People have been primping for
a very
long time: Scientists now have evidence that Neanderthals
wore "body paint" 50,000 years ago. And the exotic eye
makeup that seen on statues of Queen Nefertiti and other
ancient Egyptian royals may have been used to help prevent
or treat eye disease. Plus, in those days, cosmetic contained
no dangerous nanoparticles! And other ingredients in
modern cosmetics may make them unsafe for pregnant
women.
Archeologists found shells in southern Spain containing
pigment residues that were used as Neanderthal "compacts."
Some of it even had metallic "glitter" in it. BBC News quotes
archeologist Joao Zilhao as saying, "This is the first secure
evidence for their use of cosmetics. The use of these
complex recipes is new. It's more than body painting."
Thousands of years ago the ancient Egyptians used lead-
based substances as cosmetics, including an ingredient in
black eye makeup. Some Egyptians believed that this makeup
also had a "magical" role in which the ancient gods Horus and
Ra would protect wearers against several illnesses, but
scientists largely dismissed that possibility, knowing that lead-
based substances can be quite toxic.
Researchers Christian Amatore, Philippe Walter, and
colleagues noticed that in earlier research, scientists
analyzed 52 samples from ancient Egyptian makeup
containers preserved in the Louvre museum in Paris and
identified four different lead-based substances in the makeup.
Eye infections caused by bacteria can be a serious problem in
tropical marshy areas such as the Nile area, especially during
floods, and in their new study, they found that the
substances boosted production of nitric oxide by up to 240%
in cultured human skin cells, and nitric oxide boosts the
immune system.
Finally, a new study suggests that women with higher
exposure to phthalates during their pregnancy report more
disruptive and problem behaviors in their children. Phthalates
are used in numerous consumer items, including cosmetics,
fragrances, shampoos and lotions, and they can interfere
with reproductive and thyroid hormones, so if you want to
have a well-behaved baby, leave the makeup off while
pregnant.
Primping and partying have gone on for a very long time, and
during the last week in June, we had a
big
celebration in Nashville, where got to hear some of the most
interesting folks around: our
Dreamland hosts, who presented a total of seven
and a half hours of the finest
presentations you will ever see! Thrill as Whitley Strieber tells
NEW encounter stories and offers astonishing information
about the hidden realities of the close encounter experience.
Gasp as Jim Marrs opens a door into the secrets of the
powerful that will literally change the way you understand
your life and your world. Listen as Anne Strieber recounts the
TRUE abduction stories--heartrending, thrilling, awesome--
that REAL people tell. Be amazed as
William
Henry gives us rich new insight into the real secrets of
transformation. Be delighted as Linda Moulton Howe presents
the most extraordinary
crop
circle lecture ever conceived.
To learn more, click here,
here and
here.
Art credit: Dreamstime.com
