Beauty is a timeless virtue, which according to Greek mythology and antiquity references was the epicenter of wars, a religious worship "theme" and of course a subject, that all women regardless the timeline of their life, had as priority. We usually hear expressions as “Classical beauty”, “Pretty as Aphrodite” which are related with homophonous recognized beauty standards. Minoan beautification process, globally known by palatial mural paintings, which depict extremely well groomed women, has proved as an initial source of beauty information.
Male but especially female depictions in the famous Minoan frescoes are the most representative example of the nobles of Minoan Crete and their luxurious life. “A wealth of information” as researches call the Minoan frescoes, provides excellent knowledge about local's appearance, clothing and grooming. "La Parisienne", the famous fresco from Knossos palace, was named by Evans' workers who left in awe with the woman’s' look. The make-up and hair were elaborated. White powder for the face and red for lips, cheeks, nails and ear lobes. Their big eyes are artistic dyed by dark paint. All the dyes were from plants.
Another Minoan beautification chapter is the production and use of perfumes and aromatic oils which were also an exported product. They created essential oils, derived from various parts of plants such as flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds. More specifically, honey, wine and coriander are basic ingredients for perfumes creation. Excavations in Zakros Palace, brought to light probably a fragrance laboratory where, besides the jars, there was a heating facility, lists of aromatic plants and suitable vessels for the transport of perfumes abroad.
