Facial skin
The product was prepared directly by the slaves, whose basic ingredients were in principle a light layer of honey, some fatty substances, the cerussite (whose whitish pigment gave brightness to the complexion), guano and finally a small amount of red pigments (saltpetre foam, red ochre, wine lees or fucus), to give the face a rosy and healthy complexion.
Often, after having spread a thick layer of product on the whole face, it was passed on the cheeks of hematite powder (otherwise extract of fucus or red ochre), thanks to which the cheeks acquired color.
For those who preferred a more tanned and natural complexion, the alternative was to apply a light amount of "Selina earth", with which to give the complexion a warm brick shade.
Otherwise, it was applied to the foundation of the chalk, or a mixture of rice flour and broad beans together with the shells of the well-chopped pigeon eggs, thanks to which a pale and cerulean complexion, a symbol of elegance, was obtained.
For the most sophisticated make-up, on some occasions, the final application of a finely chopped crystal powder was used for a pearlescent finish (not unlike the current "glow effect").
They were often made on the skin even in the places that, depending on the position occupied, assumed a precise meaning in order to communicate coded messages.
In addition to simply decorating the face, sometimes the artificial ones we're used to hide scars or stains on the skin.
Eyebrows
The eyebrows were shaped using tweezers, so as to make them rather rounded and brought quite close together, which shows the Greek influence.
To highlight them, they were then marked with a stick of coal or with the wick of a lamp, otherwise using pulverized antimony (stibium), soot or a lead mine, then faded with a slight amount of ash.
Those who preferred eyebrows over golden brown used Cidno's crocus or used lightening in order to resemble the Nordic populations.
Eyes
The eye border consisted of an upper and lower line, probably using hairpins in bone dipped in black powders obtained from soot, pulverized antimony, smoke black of burnt dates or even toasted ants, otherwise using the kohl of Egyptian origin (the latter also used to blacken the eyelashes) or cuttlefish black or manganese.
On the eyelids, on the other hand, eyeshadows of yellow (obtained from saffron), green (obtained from malachite), blue / indigo (obtained by grinding malachite or azurite), otherwise gray (from soot) were spread.
Mouth
Red was undoubtedly the most popular color at the time of the Roman Empire. The pigments could have a vegetable origin, obtained from fucus (reddish algae), from the extract of anchusa tinctoria, from the distillate of photos, from the juice of mulberry blackberries, from berries or from wine lees.
Alternatively, the red color could be of animal origin, obtaining it from cochineal, pigeon blood or coming from the same mollusks from which purple was extracted, otherwise mineral extracts such as cinnabar (mercury sulfide) were also used, mini (mixed lead oxide), sandracca (arsenic sulphide), red gypsum or using pastes obtained from a mixture of ochre powder (red-brown clay) and hematite, thanks to which a wide range of shades were generated, ranging from orange to red, up to brick colour.
In addition to red, other more particular lipstick colors such as pink, gold, and silver were also in vogue.
Cheeks
In order to give color to the cheeks, the powder of hematite, the red ochre of Selina (from Selinunte), otherwise extracted from fucus, the wine lees or the liquid obtained by macerating red poppy petals in the water, was often spread over them.
To complete the care of the matrons there were also significant details such as the nails, cut and dyed with henna. It also seems that some of the most popular enamels among the matrons were composed of fat and sheep's blood.