Once again I've stumbled upon something interesting while researching a completely different topic. I came across this Nefertiti-themed collection by Signature Club A at the Home Shopping Network (HSN) website. The design on the powder is a bit…strange.
Another view:
And a bronzer:
(images from hsn.com)
Compare the designs, if you will, to the Egyptian Museum Berlin's bust of Nefertiti, which dates to 1340 B.C. and is perhaps the most well-known image of her.
I don't see much of a resemblance, do you?
(images from egyptian-museum-berlin.com)
Egyptian-inspired makeup is not a new concept. From Liz Taylor's turn as Cleopatra back in 1963 to Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" video, Westerners' perception of Egyptian beauty remains in the foreground of many makeup artists' and celebrities' imaginations. Additionally, both Cleopatra and Nefertiti are both renowned for their beauty which makes them ideal for makeup collections. Indeed, many products are inspired by Nefertiti's legendary allure – off the top of my head I can think of a gold nail polish by Deborah Lippmann and a (discontinued) highlighting powder by Becca that are both named after this queen. A 2002 MAC face chart shows how to get a Nefertiti look, while this vintage lipstick is printed with heiroglyphics and Nefertiti in profile.
(images from etsy.com)
So I don't find a makeup collection based on this woman to be odd. What I do find weird is the actual design that is supposed to be Nefertiti in the Signature Club A powder. To my eye it looks like some sort of alien, what with the abnormally long neck and misshapen head. And while I'm no expert in Egyptian art or history, the rectangles positioned behind each side of the head do not resemble an ancient Egyptian headdress in the slightest, and certainly not the one that adorns the most famous depiction of Nefertiti. All in all, it's bizarre. Or just bad design.
What do you think?