Beauty tips and tricks have been around since the dawn of time. Nowadays, our beauty routines are conveniently waiting for us in different stores. The options are unlimited and little to no effort is required from us. The beauty industry is the best blend of art and science that has been evolving and changing for many years. Have you ever wondered what women from the past that were not so lucky had to go through to feel more beautiful? Well, a lot`! From historical figures to Old Hollywood starlets, many women had some truly iconic beauty tricks up their sleeves.

Cleopatra

Cleopatra, probably the world’s first beauty icon, set the bar really high for all of us with her exotic beauty and elegance. An alluring and enchanting woman, ruler, and temptress, Cleopatra might have invented the winged-liner and red lip combination (tricky for us basic people). What is her secret, you might ask? Well, baths but make them boujee. Cleopatra loved taking milk baths with honey. The lactic acid in milk is an alpha hydroxy acid, which cleanses the skin, making it radiant, glowing and soft. Honey, packed with natural antioxidants and anti-microbial properties, helps the skin absorb and retain moisture and prevents skin damage.

Helen of Troy

Helen of Troy had a face that launched 1,000 ships and started a war. It has not been proven that she was 100% real but if she was, she was definitely doing something right. According to the Iliad, Helen bathed in vinegar. Every day, she would just dive in a bathtub of vinegar, which sounds questionable, since she should have probably diluted it in water. Vinegar acts as a natural exfoliator that balances and restores the skin’s PH but it is strong and acidic so diluting it with water is essential. In the end, people fought for Helen and not for me, so she would know best.

Fast forward a couple of centuries because women of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and whatnot were not it when it came to beauty. I, personally, am not a fan of using pigeons and leeches in my routine, painting my face pure white and wearing wigs taller than me. Nothing but respect for them, though.

Sophia Loren

This Italian bombshell seems immune to the passage of time. Sophia credits "a love of life, spaghetti, and the odd bath in olive oil" for her everlasting beauty. She follows a Mediterranean diet religiously (same), which means that olive oil is always somewhere in the mix. Italians tend to think of olive oil the same as air or water so it is no surprise. Sophia takes olive oil baths and even uses the oil directly as a moisturizer. Olive oil is full of antioxidants, fights free radical damage, it’s rich in vitamins and contains a powerful compound called squalene. It naturally hydrates your skin and even helps support collagen levels. My tip for extra Mediterranean points is to use the oil as a make-up remover. Sustainable and game-changing, honestly.

Audrey Hepburn

This Bambi-eyed creature is considered one of the most beautiful women in the world and a generally remarkable person. Her grace and attitude towards life were unmatched. Audrey was a firm believer in “less is more”. Her doe-eyed look and full, feathery eyebrows were her trademark look. How did she achieve her signature gaze? To ensure the separation of each lash, she would use a safety pin to separate each individual lash after applying mascara. If Audrey put so much effort into making sure her lashes were not clumpy, so should you! It’s the law.

These were some of my favorite icons and the beauty tricks they favored. There are so many more great women and interesting routines- Marilyn Monroe’s five different shades of red lipstick, Grace Kelly’s contouring technique, Greta Garbo’s petroleum jelly as eyeshadow and many more.

All in all, it is not the beauty tricks that made those women who they were but their attitude towards life and the way they carried themselves.