God said: every ancient Egyptian who turns into a make-up demon will not have too bad luck.

when it comes to the understanding of ancient Egyptian makeup, the first thing I recall is the cover of the Japanese girl cartoon "daughter of the Nile", which is neatly sandwiched on the display board of the commissary at the school gate. The handsome king of Egypt wears luxurious ornaments and is exotic in his every move. However, every time I pass by, my good friend and I sigh with a touch of mossy eye shadow painted on his eyelids.

on the cover of the daughter of the Nile, the King of Egypt with green eye shadow

at that time, she went to a good friend's house to play, and her mother's double eye shadow plate was on the dresser. We all singled out all kinds of green, dark green, blue, green, olive green, and daubed it randomly in the mirror, but we couldn't replicate the atmosphere conveyed by the cartoon.

A few years later, the TV station showed Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, which perfectly restored our fantasies about the ancient kingdom of Egypt and immediately became a new topic. The same mysterious and gorgeous Egyptian culture is different from the gentle girlish feelings portrayed in Japanese comics. Hollywood movies have grand scenes of soul-stirring and vivid sensory stimulation. Taylor depicts the green eye shadow as deep as the lake, and the scene in which he appears beautifully from the painting blanket has always been talked about for us.

in Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor's beautiful witch style

Cleopatra was filmed in 1963. It was a big investment that took all the baht and used it like sand, even if the box office was not ideal enough. It is still worthy of its influence across the times. Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, who has the reputation of Hollywood evergreen, also contributed her most beautiful performance. Although her ancient Egyptian style is full of exaggeration, it strangely gives the audience an avant-garde and unruly sense of the future, not just the dust flying in the historical hurricane.

the sense of interlacing between ancient civilization and future time and space is so intriguing. Until one day, I watched the silent sci-fi epic Metropolis by Frizlang in 1927. When the giant avatar appeared on the screen, I couldn't help but exclaim:\ & quot; looks like the Nefertiti of ancient Egypt! Quote; Nefertiti is a charismatic queen of Egypt on a par with Cleopatra whose bust was discovered by archaeologists in 1912 and caused a sensation all over the world. Her elegant and beautiful appearance is considered to be a fashion model that transcends the times.

the giant female portrait in Metropolis

the bust of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt

not only that, but this movie poster shows a female robot covered in metal. Does it remind you of the human-shaped gold coffin used for mummies? All this may be a coincidence. In our modern eyes, the strong sense of the future of quot; in ancient Egyptian style can never be said to be groundless.

the poster of "Metropolis", the female robot covered with metal

the human-shaped gold coffin used by the ancient Egyptians to place mummies

in the silent film era, actors was unable to convey their characters by oral lines, so their expressions must be highlighted. To this end, all actors draw exaggerated to scary eyeliner to emphasize the expression of emotion, this kind of makeup also coincides with the thick eyeliner makeup of ancient Egypt.

the heroine of "Metropolis" wears the thick eyeliner makeup that is the hallmark of the silent film era.

in the 1960s, Andy Warhol, the urchin of pop art, was born. In his works, the most classic images presented by Monroe and Taylor all have a touch of fascinating green eye shadow. This Cleopatra color seems to remind people that the fashion trend of 3,000 years ago is still there and has never left the table.

Monroe avatar is Andy Warhol's pop style masterpiece

Andy Warhol's Taylor avatar

in ancient Egypt, the attention to make-up has been very close to that of modern people. From hairstyle, eye makeup, lip gloss, to the choice of fragrance, every step is meticulous! Although it is still in the ancient civilization stage of human development, they have regarded\ & quot; fashion industry\ & quot; as an important part of religious worship, and blossomed everywhere. They think that the gods tend to be partial to those who love beauty and dress up, giving him more good luck, so everyone becomes a make-up fanatic. Even we modern people admire ourselves for our fanaticism.

Let's take a look at their quote; career of loving beauty.

Wigs

in ancient Egypt, wigs were like today's designer bags. Owning them is by no means a cover-up. It comes from the generous\ & quot; show\ & quot;. The most luxurious and expensive wigs are made entirely from human hair and used by aristocrats; the next most expensive wigs are made of wool mixed with plant fibers and sold to middle-class people. The process of making a wig is so complicated that the wig material must be pasted into a mold that matches the shape of the head by hand. The thicker the hair, the more respected it is, so it takes time to make a stylish wig. You can also pre-perm or roll the wig material, make a variety of different shapes, and then paste it on the mold.

aristocratic women will collect the most luxurious wigs and wear them only on important occasions. They have many different wigs and use them alternately in daily life. Middle-class women generally do not wear wigs except for important occasions. Because they are too expensive, they all take good care of their wigs, not only washing them once a day but also coating them with maintenance oil and animal fat.

from the ancient dynasty to the middle dynasty in Egypt, shorter hairstyles are popular. Wigs of this period are made up of three layers of spike braids, a bit like the popular BOB head cut near the chin.

