WOMEN the Bible identified as having been phenomenally beautiful, such as Queen Esther, Deborah, Bathsheba, Rebekah, and Sarah (who reportedly turned heads at the age of 100), shared five common skincare practices that I highly recommend today.

Incorporate these five beauty basics into your daily skincare routine to reap the same benefits as the beauties from the Bible.

Sarah — Healthy diet

Sarah exemplified how someone well into her advanced years could be regarded as a stalwart community and spiritual leader, and, at the same time, maintain her extraordinary beauty. Throughout her astonishing lifetime of 127 years, Sarah emanated vitality and natural radiance, along with mental and emotional well-being.

At 65, she still attracted influential admirers, including Egypt’s Pharaoh and, later, the Philistine King of Gerar.

Beauty Lesson: As the number of men and women living 110 years or more grows, these supercentenarians have become an invaluable resource for scientific investigation into longevity.

Diet for the health-conscious person represents a gateway to revitalisation and longevity — and a way of life. Many scientists believe that foods high in minerals, vitamins, fibre and phytonutrients work synergistically to promote health and lower disease risk.

Two powerful antioxidants that have been called anti-ageing miracles are resveratrol and quercetin, both found in red wine, which are being investigated for their disease-fighting features.

Deborah — Sun Care

Deborah was a powerful military figure, an important prophet and a judge who settled disputes. When Israelites came to hear her judgements, they met under a palm tree which became known as ‘the date palm of Deborah’.

It’s possible that the wise choices Deborah made in settling everyday problems extended to protecting her skin as well. Deborah must have realised that the hot, dry Middle Eastern climate could damage her skin, leaving it rough, dry and wrinkled.

Beauty Lesson: A hot, sunny day isn’t the only time to be proactive about the sun. Unlike UVB rays, UVA rays are equally potent year-round and at all times of the day.

An overcast day isn’t an excuse to let your guard down since 80 per cent of the sun’s rays penetrate clouds. If you had to select only one skincare product for your entire beauty routine, what would it be? If preventing premature lines, wrinkles and discolouration is important, the answer should be sunscreen.

Bathsheba — Exfoliation

Bathsheba was typically depicted bathing with her creamy, porcelain skin. It was during such a moment that King David, Israel’s greatest monarch, first noticed her. David was only thinking of the fate of his soldiers when he glanced down from his perch and saw Bathsheba washing within the walls of an open courtyard. The curves of her naked body shimmering in the moonlight aroused his desire for her.

For artists throughout the centuries, Bathsheba inspired scenes of bathing or attending to her toilette. In biblical times, cleanliness and personal hygiene were closely associated with ritual purity and godliness. Among all the ancients, washing the face, hands and feet was a regular practice. Vigorous scrubbing with abrasive ash and other gritty substances exfoliated the skin’s outer layers and imparted a natural glow.

Egyptian royalty used loofahs and pumice stones to smooth away roughness, while Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt, is said to have bathed in mare’s milk. The lactic acid in the milk proteins — recognised today as an alpha hydroxy acid — functioned as a chemical exfoliant.

Beauty Lesson: Today when scientifically advanced skincare products are considered cutting edge, the principles of daily skincare and many ingredients used — from milk to honey — are remarkably similar to what a woman like Bathsheba would have incorporated into her beauty regimen.

Less can be more. Downsize your beauty routine by choosing a few multifunctional skincare products that are suited to your skin type. Many of these products can be found in health food stores, drugstores and supermarkets.

Queen Esther — Moisturising

Queen Esther was chosen out of many women to be the new queen via a beauty pageant of sorts. The Bible mentions the preparations she underwent prior to being presented to the king. This is one area of the Bible where biblical beauty secrets are clearly revealed.

In Esther 2:8-9 it says, “When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. The girl pleased him and won his favour. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.”

And in Esther 2:12 it continues, “Before a girl’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.”

Beauty Lesson: So, clearly oil of myrrh was a big biblical beauty secret. It is believed that this myrrh oil was massaged daily into the skin (possibly combined with olive oil). Myrrh oil is said to be extremely moisturising, toning, healing, and rejuvenating. Today’s substitute should be the use of a non-processed moisturisers such as shea butter or coconut oil, keeping it as natural and organic as biblical times. this helps to preserve the skin’s natural oils, prevent stretch marks and premature ageing of the skin.

Rebekah — Spirituality

Rebekah, wife of Isaac, who was described as very beautiful, put herself through a lot of hard work for no apparent gain. She was a woman of godly character. Something of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4). Rebekah, inspired by nothing more than a caring heart, drew water, not only for the servant, but also for his carmels. Supplying water for thirsty camels is a very demanding job.

As a woman of God, the greatest investment you can make in your life is that of a godly character (1 Timothy 4: 7-8). Let the word of God remould your life. It’s in seeking God that you will find fulfilment(1 Timothy 6: 6). As you seek the kingdom of God, all other things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).

Beauty Lesson: Being grounded spiritually can bring peace which regulates our brain and our bodies to function in ways that promote vitality, health and inadvertent beauty.This is the secret to a fulfilled life that so many women have missed. The godliness in Rebekah is what opened the door to her destiny. She was not sitting there complaining of her situation, but rather allowed the love of God to shape her life. Her beauty was not only physical but also stemmed from within.

Michelle Vernon is a phlebotomist medical aesthetician who operates the Body Studio Skincare, located at 20 Constant Spring Road, Mall Plaza, Kingston 10, and Fairview Shopping Centre, Montego Bay. She may be reached at telephone 908-0438 or 684-9800; IG @ bodystudioskincare; E-mail: bodystudioskincare@gmail.com; Website:www.bodystudioskincare.

com.