As the Halloween season draws near, there’s something captivating about tapping into the beauty rituals of our ancestors. Many of their practices, deeply rooted in nature and spirituality, can still inspire our modern routines. Let’s take a journey through ancient beauty hacks, from the Egyptians and Romans to the Celts, each bringing its own unique ingredients, rituals, and a few cautionary tales.
In ancient Egypt, beauty routines were often blended with spiritual practices. Both men and women wore kohl, made from ground minerals like galena and malachite, to darken their eyes and ward off evil spirits. Besides its protective symbolism, kohl’s mineral base helped to reduce the sun’s glare—a practical benefit in the sun-drenched deserts. Egyptians also loved natural ingredients like frankincense, which was both a perfume and an antibacterial agent, and rose water, used to calm the skin after exposure to the elements.
One well-known Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, was famous for her milk baths, which contained lactic acid, an exfoliant that could leave skin looking radiant. However, the more sinister side of Egyptian beauty was that some kohl formulations contained lead. Over time, frequent use of lead-based kohl could lead to lead poisoning, causing a myriad of health issues, including neurological damage. This cautionary tale reminds us of the risks that can lurk in even the most glamorous of routines
The Romans were experts in the art of luxurious self-care, perfect for those who love to indulge. Perfumed oils infused with herbs like myrrh and cedarwood were applied after long baths to keep skin moisturized and fresh. Honey and olive oil were also staples in Roman beauty, used to create masks that softened and hydrated the skin.
Roman women frequently used cerussa, a white lead powder, to achieve a pale complexion. Unfortunately, the effects of lead on the skin and body were disastrous. Lead exposure could result in hair loss, skin corrosion, and even cognitive impairments. Despite this, beauty trends persisted, and the obsession with these pale, otherworldly looks has haunted historical beauty practices for centuries
Ancient Celts had a deep connection with nature, and their beauty rituals reflected this. They relied on herbs and plants that are still beloved by the natural beauty community today. For instance, they used nettle to strengthen hair, as its high silica content can add shine and improve hair health. They also made infusions with rosemary and sage to darken and condition their hair, a tradition that some still use today.
The Celts revered honey not only for its taste but also for its healing properties. Honey’s natural antibacterial qualities made it a perfect cleanser and a skin-soothing treatment, especially useful in the rugged conditions of ancient Europe. Rituals involving herbs like chamomile, yarrow, and lavender were part of their daily life, believed to enhance one’s beauty and bring good fortune. While not all Celtic beauty secrets survive in written records, the fascination with their earthy, almost mystical approach continues to inspire today’s natural beauty enthusiasts
The Victorian era, known for its emphasis on modesty and pale beauty, saw women employing some eyebrow-raising methods to achieve the ideal look. For instance, women ingested arsenic wafers to lighten their complexions, believing it would give them an ethereal, ghostly pallor. These arsenic tablets could indeed lighten the skin, but at a significant risk: arsenic poisoning could cause hair loss, digestive issues, and even death over time.
A less dangerous, though still questionable, beauty hack was brushing the hair 100 strokes each night to encourage growth and shine. Victorian women also used rose water as a facial toner to soothe the skin—a practice that survives today and brings a soft, nostalgic element to any skincare routine. However, the era’s flirtation with dangerous substances like arsenic and lead is a reminder of the lengths people have gone to for beauty, even when it came with a deadly cost
While we’ve thankfully moved away from lead and arsenic, many ancient practices remain timeless, especially for those seeking natural, minimalist routines. Honey, for instance, is still beloved for its gentle, healing qualities. Meanwhile, rose water is a staple for anyone seeking a refreshing toner, and rice water, an ancient hair hack from Japan, has surged in popularity as an all-natural conditioner that strengthens hair.
This Halloween season, channel the beauty wisdom of ancient cultures, embracing the mystical and the natural while remembering that not every ancient beauty secret is worth reviving. By blending the old with the new, you can connect to the earth, feel radiant, and carry a bit of ancient charm into your modern beauty routine.