BEAUTY

Spring is just around the corner and we must prepare our skin for this climate change.  Of course taking care of your skin all year round is ideal, but when drastic weather changes, we need to prepare. 

There thousands of beauty products out in the marketplace, it’s a billion dollar industry, which only tells me that so many people want to look and feel great.  And with such high demands, many companies will offer great lines of products and some of the best and most exclusive products will be extremely expensive.  Well, now you can look like a million bucks with the hefty expense.

With that said, i guess many have forgotten that most of those product  carry both, organic and or natural ingredients that come from fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, plants, flowers, animals, etc., and list goes on and on.

Here is the thing, if you seek to have healthy and beautiful skin or hair, many of those products are already in your kitchen.   Many of these products are today classified as homemade beauty products, and many times labeled as secrets.  Well, the secret is now out the box.  You can have amazing skin for really minimal investment and at the comfort of your own space.  What more can you ask for?

So... in this editorial, I will encourage you try some of these organic or natural ways of taking care of your skin.  You will be surprised at how easy, convenient and wonderful these homemade products are.  Most of all, the results you will get are a mazing. 

And, “why should i go this secretive route”, you might ask.  Well, there are so many benefits to homemade beauty secrets. 

1. 1.For one, you can minimize the numbers of unknown ingredients to your skin or hairs.
   

2. 2.If you are allergic to anything, you can now subtract that from your products.
   

3. 3.If it’s good for your body, it must be good for your skin.
   

4. 4.Homemade beauty secrets cost less than one product.
   

5. 5.You will know what you are putting on your skin.
   

And that’s just to name a few.      Go explore!!

FREEMAN

peel-off mask

Ole Henriksen

walnut scrub

PALMER’S

foaming cleansing milk

BURT’S BEES

deep cleansing cream

BURT’S BEES

radience day creme

L’OCCITANE

shea butter

AFRICAN SHEA BUTTER

organic, raw and great

TRADER JOE’S

enrich moisturizing cream

PROACTIVE

facial kit

OLAY

regenerist moisturizer

NOXEMA

the original cleansing cream

POND’S

dry skin cream

KHIEL’S

overnight hydrating masque

KHIEL’S

brightening exfoliator

KHIEL’S

purifying foaming cleanser

PHISODERM

sensitive skin cream cleanser

100% PURE

gel eye liner

GUCCI

TED BAKER

BEAUTANNIA

JUSTIN BIEBER

Next Girlfriend

JILL SANDER

Sun Rise

GUESS

Girls Summer

ETRO

Jaquard

ALESHA DIXON

Alesha Rose Quartz

BUTTER

1. 1.  John Masters Organics
   

2. 2.  Kiss My Face
   

3. 3.  Wen
   

4. 4.  Aubrey
   

5. 5.  Giovanni

11. 11.  Jason
    

12. 12.  OGX
    

13. 13.  Avalon Organics
    

14. 14.  Renpure
    

15. 15.  Nature’s Gate

6. 6. Beautiful Curls
   

7.  Organic Root

8.  Ojon

9. 9. SheaMoisture
   

10. 10.  Alba

16.  Yes to Carrots

17.  American Crew

18.  Dr. Bronner’s

19.  EO

20.  Honeybee Gardens

L’OCCITANE

divine cream

HUMPHREY’S

witch hazel astrigent

L’OCCITANE

shea butter scrub

L’OCCITANE

immortelle night cream

PALMER’S

body lotion

KHIEL’S

creme de corps

L’OCCITANE

verbena body lotion

L’OCCITANE

shea butter

L’OCCITANE

lavender body lotion

BURT’S BEES

ultimate care body lotion

AFRICAN SHEA BUTTER

organic, raw and great

NIVEA

original body lotion

J.R. WATKINS

lemon hand & body lotion

BATH & BODY WORKS

orange ginger body lotion

BRONNELY

body lotion

CRABTREE & EVELYN

avocado, olive & oil lotion

CETAPHIL

fragrance fee body cream

EUCERIN

fast absorbing lotion

AVEENO

stress relief lotion

BLISS

body butter lemon & sage

L’OCCITANE

divine cream

OUT OF AFRICA

unrefined shea grapefruit

ANTHO

patchouli body cream

S.W. BASICS

cream

Alba Botanica

Anjolie Ayurveda

Antho

Metropolis Soap Co.

