Here Are the Two Natural Ingredients Ancient Egyptians Used to Wash Their Skin — See Video

There are some skin-care treatments and ingredients that have existed since ancient times. As the years passed and we acquired more knowledge, some of those beloved skin-care traditions got left in the past for more effective treatments and new technologies. A handful, however, have stood the test of time because of their efficacy such as the use of sea salt for exfoliation.

In the first installment of Allure‘s Skinfluencer video series, Connecticut-based, board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, explained how ancient Egyptians used sea salt as an exfoliant to smooth the skin, giving rise to the myriad of body scrubs that exist today. She credited ancient Egyptians with being the original beauty influencers for their resourcefulness with natural materials to create skin-care concoctions that people still use to this day. 

In the latest installment of the video series, Gohara introduces another skin-care technique that we have adapted from the Egyptian queens. In ancient times, the African royalty combined clay and olive oil into a soap paste to cleanse their faces. The use of the two natural materials proved very useful. “They hit on the key to a multitasking product: clay that’s absorbent and oil that’s softening,” Gohara explains.

It’s a formulation that’s still used in facial cleansers you can buy today. In fact, when her clients ask for products with basic ingredients, she’ll recommend the Skinfix Barrier+ Foaming Clay Cleanser, which operates similar to the soap paste the ancients used. The foaming cleanser is packed with jojoba oil and kaolin and glacial clays to moisturize and purify the skin. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, previously told Allure about the wonders of jojoba oil. “It acts as both a humectant to draw moisture in and an emollient that softens and smoothes the skin,” she says.

Clearly, the Egyptian queens were onto something with their soap paste made of clay and olive oil. With experts like Dr. Gohara reminding us of history, their contributions and influence will not go unnoticed.  Enjoy part two of the Skinfluencer series from Dr. Gohara below.