The Ancient Hellenes were lovers of physical beauty (kallos) and sought to improve their appearance through nutrition, athletics, and cosmetics. Both women and men took a lot of care of their appearance as it was considered a symbol of wealth and social status.
The word Cosmetic derives from the Hellenic word “Kosmetikos” meaning the awareness of harmony, organization and tranquility. With Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty, as their beauty idol, Ancient Hellene women paid close attention to their skincare, making great use of the ingredients found affluent in their natural environment.
As olive trees were naturally abundant in Ancient Hellas, olive oil became a staple in ancient Hellenic culture. Initially it was extracted for making fragrance oils but the Ancient Hellenes later began using it for food, pharmaceutical purposes, personal hygiene and cosmetic use.
Ancient Hellenic women used olive oil as a beautifying face cleanser, hair treatment, after bath moisturizer and as a personal lubricant. Ancient Hellenic men, on the other hand, rubbed olive oil on their bodies before going to the gym or to battle.
In Ancient Hellas honey was viewed as a precious sweetener, natural remedy and beautifying ingredient, thus calling it “Food of the Gods.” As early as 2400 BCE, the Ancient Hellenes used honey in nutrition, cosmetics and various skincare concoctions.
Ancient Hellenic women’s nightly beauty routine often included baths with honey and milk. Additionally, honey-based face masks and body scrubs were very popular due to its anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties. To this day, honey remains a major ingredient in modern Hellenic beauty products.
Milk was widely used by the Ancient Hellenes for its softening properties and was often combined with honey in many cosmetic and anti-aging preparations. Women of aristocracy (including Queen Cleopatra who was of Hellenic descent) would bathe in donkey’s milk as it was considered to help the skin look paler.
Yogurt, on the other hand, was regarded as a miraculous ingredient primarily used to relieve the skin against sunburns and remove dead skin cells. Modern science confirms that the lactose, proteins, vitamins, and minerals found in yogurt can soothe sunburns and act as a natural exfoliant, making it a very popular ingredient in contemporary Hellenic beauty products.
The Ancient Hellenes used sea salt regularly in order to exfoliate, rejuvenate, and enrich their face and body with natural minerals, while occasionally mixing it with olive oil. Sea salt was also believed to have detoxifying and cleansing properties on both a physical and spiritual level.
Warm seawater baths, otherwise known as thalassotherapy (a word derived from the Hellenic word “thalassa” (θάλασσα) which means sea) were extensively used by the Ancient Hellenes as a remedy, trusting the healing powers of the sea. Hippocrates, Plato and Aristotle recommended the use of hot, seawater baths for both healing and preventative purposes.
"The sea cures all ailments of man."
- Plato
The Ancient Hellenes incorporated many herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruits indigenous to Hellas into their cosmetics. Rose was considered the “Queen of flowers” and its oil and water were frequently used to soothe and nourish dry skin. Anemones, mulberries, lotus flowers, marigolds, lavender, chamomile and cypress oil were also used in various skincare concoctions.
Ancient Hellenic women also created make-up products from natural pigments, plant roots, and red wine. Beetroot was very popular as it gave a reddish-pink hue to the cheeks and lips. Lipsticks could also be made from a paste of red iron oxide and ochre clays or beeswax mixed with olive oil.
Ancient Hellenic women loved to emphasize their eyes and eyebrows following the trends of the time which dictated very dark, heavy and connected eyebrows, the “unibrow” as we now call it. Charcoal, often mixed with olive oil, was widely used as an eye-liner, eyeshadow and brow pencil, giving Hellenic women that fashionable dramatic effect on their eyes and eyebrows.
Mastic gum, often referred to as the "teardrops of Chios", is a resin sourced from the mastic tree which grows exclusively on the island of Chios. The ancient Hellenes used it to freshen their breath and improve digestion and oral health. To this day, mastic gum is considered a powerful natural remedy, and also used in perfumes, cosmetics, soap, body oils, and body lotion.