Ancient princesses had some of the most fascinating skincare routines. Surrounded by royal gardens, court physicians, custom perfumers, and access to the rarest ingredients in the world, they used everything from raw honey and floral waters to lanolin, precious oils, herbs, and crushed pearls- many of which modern science has since found to be rich in antioxidants, anti-aging & anti-inflammatory compounds, and skin healing nutrients!
So, I’m excited to take a deep dive into their skincare routines. I’m not saying everything they did was incredible, but what I am saying is that a surprising amount of their skincare was incredibly effective & feels incredible.
We’re in an incredible position today. For the first time in history, we have the unique combination of being able to access to a vast pool of ancient beauty knowledge, while having modern science to help us understand what actually works and why, and we can now get our hands on many of these ingredients that were once impossible to get unless you were royalty!
Raw honey cleansers, floral mists, lanolin, extra virgin olive oil, crushed pearls… Their routines were so beautiful, and I think you are going to love this post as much as I loved researching & writing it.
The craziest part is, now that we have access to these wonderful ingredients & the science to back them up- the beauty industry has switched to cheap synthetics & seed oils. (Not for long… I’m launching a medicinal makeup line based off the beauty rituals of ancient princesses June 21st called Fauna! After years of ancient princess deep dives, I am SO excited.)
So I want to share with you the wonderful and effective ingredients now at our disposal that are not just coating your skin, but penetrating, nourishing, and healing it.
And yes, there will be some controversial (and frankly, gross) things in this article. But considering people today are putting salmon sperm and baby foreskin on their faces (yes, really), I think we can keep an open mind.
So let’s get into it, shall we?
Empress Sisi of Austria
Step 1. Cleanse with Crushed Strawberries & Raw Honey
Applied to her face, neck, and hands, then rinsed off.
Why She Did It:
To keep her complexion bright, soft, and youthful. Honey had long been prized throughout Europe for its ability to soothe and preserve the skin, while strawberries were believed to improve clarity and complexion.
How Science Backs It Up:
Raw honey contains antibacterial compounds, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, and naturally occurring peptides that reduce inflammation, and improve skin hydration.
Strawberries are naturally rich in vitamin C, one of the most important nutrients for collagen production. They also contain ellagic acid, a powerful antioxidant that research suggests may help protect collagen from breakdown caused by UV exposure. In addition, strawberries contain naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids that gently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, revealing brighter, smoother skin underneath.
Step 2. Tone & Mist with Rose Water & Violet Water
Why She Did It:
Sisi regularly used floral waters to refresh her skin throughout the day. Rose and violet waters were believed to cool the complexion, reduce redness, soothe irritation, and maintain a smooth & hydrated appearance.
How Science Backs It Up:
Rose water contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and other antioxidant compounds that help protect the skin from oxidative stress, one of the major contributors to visible skin aging. Research has also found rose extracts to possess anti-inflammatory properties, which may help calm redness and support a healthy skin barrier.
Violets contain flavonoids, mucilage, and antioxidant compounds that have been traditionally used to soothe irritated skin. The mucilage naturally found in violet flowers forms a light, moisture-binding film on the skin, helping improve hydration and reduce dryness. Together, rose and violet waters provide antioxidant protection, lightweight hydration, and soothing benefits that leave the skin looking calmer, fresher, and more radiant.
Step 3. Moisturizer with (Most Likely) Galen’s Cold Cream
Why She Did It:
While no records survive of Sisi naming a specific daily moisturizer, Galen’s Cold Cream was one of the most loved creams among European royalty for nearly 2,000 years and was almost certainly familiar to her. Originally created by the Greek physician Galen in 150 C.E., it was made by combining extra virgin olive oil, rose water, and beeswax emulsified into a rich fluffy cream designed to keep the skin soft and hydrated.
I’ve been making mine and I am SO obsessed. I use it daily. Would you guys like to see my skincare routine? I’ve pulled the best ingredients from my ancient beauty research! I also could launch one for you guys with Fauna- let me know if you’re interested! It’s the best moisturizer I have ever tried, and it’s pure skin food!
