Regardless of their social status and sex, Egyptians used cosmetics. Oil, pressed from fruit or nuts, was the base of most of them. They were used to protect the skin and the hair from the hot air of the desert.

For soap they used natron, a paste that contains clay or ash. Sometimes, they used to mix vegetable and animal oils with alkaline salts.

As to the hair, it was simply considered the natural habitat of lice, therefore they chose the easy way: either putting oil on it or shaving the head – which most of them did. Even still, the Egyptians had nothing against the wigs they used as hats to protect them from the sun.

Keep in mind the fact that most of them were dead before the age of forty – that’s why they were concerned with the preservation of youthful looks. The oil extracted from seeds was used mainly to improve the skin’s condition.

Have things changed a lot since? Not really, as even today we care a lot about our physical appearance and do our best to look as well and as young as possible. It’s available for both men and women!