Prehistoric Cosmetics

When it comes to beauty, humans started early – People have been primping for a very long time: Scientists now have evidence that Neanderthals wore “body paint” 50,000 years ago. And the exotic eye makeup that seen on statues of Queen Nefertiti and other ancient Egyptian royals may have been used to help prevent or treat eye disease. Plus, in those days, cosmetic contained no dangerous nanoparticles! And other ingredients in modern cosmetics may make them unsafe for pregnant women.

Archeologists found shells in southern Spain containing pigment residues that were used as Neanderthal “compacts.” Some of it even had metallic “glitter” in it. BBC News quotes archeologist Joao Zilhao as saying, “This is the first secure evidence for their use of cosmetics. The use of these complex recipes is new. It’s more than body painting.”

Thousands of years ago the ancient Egyptians used lead-based substances as cosmetics, including an ingredient in black eye makeup. Some Egyptians believed that this makeup also had a “magical” role in which the ancient gods Horus and Ra would protect wearers against several illnesses, but scientists largely dismissed that possibility, knowing that lead-based substances can be quite toxic.

Researchers Christian Amatore, Philippe Walter, and colleagues noticed that in earlier research, scientists analyzed 52 samples from ancient Egyptian makeup containers preserved in the Louvre museum in Paris and identified four different lead-based substances in the makeup. Eye infections caused by bacteria can be a serious problem in tropical marshy areas such as the Nile area, especially during floods, and in their new study, they found that the substances boosted production of nitric oxide by up to 240% in cultured human skin cells, and nitric oxide boosts the immune system.

Finally, a new study suggests that women with higher exposure to phthalates during their pregnancy report more disruptive and problem behaviors in their children. Phthalates are used in numerous consumer items, including cosmetics, fragrances, shampoos and lotions, and they can interfere with reproductive and thyroid hormones, so if you want to have a well-behaved baby, leave the makeup off while pregnant.

Primping and partying have gone on for a very long time, and during the last week in June, we had a big celebration in Nashville, where got to hear some of the most interesting folks around: our Dreamland hosts, who presented a total of seven and a half hours of the finest presentations you will ever see! Thrill as Whitley Strieber tells NEW encounter stories and offers astonishing information about the hidden realities of the close encounter experience. Gasp as Jim Marrs opens a door into the secrets of the powerful that will literally change the way you understand your life and your world. Listen as Anne Strieber recounts the TRUE abduction stories–heartrending, thrilling, awesome–that REAL people tell. Be amazed as William Henry gives us rich new insight into the real secrets of transformation. Be delighted as Linda Moulton Howe presents the most extraordinary crop circle lecture ever conceived.

To learn more, click here, here and here.

Art credit: Dreamstime.com

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