The incredible beauty of Ukrainian women has long been known all over the world. Today, maintaining this natural attractiveness is not at all difficult, you can simply use a variety of cosmetics, if only there was money. But our great-grandmothers definitely possessed some magical secrets, because in ancient times there were no well-known or not very famous cosmetic companies, and legends still circulate about "black eyebrows, brown eyes".
How did Ukrainian women, despite their hard work and difficult living conditions, manage to look good, maintain their beauty and health for many years? What means did they use to do this?
How did you take care of your face?
To keep their faces looking young and healthy, women used masks and creams made from natural ingredients available to them. Everything came in handy – herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, bread kvass, honey, oil, eggs, vegetable juices and oils, etc.
They washed themselves mainly with clean spring water, or even with dew, which they collected early in the morning from the trees in the garden - from cherry, linden or apple trees. This gave them vigor and freshness for the whole day. They also liked to wash themselves in the morning with steamed or sour milk, which made the skin whiter and more elastic. These products were also effective for softening and moisturizing the skin. And in the evening, to soothe the skin of the face, they made all kinds of decoctions of medicinal herbs (herbs, lovage, mint, thyme).
For facial care with normal skin type, various decoctions were suitable, for which chamomile flowers, linden blossoms, rose or rosehip petals, mint leaves were taken. If the skin was oily or combination, then decoctions and infusions of herbs such as St. John's wort, calendula, horsetail, coltsfoot, and yarrow were made to cleanse and narrow the pores. These remedies also had an anti-inflammatory effect. Finely chopped or ground into powder, the plants were poured with boiling water (half a glass of boiling water for 2 tablespoons) and infused for 15 minutes, after which, after draining the water, the mixture of herbs was applied to the face.
Ukrainian women also loved all kinds of masks, which they made from what was at hand and what Mother Nature generously gave them. They used almost all the fruits, vegetables, and berries that were in season at that time, because they generously provided the skin with the vitamins it needed. And they made these masks periodically, about once a week.
To tone the skin, a mask was made from sauerkraut. It was simply finely crushed and spread on the face for 20 minutes, then washed off. To whiten the face, a mask of apples was applied, for which the peeled and chopped fruit was mixed with cottage cheese. To whiten skin roughened by hard work, sun and wind, masks of horseradish or cucumber were also suitable.
To make the face tender and the skin elastic, fermented milk products (sour cream, kefir, fermented baked milk) were suitable, and vegetable oils and animal fats were very effective for softening it.
A pear mask was very nourishing, rejuvenating, and cleansing for the skin. It was used in the form of a puree with the addition of some oil, applied to the face for twenty minutes.
Honey was often used for moisturizing. This universal remedy also had a rejuvenating effect. Egg yolk or parsley was often added to honey - this made the result even more noticeable.
Potatoes also moisturized the skin well. They were finely grated, added egg and salt, and applied for fifteen minutes.
Of course, our great-grandmothers could not do without medicinal herbs, from which they also made various masks.
How did you take care of your hands?
The skin on the hands, due to hard work, especially related to agriculture, quickly became rough, dry, and dark. Therefore, it required special attention.
To cure cracks and dryness in the hands, the skin was lubricated with an ointment made from a decoction of burdock root, which was mixed with animal fat (mostly beef). Sea buckthorn was also very useful, which was simply rubbed on the hands, as it whitened and healed the skin.
To soften dry skin, potato compresses were used - boiled potatoes were mashed and milk and a few drops of vegetable oil were added to them. The hot compress was held on the hands until it cooled.
A cream made from a mixture of medicinal herbs, which was poured with boiling water and left to infuse for up to eight hours, then strained and mixed with butter and honey, was also suitable for moisturizing the skin of the hands.
Horseradish root, which was finely chopped or grated, added to this gruel with cheese or pickled cucumber brine, was a good whitener for the skin of the hands.
Weak and brittle nails were strengthened with currant or cranberry juice.
How did you take care of your hair?
Ukrainian women have always been distinguished by their long, thick, and lush hair. It was not easy to care for such hair, but it was worth it, because it was a real female treasure.
They washed their hair with warm water taken from natural springs. Herbs were always added to the water to make it healthy. For example, lovage was used to make hair thick and strong, chamomile gave it shine and a golden hue, and mint made it soft.
Hair was rinsed with infusions of nettle or birch leaves, chamomile flowers were also used. To make such an infusion, dry herbs were chopped and poured with boiling water (one glass of boiling water per 1 tablespoon of herbs), infused until cooled and filtered.
Burdock oil mixed with alcohol was used to treat dry or split hair, and was rubbed into the scalp before washing. Honey and egg yolk were sometimes added to the mask.
Women did not forget to dye their hair, of course, also using plant materials. For example, onion peel and chamomile gave the hair a golden hue, powder from oak bark and blackberry gave a black color, walnut leaves and a decoction of linden leaves and branches gave brown.
Healthy hair should also be neatly braided, because, as is known, "a braid is a girl's beauty."
How did you take care of your body?
Ukrainian women paid a lot of attention to taking care of their bodies, because from childhood they were accustomed to neatness and cleanliness. And here too, it was not necessary to use herbs, which were necessarily added to the water in which they bathed. For this, mint, chamomile, celandine, marigolds, lovage, thyme were taken - they gave the water a pleasant smell. Various herbs were also added to the rinsing water, and sometimes even apples or wild pears cut into pieces were added.
How was the makeup done?
No matter how generously nature has gifted a woman, she still wants to look more beautiful. And for this, natural cosmetics made from fruits and vegetables have long been used. For example, cherry juice was used to tint lips, beets replaced blush. For a deeper and more expressive look, eyes were lined with soot.
Women did not forget about a pleasant aroma, so instead of perfume they used, for example, a very delicate mint scent.
Nature is very generous with its gifts, and our great-grandmothers knew how to use these gifts correctly. They knew many recipes for youth and beauty, which they passed down to us through generations. This treasure should not be lost, because it is the key to the beauty and health of future generations of Ukrainian women.
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