the style of wigs popular in the ancient dynasty is similar to the current bob head

the silent film actress Louise Brooks, known for her bob head image,

from the end of the middle dynasty to the new dynasty, the trend has changed, and women have grown their real hair a little longer. They began to wear longer wigs and reveal their real hair in the innermost layer, which is also braided in spikes, which is much more complicated than the BOB style in ancient times. Not only that, the number of braids is even more, and the ends are all fringed, which is the most fashionable style in this period.

long wigs popular in the New Kingdom

as for the color of wigs, black is naturally the first choice, but the ancient Egyptians also used Henna flowers to dye wigs red or blond. Some records show that a queen even has a blue wig! It seems that they have long known how to appreciate the beauty of jagged polymorphism!

in ancient Egypt, it was not easy to raise a child. To ensure their hygiene and health, we must beware of breeding lice. For boys, parents give them a side-lock on the left side and all the other hair is shaved; the situation of girls is controversial, but data show that in addition to kabuki, very young girls are also shaved with only side braids. When the girl is about twelve years old, she will remove the braids on the side and raise all her hair and comb it into a simple ponytail.

the side-lock hairstyle in ancient Egyptian stone carvings is shaved off elsewhere

even with a side braid, girls decorate their hair with amulets, flowers, and even berries. The fish amulet is thought to protect people from the flooding of the Nile, so it is so popular that both boys and girls wear it in their braids.

the fish-shaped amulet of ancient Egypt

when there was no wig in daily life, adult women would tie their real hair into a ponytail or simply fix it with a hairband. But to dress up seriously, they will be decorated with many valuable gold tassels, gems, and beads. Women at the bottom of Ai Mei can't afford it, so they can only wear cheap ornaments similar to those used by little girls.

all kinds of wigs have also appeared, which are used to lengthen the hair. it is fashionable and practical, and it is much cheaper than a whole wig. The ancient Egyptians avoided baldness even more than we did. At that time, a variety of "secret recipes for additional issuance" emerged one after another, from magic ointments to special effects essential oils. If the use of a variety of secret recipes still does not work, using a wig to receive hair has become a last resort. Therefore, if people at that time had the trouble of baldness, they must have tried their best to hide it in front of people and try all kinds of herbs behind them.

manicure and lipstick

for the ancient Egyptians, Henna was an incredible color material, not only used to dye hair but also made into dandruff and daubed on nails. At that time, nail polish was a very important cosmetic. Because of its high cost, nail dyeing is a very luxurious thing, and the ancient Egyptians used it as a sign of class division. Only rich and powerful people have the right to paint their nails red, while inferior people are completely forbidden; and, the darker the red tone, the more they have to match the noble status, which is very important to them. so both men and women color their nails. The most special is the queen, who has her unique dance color, which no one else can get her hands on.

Haina Tree

we can also see red fingernails on Pharaoh's mummified hands. People usually infected Pharaoh before he died but before he was soaked in the ointment. It is believed that the red fingernails will enable the Pharaoh to enjoy more divine protection in the afterlife.

the steps of making dan com from Henna flowers are very simple. Just mash them and mix them with water. Henna flowers can be made into red, orange, and yellow nail polish. To dye their nails in other colors, women at the bottom will use other cheap natural colors, such as pulp and juice.

Ancient Egyptian murals, girls' fingernails are painted

Ancient Egyptian lipstick and rouge are made of red ochre, a natural ore containing iron oxides that are easily available in the desert. The dyeing effect of red ochre is relatively light, which is far worse than our modern lip gloss lipstick. However, it is natural and clear to use it as a rouge to add color, and it can be encountered but not sought.

of course, the ancient Egyptians have always been bold in the pursuit and use of color, which is difficult for us modern people to follow. They mix all kinds of natural dyes and come up with all kinds of lipstick recipes. Red (including bright red, orange, and brick red) is the most important, but purple and black lipstick are also popular. The most amazing thing is that they even mix a kind of blue lipstick!

however, not every natural dye is harmless to the human body, which poses a great health risk to the beauty-loving women in ancient Egypt. There is a lipstick named\ & quot; Kiss of death\ & quot; made from\ & quot; purple-brown algae containing mercury, 0.01% iodine, and bromomannitol\ & quot; This dangerous and seductive name comes from its toxicity.

Eye Shadow

Eye makeup is the finishing touch in typical ancient Egyptian makeup. At that time, regardless of status, people began to wear eye shadows since they were born. They believe that in a desert environment, eye shadow can protect the eyes, not only from the reflection of the sun but also from bacterial infections in the eyes. However, the most critical significance of eye shadow is to protect them from the Evil Eye of quot; & quot;

\ & quotThe Evil Eye\ & quot; comes from the religious mythology of ancient Egypt. It is said that no matter who cast a jealous look at others, even if it is only inadvertently for a second, it is enough to cast a vicious curse on each other. The consequences of curses include bad luck, illness, pain, and even death. Since curses are so imperceptible, it is extremely important to apply eye shadow every day to prevent quot; Evil Eye & not;,.

the ancient Egyptians believed that eye shadow could resist the curse of the "evil eye"

Green eye shadow was called\ & quot;udju\ & quot, black eye shadow was called\ & quot; mesdemet\ & quot; they were all popular at different stages of history. The ancient Egyptians believed that green represents the renewal of everything, so the use of green eye shadow has a long history and has always taken the lead in the ancient and intermediate dynasties. Its main pigment is malachite from the Sinai Peninsula (present-day northeastern Egypt), an alkaline copper carbonate mineral. The eye shadow ointment is made by crushing malachite and mixing it with beeswax, gum, resin, or animal fat. The last four ingredients all have a fixed makeup effect, which makes the pigment fit more closely with the eyelids.

