English
Between 16 and 18 June some of the leading manufacturers of beauty products will be attending Beauty Eurasia, a trade fair that is being held in the Tuyap Exhibition Centre in Istanbul. The trade fair will bring together 400 producers from 40 countries. They will be exhibiting the most sophisticated perfumes, creams, make up and beauty products.
Who doesn’t like to be considered beautiful, attractive and seductive? This is the question upon which the beauty industry bases its success; an industry that has been around for as long as humans have walked the Earth.
According to the worldview of the Egyptians, beauty and physical harmony were integral to their wellbeing and played an essential part in pleasing their creator-god. Their god cried when seeing the loveliness of his people and his tears watered the Earth. This need to be attractive led the Egyptians to develop their knowledge about the plants, animals and minerals which could help them maintain their health and beauty.
The paint that the men and women used around their eyes was made with lead sulphide, obtained from galena, or antimony sulphide, which came from antimonite. As well as increasing a person’s sex appeal, this makeup was an excellent fly repellent, and was also useful in preventing eye disease and lessening the impact of the sun’s rays.
Peeling was achieved by the Egyptians by mixing alabaster dust with red natron sediment, salt from Lower Egypt and honey, and then applying the mixture to their face and body before washing it off with pure water. The war against ageing led them to develop products from herbs, minerals and beeswax which helped them to weather the passing of the years with dignity.
But physical beauty is not the only key to seduction: odours are just as important. Scents can be powerful sexual stimulants, as Alexander the Great knew well: he was a perfume fanatic, and was renowned for filling entire rooms with his perfumed scent. Heroes, saints and perverts have all been seduced with the help of naturally extracted aromas; today those aromas are bottled and sold to both men and women.
Nowadays, the cosmetic industry searches tirelessly – just as the ancient Egyptians did – for the best way to prevent time from taking its toll on the human body. New products are constantly being developed to keep people looking youthful and well-toned. While we wait for the miraculous ointment that will keep us young forever, a realistic alternative is to use natural products which keep us smelling sweet and give us a little dignity as the years go by.
More information: http://www.beautyeurasia.com/w2011/default.asp?lng=_en
Nancy Guzman
Perfumes, aromas, beauty and a thousand and one nights in apartments in Istanbul is a good bet for this summer. If you choose this city full of magic and history, then don´t forget to take a look at the festival of beauty that is Beauty Eurasia.
Translated by: Ben Palmer