How Science Backs It Up:
The formula is incredible. Beeswax forms a breathable protective barrier over the skin that helps reduce transepidermal water loss- the process by which moisture escapes from the skin throughout the day. Extra virgin olive oil contains vitamin E, antioxidant polyphenols, and skin-softening fatty acids that help nourish and support the skin barrier. Rose water contributes additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that help soothe irritation and redness, and adds hydration to the skin that fats alone can’t.
Marie Antoinette
Step 1. Cleanse with Ground Sweet Almonds
Finely ground sweet almonds were mixed with water or rose water into a creamy paste and gently massaged into the skin before being rinsed away.
Why She Did It:
Marie Antoinette lived during an era when harsh soaps were often avoided on the face because they could leave the skin dry and irritated. Ground almonds were known for their ability to gently cleanse the skin while maintaining softness and the smooth, luminous complexion.
How Science Backs It Up:
Sweet almonds are naturally rich in vitamin E, fatty acids, polyphenols, and antioxidant compounds that help nourish and protect the skin. When finely ground, they provide gentle physical exfoliation, helping remove dead skin cells without damaging the skin barrier. Almond oil, which is naturally released during cleansing, helps soften the skin and reduce moisture loss. Together, these properties leave the skin smoother, more hydrated, and more radiant.
Step 2. Tone with Grapevine Sap (”Vine Tears”)
Collected from grapevines in May, Marie Antoinette reportedly applied fresh grapevine sap to her skin after cleansing.
Why She Did It:
This clear sap was said to refresh, brighten, and soften the skin.
How Science Backs It Up:
Grapevines are naturally rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidant compounds. Modern research on grapes and grapevine extracts has found them to be particularly rich in compounds that help protect against oxidative stress, one of the major drivers of visible skin aging. The sap itself also contains natural sugars and minerals that can help attract and retain moisture in the skin.
Step 3. Mist with Rose Water, Orange Blossom Water & Benzoin Mix (Eau d’Ange- AKA Angel Water)
I. Am. Beyond. Obsessed. & Yes, I have been making & using this, too. The name is perfect because it really does feel like angel water.
(BTW- after doing deep dives into the beauty rituals of ancient princesses for years (& using the best of them religiously), I’m launching a medicinal beauty brand based on the rituals of ancient princesses on June 21st. It’s called Fauna. Make sure you get on the list to get early access to our first drop!)
Why She Did It:
Marie Antoinette was known for her love of floral waters, particularly rose & orange blossom. Not just the smell, but she believed them to be healing for the skin & mood!
How Science Backs It Up:
Rose water contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that help soothe redness and support the skin barrier. Orange blossom water, distilled from the blossoms of the orange tree, contains flavonoids and aromatic compounds with antioxidant properties. Traditionally used to calm both the skin and nervous system, it provides hydration while helping refresh and soothe the skin!
Benzoin is a resin harvested from the bark of Styrax trees and has been used for centuries in both medicine and perfumery. It contains naturally occurring antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory compounds and was traditionally applied to help protect damaged skin and support healing. It also forms a light protective film on the skin that can help reduce moisture loss while imparting a warm, vanilla-like scent.
Step 4. Moisturize with Galen’s Cold Cream
Marie Antoinette regularly used a version of Galen’s Cold Cream, one of the most loved moisturizers in Europe. Her recipes were often tweaked, containing sweet almond oil instead of EVOO and sometimes spermaceti (yes, this is extracted from the heads of sperm whales), creating a rich cream that was applied after cleansing and toning. (I explain the science behind it’s magic it under Queen Sisi, since she used it as well.)
Cleopatra
There are no real records of what Cleopatra used on her face. For this one, I’m diving deep into ancient royal Egyptian customs and drawing from what was most likely her skincare routine.
