Ancient Skincare and Beauty Practices Influenced the Growth of the Skin Care Industry

The skin care industry has been growing because the skin care market is now catering not only to older women but also to younger demographics of both sexes. The greater phenomenon is that both men and women prefer private label skin care brands dispensed by dermatology clinics.

Since their main concern is to look and feel good without speeding up the process of aging, they are confident that the products recommended by their dermatologist are the right kind for their skin type. Rather than seek for cure later, the younger generation are now keen on investing on ounces and ounces of prevention.

Skin care isn’t a new trend as ancient artefacts indicate both Egyptian men and women of stature were obsessed with having a beautiful and youthful appearance. Hand-made copper mirror, combs and calcite vessels in assorted sizes were used for storing skin lubricants, perfumes and minerals like green malachite and kohl used as eye makeup.

History of Skin Care for Health and Beauty

The Ancient Egyptians were the proponents in the advancements in skincare ingredients that were proven effective through the centuries. An indication that Ancient Egyptians were engrossed with beauty are their clay face masks which later on expanded to milk and honey.

 

Egyptian ruler Cleopatra known for her beauty in the ancient world was one of the instigators of similar beauty practices. She was known for bathing in donkey milk baths, using mud masks made from the mud of the Dead Sea twice a week, as a way to purify her skin and preserve her complexion. Not only that, she also spearheaded utilizing egg whites in face masks as an ingredient to make the skin glow.

Known for being one of the Four Ancient Beauties of China, Yang Guifei is one of the ancient pioneers of skincare aside from Cleopatra. Guifei natural materials like pearl, tea leaves, lotus flower, jadeite, and ginger root grounded into powder and then mixed with water to create a beautifying mask. Other women in Emperor Xuanzong’s court jumped on the bandwagon after seeing the effects in Guifei.

Sources of face masks were also found in other parts of Asia such as in ancient India 5,000 years ago where they had a practice called Ayurveda which means “life and knowledge”. Those who practice this holistic lifestyle invented what they call ubtan which are body and face masks. Experts even consider ubtan as one of the very first cosmetic products to exist in the planet.

Ubtan masks vary in ingredients depending on the seasons but there were always plants like aloe vera, roots like turmeric, flowers, and fresh herbs. These masks made tested and mixed on every skin type, which helped improve the practitioners’ health and appearance.

Later on, the ubtan masks were included as a preparation ritual of choice for women during the night before religious ceremonies. Nowadays, believers of the holistic lifestyle Ayurveda are still the same and women tenets still use the very same ingredients in making the masks.

Private label skin care products are not only about anti-acne treatments and anti-aging formulations. It’s actually a broad collection of skin care products specializing in different aspects of skin needs, from eye care, subscreens, to moisturizers for sensitive and ultra-dry complexion, to peels and scrubs for brightening and/or whitening skin.

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