Black eye shadow became popular at the beginning of the New Kingdom and quickly overwhelmed green and became a new trend. Its main pigments are galena, sulfides, and coal ash. Unlike the vitality of green, the meaning of black is death. Unlike modern people, the ancient Egyptians did not feel that death contained darkness and desolation. In their religion, death is just a journey to the afterlife.

in addition to green and black, people also use orange or apricot eye shadow, but only for special occasions. In addition, people use eye shadow cream to draw eyeliner, thicken eyelashes, and dye eyebrows, which is very close to the composition of eye makeup in the modern sense.

Egyptian papyrus painting, painting eye makeup for others

fragrance  

as early as that time, the ancient Egyptians were known as\ & quot; aroma blending masters\ & quot; bottle after bottle of admirable essential oil was born from their brilliant hands. Many ingredients were searched for from other countries, such as myrrh, which they imported from the land of Ponte on the west coast of the Red Sea (now near Ethiopia). They also import spicy spices (cinnamon, sandalwood, ginger), floral spices (jasmine and roses are expensive floral spices), and wooden spices (cedar, oak). They are good at using their own odorless base essential oils (Clava oil, castor oil, jojoba oil) as the base to mix all kinds of odors.

the ancient Egyptians generally used the fat coagulation method to extract unilateral essential oils. This is a very primitive process, crushing petals, incense wood, and other raw materials, mixing them with animal and vegetable oils, and wrapping them with gauze. After the mixture has condensed properly, twist the gauze hard to obtain an essential oil with a charming smell.

frankincense (left) and myrrh (right), respectively, solidified frankincense tree and myrrh resin

special compound essential oils are specially named, which is very similar to the modern perfume industry. Generally speaking, where the formula of essential oil is invented, people will use this place name to call it. For example, a compound essential oil called\ & quot; dream butterfly\ & quot; (Mendesian) was blended in Mendes (eastern Egyptian city of Mendes,).

their essential oils are superior in quality and hold fragrance for a long time. Most of the varieties are exported to other countries, such as Rome. Even after a long process of transportation, the aroma will not be lost and deteriorated. Even those essential oil bottles that remain today (of course, the contents of the bottles have long been volatilized), as soon as the cap is opened, it still gives off the fragrance of a long time.

Yes, the ancient Egyptians stored essential oils in delicate and beautiful bottles. Not only essential oils but also other cosmetics will be classified and packed in elegant bottles and cans. Coupled with the same beautifully decorated drawer cage, the bottles and cans will be collected into a complete set. A special makeup mirror also appeared. These small containers are made of glass or jade, decorated with patterns or gems, but the most high-end ones are alabaster bottles. Essential oil bottles are placed in a cool, dark place to keep their aroma for a thousand years.

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the makeup case of the ancient Egyptians contained all kinds of bottles and cans needed for makeup, including essence

. However, because of the high price and luxury of essential oil, not everyone can afford it. So its popularity is almost limited to the upper-class circle of dignitaries. For ordinary people, odorless basic essential oils are more popular and, like eye shadow, are health care products that anyone can use. Smear it on the body, on the one hand, it can moisturize the skin, and on the other hand, it can help the skin resist the burning sun.

both makeup and fragrance were an indispensable part of religious worship in ancient Egypt. In addition to dressing up day after day, people are not even willing to let go of the idols they worship, and they will be powdered, mixed with oil and incense every day, and they are quite pious.

Pharaoh Tutankhamun's figure on the gold coffin is also painted with rich eyeliner

for the ancient Egyptians, spices also played an important role in the process of body death and entering the afterlife. When mummifying people who have just died, the cleaned bodies are smeared with essential oils, spices, and resins. In addition, the straw is soaked in a mixture of myrrh, frankincense, and jasmine to fill the hollowed-out body cavity.

it is important to ensure that the Pharaoh's mummies have enough spices to use after the resurrection so that their afterlife journey goes smoothly. Therefore, in the tombs of the pharaohs, there are often a large number of spices buried with them. Like what remains in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.Spices, thousands of years later, still fragrance.

Today, those sleeping mummies are still waiting for the day of resurrection. But the far-reaching influence of the ancient Egyptians on the trend of modern makeup has long been resurrected ahead of them. Perhaps this is God's deliberate arrangement, so that even when the pharaohs who love make-up wake up, they can get what they want as they did before they were alive, wearing heavy makeup and fragrance every day without feeling strange, right?