Nittany Valley Organics

Angel Face Botanicals

Kalliste Organics

Bill Dog

Kiss My Face

Weleda

Dr. Bronner

Buttercup Naturals

Happy Farm Botanicals

Blissoma

Shikai

Palmers

Raw Skin Ceuticals

Pretty Organics Cosemtics

Burt’s Bee

Bliss

Khiels

Pacific Herbs

Erbaorganics

Tata Harper

She Essential Beauty

SW Basics

Babo Botanicals

Plantlife Natural Body Care

Zaki Organics

The Bath Place

Whispering Willow

Earth’s Best

Avalon Organics

J.R. Watkins

Beecology

Dolly Moo

Deep Steep

Essence of Vali

Peter Lamas

Keeki Pure & Simple

Simply. Nautral.

Arch

Flourish Natural Bodycare

Sarada Ayurvedic

Metamour Skin Care

SIbu

Maple Hill Naturals

Olivia Care

Chivas Skin Care

Level Naturals

Joyful Bath Co.

Soapbox Soaps

Biggs & Featherbelle

Exfoliating Minerals

Twin Cottage industries

Unearth Malee Organic Soaps

Etta & Bille

Tierra Mia Organics

HollyBeth Organics

Jason

Bhaktiveda

Light Mountain

Logona

L’occitane

Go by Ginger People

Sibu

Piccolo Paradiso

Valentina’s Home-Brewed

Baberry Naturals

Joyful Bath Co.

Beekman 1802

Canus

Maja

Mor

Cliniquee

Chanel

Lancome

Murad

Shiseido

Tweezerman

Estee Lauder

Soap & Glory

Benefit Cosmetics

Bliss

Peter Thomas Roth

Josie Maran

GlamGlow

Philosophy

Fresh

Ole Henriksen

Boscia

Dior

Clarins

Guerlain

Sulwhasoo

La Praire

Kahina Giving Beauty

NATURAL OR ORGANIC

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile peppermint

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile lavender

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile citrus orange

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile tea tree

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile almond

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile rose

DIAL

antibacterial gold bars

CANUS

goat milk soap

SHEA MOISTURE

shea butter soap

MAJA

soap bars

BRONNLEY

honey blossom soap

OLIVIA CARE

set of 4 soap bars

THE BODY SHOP

olive shower gel

THE BODDY SHOP

olive soap bar

YARDLEY OF LONDON

soap bar

DR. BRONNER’S

pure castile soap bar

100% PURE

eye line & shadow

JUICY BEAUTY 

defining eye liner

BARE MINERALS

long lasting eyeliner

JUICY BEAUTY

lash defining mascara

BARE MINERALS

flawless definition mascara

TARTE

clay smart mascara

TARTE

4in1 mascara

TARTE

power pigment

TARTE

pink lip liner

JOSIE MARAN

argan color stick - pink

TARTE

lip luster

TARTE

amazonian clay

BARE MINERALS

ready blush

JUICY BEAUTY

glowing cheek color

BARE MINERALS

blush

JOSIE MARAN

argan beautiful eyes

TARTE

amazonian clay eye shadow

BARE MINERALS

high shine eye color

TARTE

eye shadow quad

BARE MINERALS

original foundation

KHO GEN DO

maifashi spf 20

TARTE

pressed mineral pwoder

BARE MINERALS

finishing powered

TOO FACED

brush set

TWEEZERMAN

cuticle nipper

SEPHORA COLLECTION

cuticle removing pen

TRIA

laser hair removal

PRADA

STEPHANIE WILLSHIRE

GUCCI

ZOYA

BUTTER

BUTTER

BUTTER

ZOYA

ZOYA

ZOYA

BUTTER

PIGGY PAINT

BUTTER

PIGGY PAINT

SUNCOAT

PIGGY PAINT

BUTTER

By Giselle Trujillo

Cosmetic, also known as make-up and generally considered as face decoration, started about 12,000 years ago, around the same time Egyptians discovered the healing powers of essential oils. Egyptian, both men and women, were obsessed with looking beautiful for they afterlife preparation and it worked.  Today we can see their elaborate beauty works in museums and have an immense appreciation for beauty.  Till this day, Cleopatra is known to be the most beautiful woman ever.  Archeological evidence of cosmetics was first discovered in Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs tombs, dating cosmetics to be from Egypt and Greece.   The word cosmetics is actually from the Greek language, “Kosmetiike” meaning ”technique of dress and ornament.”   Ancient Greeks also used cosmetics, the evidence lies in the Old Testament, where cosmetic is mentioned in reference to Jezebel’s painted eyelid and in the book of Esther describing several beauty treatments. 

