Herbal cosmetics in ancient India with a treatise on planta cosmetica / Kunda B. Patkar & P.V. Bole.

  • Patkar, Kunda B.
Date:
1997
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Herbal cosmetics in ancient India with a treatise on planta cosmetica / Kunda B. Patkar & P.V. Bole. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    INTRODUCTION The word cosmetics defined as : Substances of diverse origin, scientifically compounded and used 1) to cleanse 2) to allay skin troubles 3) to cover up imperfections and 4) to beautify (Encyclopaedia Britannica 1970), is used in this work in a wider sense to include oral hygiene also. The ancient science of cosmetology is believed to have originated in China but the earliest records of cosmetic substances and their application dates back to circa 2500 and 1550 B. C. in the Indus Valley civilization. Excavations at Mohenjodaro and Harappa have revealed a highly developed culture. Barrel-shaped terracotta scrubbers to scrub the body while bathing, kohl pots and sticks with collyrium in them and a large number of jars containing paints for the adornment of the eyes, uncovered around the Great Bath and at Chanhudaro, go to prove that both men and women of ancient India took special care to beautify themselves. Prakrit and Sanskrit records assigned to pre Christian and early Christian era ( 200 BC - 500 AD), leave no doubt in one’s mind about the highly advanced ideas of self beautification and a large array of various cosmetic usages both by men and women in ancient India. It is also evident that many of these practices were subtly interwoven in normal rituals of life. Different Lepas (applications) were recommended for different seasons for body beautification. The ingredients used during cold season were quite different from those used in hot season. In fact, Ashtanga Hridaya (fifteen hundred year old book of Ayurveda) offers six different formulations to be used for six seasons of the year. Similarly, special cosmetic oils and Ghritas (clarified butter) were used for facial beautification. Superfluous hair was considered to be a stigma and a large