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Cleopatra's Beauty Routine: Turns Out It Involved *A Lot* of Donkey Milk & Questionable Marketing

Forget the romantic legends—Cleopatra's famed beauty wasn't just a gift from the gods, but the result of a surprisingly extensive (and odorous) skincare routine centered around donkey milk, making her history's first influencer.

Imani Ink Adebayo 2 min read The Historian's Herald

Right, so we’ve all heard the legends. Cleopatra, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, a vision of unparalleled beauty, captivating Caesar and Antony with a single glance. But honey, let’s peel back the papyrus and get real. Recent archaeological digs (and a frankly disturbing amount of ancient beauty blogger scrolls – yes, they existed, don’t ask) reveal her ‘glow-up’ wasn’t just divine right, it was *work*. And by work, I mean a frankly alarming dedication to donkey milk.

Like, gallons of the stuff. Apparently, she bathed in it. Not a dainty splash, mind you, but a full-on soak. Historians are now theorizing the entire Egyptian economy briefly hinged on the wellbeing of their donkey population. We’re talking a full-scale equine spa day, every day. And the smell? Sources suggest a… robust aroma. Think farmyard chic, but with more political power.

But the real kicker? Evidence suggests Cleopatra wasn’t just *using* the donkey milk, she was aggressively *branding* it. Fragments of pottery have been unearthed bearing slogans like “Cleopatra’s Ass-urance: For Skin Fit for a Queen!” and “Donkey Milk: It’s Not Just For Foals Anymore!” (The hieroglyphics are… interpretive). It appears she was the OG influencer, leveraging her royal status to hawk a frankly bizarre beauty product.

And let’s not forget the kohl. Not just for looking mysterious, darling, but also for warding off eye infections. Practical *and* dramatic. Honestly, the woman was a genius. A slightly milky, donkey-adjacent genius. We’re just waiting to discover she also had a line of pyramid-shaped highlighters. Stay tuned.

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