the Court of Hearts

The fact that the ancient Egyptians, who lived in a fairly harsh, hot environment, thought of, and they took some great pains to make sure that that their skin stayed as supple as it could.

Oil formed the base for many different cosmetic treatments, whether it was used on its own to soften the skin or used in conjunction with a metallic pigment to add some color.

One pigment that might have been used in the basic foundation or to add some bright color to the cheeks or lips was dyer's alknet, a plant which could produce colors ranging from reds to purples and which is often seen in trace amounts in ancient cosmetic kits.

Given the fact that galena and malachite are ores of lead and copper, you can think of the ancient Egyptian as some of the earliest users of mineral makeup!