In Egypt the Gods were honored with great amounts of cosmetic use, it’s been documented that almost everyone used eyeliners and oils to look more appealing.  Oils and face makeup were considered sacred by the Egyptians and heavily worn by the upper class. However, most of their ingredients were poisonous and the common people felt uncomfortable around them, pretty much avoided them.   Egyptians were known to get manicures, also painting their toenail in ruby red, for applying false eyelashes, apply red cheek rough and painting their nipples with gold and outlining the veins on their breast in blue.  Interesting, how did the Egyptians know that blood was really blue and turns red when it’s exposed to oxygen??  Interesting.  Egyptians also loved black eyeliner “kohl”, not only for eye enhancement but served for many other purposes too, to keep the flies away and diminish some glare from the sun due to their ingredients, chlorine, lead sulfide acted as disinfectants.  Kohl was made from burt almond shells, malachite, saliva, black oxide copper, brown clay ocher and fat, which was applied with metal, wood or ivory sticks to darken eyelashes and eyebrows.  Methods we similarly use today. They also made eye shadows in green and gray, the binding ingredient was duck fat and for eye glitter they got the iridescent colors from mixing beetles with the powders.  Thus poisonous elements, he metals and lead in the cosmetics gave some beautiful colors, small doses is said to have killed bacterias.

Some Egyptian beauty ingredients for creams and moisturizers were whipped ostrich eggs, olive oil, fresh milk, sea salt, frankincense for scents, resins from plants, nuts & fruit essential oils (almonds the most popular), marjoram,thyme, myrrh.  They made anti-wrinkle creams with olive oil, milk, crocodile dung, juniper, wax and incense.  Other ingredients: phosgenite, laurionite, galena, cerissite (a carbosated lead), animal fat from geese, and vegetable fat.

Egyptian Fisherman, Pharaohs, wore makeup, men also got pedicures with painted nails, wore anklets and earrings, Evidence also shows that man were shaving as far back a s 20,000 year ago, razors made of bronze were discovered in the graves of men of high status and that ancient Egyptians shaved their faces.  Men used cosmetic as skin lubricant and and sunscreen.  The men wore both long and short hair, boys, however had to have their head shaven leaving a hair lock above their ear.  Women on the other hand sometimes died heir gray hairs with henna or blood from black animals, had hair weaving, added false hair braids to their own hair as well wearing other long ornaments in their hair.  Female mohawks were also found.  At this point is safe to say the Egyptians owned the beauty industry by far, man-made combs made of fish bones or rows of teeth were discovered in a  6000 year old Egyptian tomb.  Being bald was looked down upon the and remedied the scalp with chopped lettuce and ground-up hedgehog spines.  In cemetery the body of a working class male was found with a sheepskin toupee to hide his bold spot.  Wigs were extremely popular in ancient Egypt as well as in Greece, Persia, Crete and Mesopotamia.   Wigs were worn for special events or festivals.   Upper class members owned many wigs with elaborated curls and braids.  Pharaohs wore fake beards and the length indicated their status, even the Egyptian queens began wearing fake beards.  Wigs were held by using beeswax.   It was during the Nefertiti reign  that ordinary people began wearing wigs and wearing a fancy stiffened wigs was a powerful sexual symbol linked with beauty.  The women liked tattoos which was popular amongst the dancers, singers, and prostitutes .

