COLOURED NAILS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1938, Page 8

COLOURED NAILS

IN PHARAOH’S DAYS. ANCIENT GIRL WAS BEAUTY CONSCIOUS. Making-up by women goes back to the time of the Egyptian women. Actually, as early as mankind began to civilise and cultivate life and manners, beauty culture had its place in the woman’s daily affairs, and, as long as human beings remain loyal to art and culture, beauty culture will play an integral part of the life of a nation. Jezebel’s Colour Scheme.

Our civilisation originates from the time when the old Egyptians populated the border lands of the Nile. We are too much inclined to forget what we owe to peoples and individuals who lived before us. Many things we are proud of were not invented by us, but re-invented! Thus, beauty culture and cosmetics are not a fashion of the 20th century. There is a realistic episode in the second Book of Kings on the question of make-up: “And when John was to come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she panted her face and tied her head, and looked out of the window.”

Thus the girl of ancient times was not different from the modern girl when she was expecting her friend! Yet the Bible is only the second record of making-up in ancient times. Archaeologists found an old Egyptian papyrus containing a recipe for making a hairwash which consisted of equal parts of the heel of greyhound, date blossoms, and asses’ hoof, which Were mixed and boiled in oil! Such a mixture sounds ridiculous to us, but the Egyptian women believed in it as they did in henna, which was not only used to give a fresh colour to the hair, but also for dying the palms, soles, and nails. The women Who lived in the shadow of palm trees and pyramids many centuries ago have been more lavish of colors than the women reproached by Professor Osborne or the unnamed taxation official.

Painted Eyebrows. Artistic hair-styles and Wigs were also Very fashionable, and so were painted eyebrows. Little vases of alabaster, faience, and other materials have been found Which once upon a lime served as receptacles for eye paints. Such vases are to be seen today in the British Museum in London. A green ore of copper the malachite, was ground into powder which

was used for the manufacturing of a paste. At a later period a grey ore of lead was used instead But the paste was not only applied in order to accentuate the dark colour of the eyebrows. To make the face more fascinating the eyelids were painted, too Beneath lhe eyes a thick line was drawn with coloured paste, and then the Oriental beauty could admire herself in a mirror, which Was already known to fhe Egyptians living under the Sixth Dynasty. Flowers worn in the hair are a ballroom fashion of present times, but centuries ago 'he Pharaohs admired I their wives adorned with lotus blooms. Several female inhabitants of the old Egyptian kingdom had their hair bobbed and their toenails as well as fingernails stained with henna. The vanity of the men could not stand against the progress of their wives’ making-up. So they rivalled with the women in painting their eyebrows'

The Egyptians were also the first who used perfumes, which they imported from Persia. Perfume (per — through; fume —fumu'm —smoke) was used in ancient times as incense on the sacrificial altar. Later its application was not limited to the divine service. 1 The women 'used it in order to - keep their skin smooth and fresh. The Book of Exodus contains a recipe for perfumes, and it is obvious that lhe Hebrews got “to know them from their oppressors, the Pharaohs. Egyptian mummies found by scientists smell still of different perfumes and oils. Oil was very important, and could not be missed on the toilet table of the Egyptian woman It was a symbol of gaiety, and in the climate of Africa, where it is also used by native tribes today, it is of particular value for the skin.