إيش تعمل الماشطة ف الوش العكر Eish te'mel al-mashtah fil wesh el ‘eker Translation: What can the beautician do to a miserable face? Meaning: This saying dates back to a time before cosmetic surgery, when the only beautician in town was called a mashtah, or literally “the woman who combs hair”. The mashtah knew how to do other things to, such as defoliating, applying henna, applying kohl, and braiding hair. But if the client was ugly, the mashtah might have had a tough time. The saying is in occasional use, and refers to desperate situations that not even the best of experts can resolve. Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha, Translated by: Nabil Shawkat http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/131268.aspx