Skin Care Through the Ages – From Ancient Egypt to Modern Day Snohomish Skin Care

Skin care and beauty is nothing new! Although modern day skin care is cutting edge, the fact is, even the ancient Egyptians and Chinese practiced skin care. Today we have numerous choices of products and treatments to treat our skin and prevent the signs of aging.

Ancient Beauty Secrets

Well known for her attention to anti-aging skin care regimen, Cleopatra’s sour milk baths are in fact scientifically proven as beneficial. High levels of lactic acid present in sour milk is actually fantastic for the skin – think buttermilk bath. Ancient Egyptians believed that cleanliness was necessary for good health and to ward off evil.

Ancient Greek athletes bathed in olive oil, followed by dusting their bodies with fine sand.Used primarily to regulate their bodies’ temperature, the athletes unknowingly were protecting their skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays as well. This was one of the first documented sunblocks on record – which prevented their skin from premature aging. It was common for both men and women to use honey and olive oil to enhance their appearance and protect their health.

Ancient Romans were the first to introduce shaving of body hair (other than men’s faces, of course). Plucking, shaving and even forms of depilatories were used by both men and women. Taking advantage of the natural water resources, the population partook in daily baths with soaps to cleanse their skin. The skin care process was completed with application of scented oils to their skin.

What Happened in Europe?

As recent as the 19th century, Europeans were known to use scented toilette waters and oils to mask their body odors. They believed that daily bathing was unhealthy, ironically, the lack of cleanliness was  responsible for  a number of illnesses and diseases related to poor hygiene.

Fortunately, today even the majority of Europeans do bathe daily, as has been an American habit for some time. Concerns over body odor not related to poor hygiene, led to the development of deodorants and antiperspirants in the late 19th century.

Modern Skin Care

As women gained independence after World War I, they began to spend more money on cosmetics and skin care. By the nifty 50s, with a television in nearly every American home, advertising had brought the wonders of skin care to more and more women. Following their favorite Hollywood movie stars, women began to emulate their favorites’ skin care regimen and makeup routines.

With research into aging, every time there is a breakthrough it seems the cosmetic industry follows suit with a new anti-aging product. The old stand-bys are still in use today, however, think…cucumbers for puffy eyes. But many high-end products available from Everett Skin Care Line, are based on the most current research regarding aging and its affects on the skin.

Remember, skin care starts with proper cleansing! It is essential that you cleanse your skin at night, removing all makeup and in the morning to remove heavy night creams before applying moisturizers/makeup. Everett Skin Care experts at Le Visage Wellness in Mukilteo also offer a variety of treatments, including microdermabrasion and chemical peels that will allow moisturizers to sink even deeper into your tissue, providing increased care for your skin.