Cosmetics
Since olive trees are everywhere in Greece it is sort of obvious that Greece would find many uses for it. Olive oil was extracted to make fragrant oils. Olive oil was also used for personal hygiene and as a body cleanser especially for women. Women used it as a beautifying face cleanser, after-bath moisturizer and as a personal lotion. Greek men rubbed olive oil on their bodies before going to the gym or to batlle. Using honey as a cosmetic started in 5000 BC when the main products used for cosmetics were based on honey products, goat's milk, flowers, herbs and olive oil. Women from the Minoan civilization liked having baths with milk and honey for their nightly beauty treatments. Even in modern Greece honey is still part of many main Greek beauty products. Ancient Greek women powdered their faces (to have a pale complexion which was in rage at that time) with a cosmetic powder called fucus. Fucus was made from powdered chalk and white lead. Yes, the same lead that has been proved dangerous to human health. The women didn't know about this and freely put on this hazardous material as a powder and also as a facial mask that took out impurities from their skins, but to save their skin from the harsh effects (like dry skin) women put on a layer of olive oil, lanolin or tallow to their skin. Seaweed also has some great effects like the rosy flush that the ancient Greeks wanted to accomplish.
Grecian women used very little makeup as they wanted to keep their skin pale. Charcoal was a big one in ancient Greek cosmetics and proved to be an excellent eyeshadow. Similar to Egyptians, Greek women liked to define their eyes with dark powders. They used charcoal, soot and ashes as eyeshadow, brow filler and eyeliner. They also used kohl or powdered antimony which is quite similar to lead, as they both are quite dangerous to humans. Greek women preferred dark, heavy eyebrows and unibrows were also in rage for some time!! Roses, anemones, mulberries, lotus flowers, marigolds and lavender are a few examples of the natural environment finding a way into Greek cosmetics. The ancient Greeks were also known to make cosmetics from natural pigments like red wine. Beetroot was favoured as it gave a reddish-pink hue to the cheeks and lips. Makeup was usually limited to the rich and royal for it was so expensive. Women can be seen wearing makeup in paintings dating as far back as 1500 BC.
Lipsticks were made from a paste made with red iron oxide and ochre clays or beeswax mixed with olive oil. A red powder made from beetroots (look above) was added to the cheeks. Eyeshadows were made with ground charcoal mixed with olive oil (the miracles of olive oil!). In Greece hair was very important as it showed the class differences, slaves had short hair and rich or free women had long hair, however, after they married, they would always wear their hair up like in a bun. Their hair were decked up with accessories like jeweled combs, scarves and hair pins. Grecians also liked pale locks as most of them had dark hair. To do this the women put vinegar on their hair and stayed in the sun. Archaeologists have found hats with holes in the center, probably to keep their hair in the sun while trying to maintain their pale complexions. To make their hair softer, Grecians used olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment. The scents in their hair came from boiling flowers, herbs and spices with olive oil. In the classical time, women cut their hair while mourning.
Grecian women used very little makeup as they wanted to keep their skin pale. Charcoal was a big one in ancient Greek cosmetics and proved to be an excellent eyeshadow. Similar to Egyptians, Greek women liked to define their eyes with dark powders. They used charcoal, soot and ashes as eyeshadow, brow filler and eyeliner. They also used kohl or powdered antimony which is quite similar to lead, as they both are quite dangerous to humans. Greek women preferred dark, heavy eyebrows and unibrows were also in rage for some time!! Roses, anemones, mulberries, lotus flowers, marigolds and lavender are a few examples of the natural environment finding a way into Greek cosmetics. The ancient Greeks were also known to make cosmetics from natural pigments like red wine. Beetroot was favoured as it gave a reddish-pink hue to the cheeks and lips. Makeup was usually limited to the rich and royal for it was so expensive. Women can be seen wearing makeup in paintings dating as far back as 1500 BC.
Lipsticks were made from a paste made with red iron oxide and ochre clays or beeswax mixed with olive oil. A red powder made from beetroots (look above) was added to the cheeks. Eyeshadows were made with ground charcoal mixed with olive oil (the miracles of olive oil!). In Greece hair was very important as it showed the class differences, slaves had short hair and rich or free women had long hair, however, after they married, they would always wear their hair up like in a bun. Their hair were decked up with accessories like jeweled combs, scarves and hair pins. Grecians also liked pale locks as most of them had dark hair. To do this the women put vinegar on their hair and stayed in the sun. Archaeologists have found hats with holes in the center, probably to keep their hair in the sun while trying to maintain their pale complexions. To make their hair softer, Grecians used olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment. The scents in their hair came from boiling flowers, herbs and spices with olive oil. In the classical time, women cut their hair while mourning.