ABSTRACT
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, the Incas and Aztek cultures, all of
them frequently used personal care products (cosmetics). Cleopatra’s baths in
asses’ milk and the conspicuous makeup and malachite eye shadow of Nefertiti
and of the pharaohs still appeal to our imagination. The embalmment of the
deceased pharaohs and the makeup articles found in their tombs are evidence
of their interest in and knowledge of cosmetics. They already tried to counteract
the formation of wrinkles by means of an ointment based on the fenugreek plant.
The Greeks and the Romans also applied massage oils on a large scale. The Greek
Theophrastus (372 B.C.) and the Roman Galen (130-200 A.D.) wrote the first
systematic books about the preparation of cosmetics through the introduction
of distillation and extraction processes. Via the crusaders and the Portuguese
and Spanish explorers, cosmetics gradually became known in Europe. During
the Renaissance, cosmetics and perfumes were still mainly used at the royal
courts. Not until 1900 did they come within reach of ordinary citizens.