Dead sea salt was documented to be a favorite for amongst the Egyptian women, especially Cleopatra, the mineral worked as a skin rejuvenator as well as skin healing powers.  Aloe vera also was another great source for Egyptian and Indian beauty treatments, used for it’a magical powers for healing burns, scars, hair, skin and even consumed it for digestion and weight loss.  The cosmetic trend reached Rome and Greece, though it was not welcomed immediately, it became very popular.  In fact, there was time that women who did not wear cosmetic were not considered beautiful. That trend inflated prices and cosmetics could only be affordable to wealthy women, who spent fortunes on expensive cosmetics from China, Gaul, Germany and India. It wasn't till after  the Crusades that trading with Middle East, African and Indian introduced cosmetic products to Medieval Europe.  The Roman Senate passed a short lived law called “LexOppia”, preventing the people from publicly exhibitions of extravagant women's clothing and of cosmetic products.  That rule is what spiked cosmetics brands to make cheaper version so that the poor can afford them.  In Rome, wearing makeup was only by the wealthy and the prostitutes.  Women who could afford cosmetics and smelled good where deemed as wealthy. In Rome cosmetic was not only expensive but not everyone can afford to the time or slaves to apply it, since cosmetics, was a ritual to wear, it had to be applied several times a day due to poor weather conditions and simple product compositions, cosmetics was applied in privately away from men in a small room.   Female salves that adorned with skills, were highly praised were called “cosmetaes” and they provided a beautifying adorning process called “cultus” which included the wearing of jewelry, cosmetics and perfume Note that, makeup sticks to skin better for longer periods of time because of the synthetics ingredients we have access to today that they did not exits back then.  At times, the cosmetic phenomenon brought harsh treatments to other civilizations, for example if the common people of China were caught wearing nail polish in public, they would have been executed because that was a rich people privilege and in Japan women of nobility were prohibited to step out in public with out full cosmetic body treatment. Ancient China invented nail color.   The longest cosmetic abandonment by the public was during the European Dark Ages, due to prostitutes using heavy amounts of cosmetics to hide their natural faces and to exaggerated their beauty and the last attempt to discontinue the wear of cosmetics was when the kings and queens publicly stated that the use of cosmetics was indecent,followed by Church officials who spread that only satan worshipers wore cosmetics.  An exemption to that belief was, allowing actors on stage to wear cosmetics for performing purposes only.    During the 15th century women were obsessed with  no facial hair, a trend that hit home with Mona Liza, who had no eyebrows.  And during the 18th century in England, man could divorce their wives if caught wearing makeup, then Queen Victoria passed a law that wearing cosmetics is both vulgar.

During my research i found some incredible ingredients that made cosmetics, coal, galena and sulfide was used for eyeliner, red color was from crushed Cochineal beetles, a recipe that was first discovered in Egypt but was also found to be used extensively by the Aztecs and Incas when coloring their nails and lips.  For shinny lip sticks, small fish scales were used in the recipes.  I also found out that cosmetic surgery existed in Ancient Egypt, with evidence e from the Papyrus Ebers, which provides notes on how to fix a broken body part, ears, noses or disfigurements, they also practiced the shaping of a skull during childhood, a common practice amongst the Ancient Britons, Guinean tribes, Mayas, and Minoans, they also found numerous anti-aging remedies.

The commercial cosmetic industry offers it’s own benefits, because they can be easy purchased at almost any retailer and usually have beautiful packaging and compact containers and prices will vary depending on brand value.  Besides those commercial benefits, there are some very valuable companies that produce high quality organic or natural products and also provide you with the same benefits.  The largest cosmetic company in the world is L’Oreal, they started in 1909, owned by Liliane Bittencourt and by Nestle (a Swiss food company). Due to portable lipsticks, the trend went crazy.  By the 1960’s a moderate amount of cosmetics was permitted. As you can see, cosmetics have been on this planet for thousands of years.  Beauty products can be organically and naturally made with ingredients from your garden or kitchen.

RICHARD E GRANT

Jack, unisex

PENHALIGON’S + MEADHAM KIRCHOFF

Tralala

CRABTREE & EVELY

Caribbean Island Wild Flowers

BOND NO. 9

Hudson Yards

CRABTREE & EVELY

Pear & Pink Magnolia

PLAYBOY

Play It Pin Up

BURT’S BEES

honey

VERMONT BEE BALM

original & orange

EOS

(evolution of smooth)

La Panthere

S.W. BASICS

lip balm flight

DR. BRONNER’S

orange ginger

“cosmetaes” applying cosmetic on a wealthy Roman woman

Egyptians shown using cosmetic tools

Egyptian bronze handheld mirrors

Ancient Egyptian cosmetic box, made of ivory

more Ancient Egyptian cosmetic containers

ancient egyptian men wearing wigs

ancient egyptian wigs

ancient egyptian wigs

ancient egyptian woman staring in mirror

ancient egyptian mummies with preserved hair

ancient egyptian mummies with preserved hair

ancient egyptian mummies with preserved hair

ancient egyptian mirror

ancient chinese beauty accessories artifacts

a 2,000 year old Roman cosmetic face cream, with finger marks

red greek powder 

ancient roman ivory comb

ancient cosmetics containers

ancient egyptian woman being decorated and beautified

ancient egyptian cosmetics box

ancient egyptian cosmetics box

CAROLINA HERRERA

212 Surf

ROGER & GALLET

Gingembre Rouge

TOM FORD

Velvet Orchid

VERSACE

Gianni Versace Couture, trio

VIKTOR & ROLF

Bonbon

YVES SAINT LAURENT

Splendid Wood, unisex

YVES SAINT LAURENT

Paris Premières Roses

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