exfoliator for face and body use and as a bath soak, making them gentle enough for people with sensitive skin. You could even switch out harsher abrasive scrubs for this gentler alternative!
Dead Sea Salts have many other uses besides bathing: They can also be found in various skincare products like body washes and soaps that contain Dead Sea Salts as an ingredient, helping restore skin’s healthy glow while shielding it from UV radiation damage.
4. Hydroxy Acids
Hydroxy acids are chemicals that help loosen glue-like bonds between skin cells to promote an even, glowing complexion. Hydroxy acids come in various forms such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic acid and lactic acid, or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), such as salicylic acid.
Alpha hydroxy acids are water-soluble acids that penetrate the skin’s surface by altering its lipid composition, making them effective at exfoliating dead cells, improving texture and tone, increasing cell turnover rates and decreasing fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, these humectants absorb moisture from the atmosphere to keep skin soft and plump.
AHAs include lactic acid, mandelic acid and glycolic acid – with glycolic acid being the most commonly utilized AHA compound derived from hydrolysed bitter almonds, while lactic acid comes from soured milk while mandelic acid can be extracted from fermented grapes.
Lactic acid penetrates the surface of skin by lowering pH, breaking down corneocyte adhesion and decreasing formation of keratin plugs that have long been known to contribute to acne breakouts – one of the most effective exfoliators on the market.
Lactic acid use on your skin may result in a period of purging, so always wear sunscreen while applying any hydroxy acids to the surface of the skin. This process could last several weeks as your pores open to let in product.
If you’re new to using products with hydroxy acids, start slow and do some research first to figure out which products work best for your skin type. Use a mild cleanser, apply the product in small patches on a few spots of skin and observe how your skin reacts over the coming days and weeks. If AHAs cause itching, burning, dryness or flaking issues on you initially, use them sparingly until your body adjusts; once satisfied with results and how they feel gradually increase how often products you use.
