The Ancient Egyptians Used Makeup and Perfume

The Ancient Egyptians used makeup and perfume not only to look and feel good, but for spiritual and ritual reasons, as well.

Many women and men wore eyeshadow, eyeliner, blusher and lipstick. 

Eyeliner was made by crushing kohl or charcoal, eyeshadow from crushed stones like malachite and lipstick from crushed carmine beetles. These were ground on cosmetic palettes.

Cosmetic Box from the tomb of Sennedjem - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Image (Sennedjem was an ancient Egyptian official active in the early Nineteenth Dynasty-period, lasting from 1292 BC to 1189 BC)

Ancient Egyptian cosmetic set from c. 1550–1458 BC, featuring, from left to right, a kohl tube, a razor, a pair of tweezers, a whetstone, and a mirror, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Egyptians also often wore perfume cones on the head. These were made by mixing oils, resins and fat and containing myrrh (perfume from tree resin).

These cones, when placed on the head, would melt from the body heat and release perfume.

The first known depiction of the perfume cones dates from the reign of Hatshepsut (c. 1507–1458 BC), who was was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Thutmose II. She reigned in her own right circa 1473–58 BCE.

Painting of Lady Tjepu, 1390–1353 BC

Wealthy people of both sexes wore wigs made from human hair and date palm fibre.

Merit's wig from the tomb of Kha and Merit, 14th century BCE, https://collezioni.museoegizio.it/en-GB/material/S_8499

Henna, was believed to drive away evil spirits. Nails and hands were painted with henna, and henna hair dye, originated in ancient Egypt.