Step 1. Cleanse with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & a Strigil
Olive oil was massaged into the skin and then gently removed using a curved metal tool called a strigil, which lifted away the oil along with dirt, sweat, and makeup.
Why She Did It:
Ancient Egyptians believed olive oil cleansed, softened, and beautified the skin.
How Science Backs It Up:
Oil cleansing works because oil dissolves oil. The olive oil binds to excess sebum, makeup, sunscreen, and debris on the skin, allowing them to be removed without disrupting the skin barrier. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in vitamin E, antioxidant polyphenols, and squalene, a lipid naturally found in human skin. These compounds help support skin hydration, protect against oxidative stress, and reduce moisture loss.
Step 2. Apply a Raw Honey Mask
Applied to the face and left on before being rinsed away.
Why She Did It:
Honey was one of the most prized ingredients in ancient Egyptian beauty and medicine. It was used to soothe the skin, promote healing, and maintain a smooth, youthful complexion.
How Science Backs It Up:
Raw honey contains antibacterial compounds, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, and naturally occurring peptides that help support wound healing and skin repair. It has even been used in modern medicine because it inhibits the growth of certain bacteria while creating an ideal environment for healing. As a natural humectant, honey also draws moisture into the skin, helping improve hydration, softness, and glow. Together, these properties make honey both a deeply nourishing and protective skincare treatment.
Step 3. Moisturize with Moringa Oil (Very Low PUFA!)
One of the most prized cosmetic oils of the ancient world, moringa oil was used throughout Egypt in beauty preparations, perfumes, and skin treatments.
Why She Did It:
Moringa oil was known for its ability to keep the complexion soft, supple, and youthful while protecting against dryness. Unlike many oils, it also remained remarkably stable in Egypt’s heat, making it especially valuable.
How Science Backs It Up:
Moringa oil is exceptionally rich in oleic acid, a fatty acid that helps strengthen the skin barrier and reduce moisture loss. It also contains vitamin E and powerful antioxidant compounds that help protect the skin from oxidative stress, one of the primary drivers of visible skin aging. Interestingly, moringa oil contains behenic acid, a fatty acid that is highly effective at softening and conditioning the skin!
Okay guys. I have absolutely LOVED writing this article. For a while now, I’ve been loving (and making and using so much of) what has popped up. Cleansing in the morning with raw honey, making my own face mists, making Galen’s Cold Cream...
But the most exciting part?
On June 21st at 12pm EDT, I’m launching a medicinal makeup line based on the beauty secrets of ancient princesses. It’s called Fauna, and I am so, SO excited.
(Make sure you sign up here!! & if you sign up to our text list, we’ll send you private access to shop early, 30 minutes before the drop.).
Because this all started when I couldn’t find a lip product that I ever wanted to put on my mouth. Women eat up to 10 pounds of lip product in their lifetime! So if I’m so careful about what I choose to eat, why was I coating my mouth in toxic chemicals and industrialized oils?
So I started researching and testing what ancient princesses around the world used. And it was absolutely fantastic. Better than any of the synthetic stuff. AND it had incredible benefits.
We’re launching with a Tinted Lip Mask. It looks like the most gorgeous gloss, but it’s such a nourishing treatment for your lips that it’s actually a lip mask as well- that can be worn with or without makeup. I apply it all day long & right before bed. Every single day. Made with no seed oils, no synthetics, and all edible ingredients. My favorite shade is Flushed because I made it look like your lips post-sauna- that pinky color that comes out when you’re flushed from the heat. It looks natural while bringing so much life to the face.
And the MOST important place to start cleaning up your makeup & skincare is your lip products. This is so good that it’s the only gloss, overnight mask, or balm (yes- it works as all three) that I’ve used in the past two years.
So if you care about what you eat, it’s time to care about your makeup and skincare as well. Getting ready has always been a ritual, and it’s time to bring back the intention and medicinal ingredients we’ve forgotten.
Talk soon! & let me know allll of your thoughts!
Valerie
