Beauty Creams History

Beauty creams are topical preparations made to treat, condition and beautify the skin. Women have always used beauty creams to attain smooth, soft, clear skin on their bodies and faces. Ingredients for natural skin care products were taken from the local surroundings. The first creams were made from oils or fats, herbs and fragrances. Recipes were passed down through the generations of herbalists, wise women, mothers and daughters.

Beauty Creams in Ancient Egypt

Beauty balms have been found in ancient Egypt, contained in pots and placed in burial chambers. Cleopatra wrote a book of beauty recipes, it is rumoured. But such a book has never been discovered. Though many cream recipes have been found, written on ancient Egyptian papyri. For a cleansing cream, a mix of oil and lime or a cleansing paste, made from water mixed with natron, a compound of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, was found to be effective. To use such creams daily was akin to a rite of spiritual purification. A beauty cream recipe for a wrinkle treatment was more vanity-motivated! The antiwrinkle recipe ingredients lists includes gum of frankincense, fermented plant juices and moringa oil, a cleansing, nourishing oil from the seeds of the moringa tree. Frankincense was noted also for reducing scars and stretch marks.

Beauty Creams in British History

Beauty creams to soften the skin were certainly made in ancient Britain. Country women made beauty creams from seasonal produce which came from the lands around them. Ingredients such as suet were simmered with fresh herbs and flowers like lavender blossoms and rose petals. To make the creamy texture, water was added and stirred in vigorously.

Herbs were collected and used fresh or dried for use during the winter Healing balms were made from plants, for example marigold, comfrey and witchhazel, to treat wounds, bruises and inflamed swellings but they also made excellent ingredients for general herbal balms for the skin.

In Victorian times a soft, lumpy, greasy cream made from rosewater, oatmeal and lard was used to soften and moisturise the skin all over the body. Cleansing and toning the skin was achieved with rosewater and vinegars scented with herbs and flowers, such as lavender and chamomile. Extra cleansing was achieved with face masks made from oatmeal, egg yolk honey and crushed strawberries.

Beauty Creams Today

Seasonal, hand made creams and balms could not last for any reasonable length of time. Means of refrigeration was limited so beauty creams were to be used quickly. With the advent of technology in the last century, skin creams became more sophisticated, composed of increasingly elaborate laboratory formulations. The inclusion of some ingredients is hard to understand,for example, petroleum by products or harsh detergents.

Body creams should be stable, pure and free from contamination. Though, in order to remain sound and wholesome, they need to be based on plant oils, with a minimum of traditional preservatives and no artificial colourings, fragrances or petrochemicals.

Beautiful Balms continues the tradition of healthy, natural skincare creams with the lavish use of plant oils, herbal tinctures and aromatic, essential oils. We can participate in the ancient Egyptian ethos and take care of our skin as if our bodies are our temples. Like British countrywomen of old we can make the best of the plants of our own locality, and we can also enjoy exotic ingredients, oils such as frankincense and benzoin, even fruits from overseas, grapefruit and lemons. Beauty creams now may be enjoyed that take the best from both worlds. For beauty creams, the best of technology is minimal, and yet the generosity of Bounty of Nature has no end.

Balms and Flower Essences Collection

Lip Balms

Lip Balms from Beautiful Balms, natural skincare made from beeswax, sweet almond oil and aromatic, essential oils to protect and moisturise beautiful lips.

Lip Balms may be visited by clicking on the lip balm name or the lip balm photographs.

Lip Balms

Lip Balms
Vanilla Lip Balm	Bergamot Lip Balm

Lip Balms Shop

Lip Balms for Sale

Cream Balms

Cream Balms, fresh fragrant natural skincare creams that soothe and moisturise. Drawn from ancient knowledge of herbs, pure, essential oils and plant and herbal tinctures.

Cream Balms may be visited by clicking on the cream name or the cream photographs.

Cream Balms

Beauty Creams
Melissa Healing Balm	Lemon Deodorant Balm

Aloe Vera
Skin Balm

Rose
Face Cream

Grapefruit
Deodorant Balm

Rose and Apricot
Face Moisturiser

Frankincense
Hand Cream

Lavender
Foot Balm

Comfrey
Hand Balm

Creams to Buy

Creams Shop

Creams for Sale

Lotion Balms

Lotion balms, swift, lovely natural skincare body lotions that treat and beautify. Made fragant and therapeutic with plant and herbal tinctures and pure essential oils.

Lotion Balms may be visited by clicking on the lotion name or the lotion photographs.

Lotion Balms

Body Lotions
Lavender Lotion

Aphrodite
Lotion

Sacred
Balm

Propolis
Calming Balm

Marigold
Body Lotion

Horse Chestnut
Leg Balm

Lotions to Buy

Lotions Shop

Lotions for Sale

Floral Waters

Floral waters, delicate, fine natural skincare floral waters that freshen and revive. Versatile in use, subtly fragranced with classic, pure essential oils.

Floral Waters may be visited by clicking on the floral water name or the floral water photographs.

Floral Waters

Floral Waters
Citrus Splash

Blodeuwedd
Balm

All Rose
Floral Water

Lavender
Face Splash

Sage and Thyme
Herbal Water

Rose Face
Freshener

Floral Waters to Buy

Floral Waters Shop

Floral Waters for Sale

Oil Blends

Oil blends, aromatic, healing oil blends that cleanse and treat. Enhanced with therapeutic pure essential oils, based on nourishing carrier oils of sweet almond and jojoba.

Oil Blends may be visited by clicking on the oil blend name or the oil blend photographs.

Oil Blends

Oil Blends
Kwan Yin Balm

Fennel
Firming Oil

Bergamot
Head Balm

Sweet Almond
Face Cleanser

Peppermint
Head Balm

Ginger and Pepper
Muscle Balm

Oil Blends to Buy

Oil Blends Shop

Oil Blends for Sale

Flower Essences

Flower Essences are balancing and compassionate. Flower essences have a loving capacity to give emotional support and offer a catalyst for positive change.

Flower essences may be visited by clicking on the flower essence name or the flower essence photographs.