Cleopatra’s Beauty Secrets

Practical tips and tricks straight from the Egyptian queen's skin care routine!

Reviewed by Simone de Vlaming, Beauty Expert
Written by Nisha Baghadia

Fact-checked by Anu Pallavi • Jul 11, 2023

Image: Shutterstock

The Queen of Egypt Cleopatra is known as the most beautiful woman in human history, and for centuries people have been admiring her beauty. From her signature makeup looks to the seduction tactics, beauty treatments, and use of natural ingredients fit for royalty, Cleopatra’s beauty secrets have been thoroughly studied and researched, and these secrets are relevant to many of us even today. Keep reading to know about them all!

In This Article

Queen Cleopatra’s Beauty Secrets:

From using natural ingredients like honey and rosewater to her elaborate hair and body care routines, Queen Cleopatra had set the bar for beauty standards too high. Her beauty practices and exotic cosmetics are revolutionizing for beauty industry. Come along as we examine the ancient queen’s beauty regimen and see how her methods have influenced modern beauty techniques.

1. She loved to use honey on her face due to its antibacterial properties.

Quick Tip

Honey is an excellent emollient and humectant. It can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, regulate skin pH, and may help condition your hair (2).

2. She washed her face many times a day using oil and chalk or oil and lime.

3. She used to rinse her face with Apple cider vinegar.

4. Ginger, antimony, calamine, onions, goose fat, turpentine, etc. were some of the numerous skin care products used in Queen Cleopatra’s skin care regime!

5. Sea salt scrub was the natural scrub she used to exfoliate her body and face.

6. Queen Cleopatra used rosewater to make the pimple marks disappear.

Quick Tip

Rose petal extract contains potent antioxidants like anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids that help reduce free radicals. It also has anti-inflammatory properties (3).

7. The natural nail polish that Queen Cleopatra used was Henna, which gives fingernails a lovely reddish-brown color.

8. She used henna or a Mixture of Juniper berries, oil and two unidentified plants to dye her hair. . Besides these, olive oil was used to enrich the hair texture.

9. Cleopatra Beauty secrets – Milk:

She added Dead Sea salt to her bath with essential oils and aromatic flowers to relieve stress and make her skin glow! She used milk for bathing. Vitamins A and E in milk acted as an antiseptic too. She also mixed Milk with Olive oil to use it as a Moisturizer.

Quick Tip

Milk contains beneficial compounds that can help address many skin issues, such as acne, blackheads, and excess oil production. It also helps soothe and moisturize your skin (4).

10. As far as fragrance is concerned, Cleopatra was said to have loved the scent of roses, and used rosewater as a perfume. It’s believed that she would soak rose petals in water and then distill the mixture to create a fragrant, floral water that she could use as a perfume or facial toner.

11. Cucumber, gum, oil and sycamore juice, mixed with boiled and crushed bones of a specific bird was used by Queen Cleopatra as a hair removal cream.

12. She chewed cachous pastilles to prevent bad breath.

13. Pellets of Carob and some essential oils were used to prevent any body-odour.

14. Red ochre and fat mixed together was used to color her lips, and Celery and hemp were combined for soothing her eyes. Antimony Sulphide was the black chemical she used to make her eyes, eyebrows and her lashes dark;

15. Many still use this popular recipe to get rid of tan even today. Take 1 cup of green grapes and 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix it together and apply on your skin. Leave it on for 15 minutes to remove tan.

Interesting beauty secrets of queen Cleopatra

Infographic: Top 8 Secrets Of Cleopatra You Should Know About

Egyptian Queen Cleopatra is known for her alluring beauty. A variety of natural ingredients like milk, honey, salt, and essential oils was the secret to her enchanting beauty. Check out the infographic below to discover her top 8 beauty secrets you can incorporate into your daily skincare routine.

top 8 beauty secret of cleopatra you should know about (infographic)

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Download Infographic

The Egyptian queen Cleopatra is known for her enchanting beauty, charm, and allure. She is regarded as one of the most beautiful queens of the era. She indulged in beauty rituals that were enriched with natural ingredients and beauty products that are still relevant and people use them as beauty tips and beauty hacks. They are famous as Cleopatra’s beauty secrets are worthy enough to get included in your skincare regimen. She used to mix honey with donkey milk, sea salt scrub, and rose water in her skincare routine. Follow these beauty secrets to get glowing, flawless skin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Cleopatra use aloe vera?

According to history, Cleopatra has used aloe vera as part of her skin care routine (1).

What was Cleopatra’s diet?

It is said that Cleopatra’s diet consisted of vegetables, fruits, legumes, pigeon meat, and mutton.

Why did Cleopatra wear lipstick?

Cleopatra’s lipstick is said to contain crushed carmine beetles and ants as a symbol of social status and power.

What did Cleopatra use for shampoo?

According to various historical sources, Cleopatra used olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, eggs, and honey to nourish and moisturize her long hair.

What ancient Egyptian beauty tools were used by Cleopatra and can still be used today?

Ancient Egyptians used hair combs made from bone, wood, or ivory. Beauty products like Dead Sea salts, kohl, milk and honey mask, henna, and milk baths are still being used by people as part of their beauty routine.

How can I combine Cleopatra’s beauty secrets with modern-day skincare practices for optimal results?

Cleopatra used natural ingredients like honey and milk in her beauty routine. You can combine them with body lotions, creams, and other modern beauty products in accordance with your skin type to obtain optimal results.

Discover the beauty secrets of Queen Cleopatra in this amazing video! From milk baths to exotic oils, learn how to achieve her legendary beauty and radiance.

Sources

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