Photos by Shatha al Jabri, Hani al Suleimani, and Moosa Al Hajri
On a wooden platform made out of Indian teak wood, a mixture of pleasant aromas is scattered. Hanging heavy in the air is the odd but surprising combination of green Henna powder, sweet aromas of rose water, Sandal, Amber and among others. This is a part of the old Omani women's wardrobe of cosmetics.
"Woman and nature are inseparable twins. One of the habits of Omani women in the past is to work on cosmetics, adornment, skincare and hair care products extracting them from plants -- either through smart use of their leaves, flowers and oils," Maryam Al Kharousi said, Omani researcher and author of the book Recipes and Documentation from the Omani Heritage, The Omani Woman's Decoration of Plants.
"The diversity of the agricultural environment in the Sultanate of Oman, between the plain, mountain, valleys and the rocky slopes, has contributed to the diversity of cosmetic products extracted from nature," she noted.
Women of all ages always showcase their best health especially on special occasions such as weddings and holidays. Omani women, therefore, take extra care of their skin particularly the face making sure that they shield it from natural factors that can result in its degradation. From getting hard, tough skin to getting burnt in the sun, or having rashes due to dry or cold air, women make sure that they carefully plan out remedies to prevent this from happening.
To restore the balance of the skin, women use natural materials such as the "Waras" herb that is scientifically called "curcuma aromatica", according to Maryam's book.
"The powder from the Waras is mixed with oil, such as olive, al-Shu’, or sesame oil, then it is kept in a bottle and used from time to time by applying it to the entire face. The bride in the past used to apply it for the whole body and was kept unwashed for four to five days, to give the body a white colour and a good smell," she shared.
Sandalwood powder as well is used for face care by mixing it with rose water.
"Its scientific name is "santalum album", and it is a perennial evergreen tree that is grown in the farm of Arzat spring in Dhofar Governorate," she noted.
Omani women still use it until now, "as it is considered one of the most important exfoliators or scrubs for the skin, whitens its colour, reduces dark spots, treats acne and skin melasma, and gives a pink colour to the cheeks naturally," she shared.
With the absence of hair care products, women used "Sidr" leaf powder for hair care, men too. Once water is added to this powder, it produces a foam similar to the texture of soap and becomes ready for use.
It is still widely used by women till now as an alternative to shampoo. It is common, nowadays, to prepare a mixture of yoghurt, different hair oils and Sidr leaf powder, and apply it to the hair for a certain period, and then wash the hair. Omani women still use it also on their skin to protect it from sunlight and moisturize dry skin.
"Sidr is one of the most famous plants that grow on the plains and streams of valleys, and scientifically called "Ziziphus spina-christi," Maryam said.
"Henna" is still considered one of the most important external adornments for Omani women. It is one of the basics and necessities of the bride's adornment on her wedding day. Women used to put henna on their heads to hide white hair. In the summer, with high temperatures, women put henna on the scalp to cool it and give the hair a fragrant scent. Women were also keen to decorate children, male and female, with henna.
The woman's adornment would not be complete without the Arabic perfume, which is achieved by mixing a group of aromatic herbs. Rosewater is one of the most prominent and most important daily perfumes that women used due to its pleasant smell.
The "Waras" plant is also used to perfume clothes. "The clothes are soaked in “Waras” oil for days to absorb it and wear it in the high summer heat," she said.
"Alaalan" seeds are also used in the making of perfume. "The seeds are grounded and a little hot water is added and then pressed to obtain an aromatic oil. Traditionally, women gather the fruits and arrange them in a thread that they wear around their necks like necklace," she explained. The scientific name of it is "Juniperus Excelsa".
At a time when toothpaste was not available, Omani women used "Al Derm", a type of herb in which they rub the teeth to become whiter and give the lips natural pinkish colour.
Maryam hopes for more investment in this field and that more studies are conducted to uncover the power of such herbs.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
