Aloe Vera To Seaweed: These Ancient Beauty Hacks Are Still Embraced Today – News18
Last Updated:
Natural ingredients have been used for centuries to improve beauty, with many traditional remedies still valued in modern skincare.
Aloe vera used for sunburn, acne, and dry skin for thousands of years.
For centuries, cultures have relied on nature for beauty solutions — many of which still hold their ground in modern skincare. While the beauty industry has embraced many synthetic innovations, some ancient remedies have never lost their charm, proving that nature often knows best.
From bright skin to luscious hair, these five age-old beauty secrets continue to inspire today’s routines. Some things never go out of style.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is widely used today to treat sunburn, acne, dehydration and other skin conditions. But its benefits were recognised thousands of years ago, when people began using this plant for medicinal purposes long before it became a staple in the cosmetics industry. Historically, Egyptians, Indians, Japanese, and Chinese have applied raw aloe vera gel to treat dry skin and prevent hair loss.
Ground bark (outer layer of trees)
In the 11th century, the people of Myanmar would moisten small logs from thanaka trees and rub them against a round slate with water to create a fine paste. Traditionally, women and girls applied these light-yellow designs to protect their skin from harmful UV rays and prevent cell damage.
Saffron as a natural makeup colour
Legend has it that the famously beautiful Egyptian queen Cleopatra bathed in donkey’s milk infused with rose petals and saffron. The delicate stigmas of the saffron flower, with their bright red and yellow filaments, were dried and finely ground to create luxurious oils, lipsticks and perfumes. In the Middle East, saffron was also used as a natural dye for hands, often paired with henna and turmeric.
Rose petals
Rose petals were originally consumed as a Turkish delicacy infused with water and are still used in oils, lotions, perfumes and moisturisers. Many ancient cultures used them to flavour food before incorporating them into skincare and fragrances. The Sumerians and Assyrians extracted scents from rose petals as early as 3500 BC by soaking them in boiling water, adding oil and heating the mixture before applying it to the body and hair.
Seaweed
This slippery, strong-smelling marine plant has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that help reduce swelling and prevent bacterial growth. In ancient Greece, red dye extracted from seaweed was mixed with mulberries to colour lips, while the Romans used seaweed to treat rashes, burns, wounds, and inflammation. Seaweed was also blended with mud, algae and salt water for cosmetic and therapeutic treatments.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
