Bathe Like Ancient Kings and Queens
In the Middle, Near, and Far East, baths have always been an important part of beauty culture (hence the fabulous Turkish towels). Their Queens are legendary; for example, Scheherazade saved her neck by mesmerizing the Sultan Shahryar for 1001 nights and Cleopatra brought the Roman Empire to its knees, twice. Here are a few of their beauty tricks.
Steps
- Bathe like Cleopatra by soaking in milk (a natural exfoliant) and honey (a great moisturizer). Add 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup honey to bathwater. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
- Take a black or green teabag, wet it with warm water and press it over your lips for five minutes to quickly soothe chapped lips.
- Rinse your hair with tea to make dry hair turn into soft and flowing locks.
- Use almond oil to moisturize once you get out of the bath. Mix 1/8 c almond oil with 1 tsp. of sesame oil and 4 drops of your favorite essential oil.
- Rub the oil into your skin with an orange peel to exfoliate.
- Massage a little of the oil into your hair for deep conditioning. Then rub it into your nails to give them shine.
- Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with almond oil for a refreshing foot massage, if you need a little extra care.
Tips
- You can use powdered milk for the bath - just pour it in as you draw the bath, then swish to dissolve. Depending on how much water you use in the tub, 1 to 3 cups works just fine. End your bath with a quick shower to rinse. Your skin will feel smooth, soft, and refreshed.
- You might want to just sit in a warm bathtub with bubbles!! It is relaxing!
- Use popular old ingredients, as they give you an authentic touch.
- Don't know which essential oil to choose? Some of the most popular in Africa and the Middle East since ancient times include: Amber, Cedar-wood, Frankincense, Myrrh, Jasmine, Rose and Musk.
- Plan a romantic ancient evening for two-six, with dinner made from ancient recipes (you can find them on the Internet), and the bath as an appetizer or dessert.
- Many games have lasted centuries. You could play some of these or rent movies with historical/romantic themes for post-bath R&R.
- If you really want to go for the authenticity of an ancient King or Queen, try learning an ancient language to use in your bath.
- Some essential oils are said to cause miscarriage, so if you are expecting research essential oils before you start rubbing them into your skin!
