How They Thuoght In The Olden Days The Sun Was Healthy And Used Very Little Cream And Makeup

Cosmetics, first used in aboriginal Rome for ritual purposes,^[i] were role of daily life. Some stylish cosmetics, such as those imported from Germany, Gaul and Cathay, were so expensive that the Lex Oppia tried to limit their use in 189 BCE.^[2] These "designer brands" spawned cheap knock-offs that were sold to poorer women.^[3] Working-class women could afford the cheaper varieties, but may non have had the fourth dimension (or slaves) to apply the makeup^[4] as the use of makeup was a time-consuming affair because cosmetics needed to be reapplied several times a day due to weather weather condition and poor composition.^[5]

Cosmetics were applied in private, usually in a small room where men did non enter. Cosmetae, female person slaves that adorned their mistresses, were especially praised for their skills.^[vi] They would beautify their mistresses with cultus, the Latin word encompassing makeup, perfume and jewelry.^[7]

Olfactory property was as well an of import factor of dazzler. Women who smelled good were presumed to be good for you. Due to the stench of many of the ingredients used in cosmetics at the fourth dimension, women often drenched themselves in copious amounts of perfume.^[8]

Christian women tended to avert cosmetics with the belief that they should praise what God gave them.^[9] Some men, especially cross-dressers, did use cosmetics, although it was viewed as effeminate and improper.^[ten]

All corrective ingredients were besides used as medicines to care for diverse ailments. Lead, although known to exist poisonous, was even so widely used.^[vii]

Men's attitudes [edit]

Roman attitudes towards cosmetics evolved with the expansion of the empire. The assortment of cosmetics available increased as trade borders expanded and the resulting influx of wealth granted women boosted slaves and time to spend on beauty. Ideas of beauty from conquered peoples, specially the Greeks and Egyptians, greatly influenced the Roman paradigm of beauty.^[10] Dissimilar their eastern trading partners all the same, the Romans felt that but the "preservation of dazzler" was adequate and not "unnatural embellishment". Despite exaggerating their makeup to make it announced in the poor lighting of the time, women even so wanted to appear natural every bit a sign of chastity^{[ commendation needed ]}. Artificiality denoted a desire to be seductive, which made men question for whom exactly a woman was trying to appear attractive. In particular, Romans did not like unnatural colors on the eyes and overlined eyes.^[11] This was why men more often than not viewed the employ of cosmetics equally deceitful and manipulative.^[12] Vestal Virgins did not don makeup because they were supposed to look holy and celibate. Postumia, one of the Vestal Virgins, defied this convention and consequently, was accused of incestum.^[13]

Of all the surviving texts mentioning cosmetics (all written by men) Ovid is lone in his approving of their employ. The consensus was that women who used cosmetics in excess were immoral and deceptive and were practicing a form of witchcraft. Juvenal wrote that "a woman buys scents and lotions with adultery in mind" and mocked the demand for cosmetics, believing that they were ineffective. Utilise of perfumes was farther looked down upon considering they were thought to mask the smell of sexual activity and alcohol. Seneca brash virtuous women to avoid cosmetics, as he believed their employ to be a role of the decline of morality in Rome. Stoics were as well confronting the use of cosmetics, as they were opposed to the usage of all man-made luxuries. Although in that location are no surviving texts written by women expounding the mental attitude of women towards cosmetics, their widespread employ indicates that women accepted and enjoyed these products.^[2]

Skincare [edit]

Pure white skin, a demarcation of the aristocracy, was the most important characteristic of Roman beauty.^[7] Pale pare gave the impression of a higher social status. It was causeless that if a adult female had stake pare, she stayed inside considering she could afford slaves that would get outside and practise labor she otherwise would accept washed.^[14]

Women would frequently set up their faces with beauty masks prior to applying makeup. Ane recipe called for the awarding of sweat from sheep'due south wool (lanolin) to the face up before bedtime,^[15] emitting a stench frequently criticized past men.^[xvi] Other ingredients included juice, seeds, horns, excrement,^[17] honey, plants, placenta, marrow, vinegar, bile, fauna urine, sulfur, vinegar,^[six] eggs, myrrh, incense, frankincense,^[18] basis oyster shells,^[xix] onions with poultry fat, white lead, and barley with vetch. Bathing in asses' milk was an expensive treatment that worked like a chemic peel and was used past wealthy women such as Cleopatra VII and Poppaea Sabina.^[20]

Later their baths, they would then utilise face up whitener, such as chalk powder,^[21] white marl, crocodile dung and white lead.^[7] The Roman recognition that lead was poisonous underscored their point of view on how of import white skin was. Other ingredients used in whiteners included beeswax, olive oil, rosewater, saffron,^[three] animal fatty, can oxide, starch,^[22] rocket (arugula), cucumber, anise, mushrooms, beloved, rose leaves, poppies, myrrh, frankincense,^[7] almond oil, rosewater, lily root, h2o parsnip and eggs.^[8] In Ovid's Fine art of Beauty, he gives a recipe and directions on how to make a face whitener.^[23] The Romans disliked wrinkles, freckles, sunspots, skin flakes and blemishes.^[6] To soften wrinkles, they used swans' fat, asses' milk, mucilage Arabic and bean-repast.^[vii] Sores and freckles were treated with the ashes of snails.^[7] The Romans pasted soft leather patches of alum directly over blemishes to pretend that they were beauty marks. Criminals and freedmen used these leather patches, which came in both circular and crescent shapes, to muffle brand marks.^[8]

With the exception of pilus on her head, hair was considered to be unattractive on a Roman woman. Consequently, women removed hair by either shaving, plucking, stripping using a resin paste, or scraping with a pumice stone. Older women faced ridicule for their depilation considering information technology was viewed primarily as preparation for sex.^[24]

Rouge [edit]

Although Romans esteemed pale faces, a light pink on the cheeks was considered to exist attractive, signifying good health. Plutarch wrote that besides much rouge made a woman expect showy, while Martial mocked women, assertive that rouge was in danger of melting in the lord's day.^[4] Sources of rouge included Tyrian vermillion,^[10] rose and poppy petals, fucus,^[25] cherry chalk, alkanet, and crocodile dung.^[26] Cherry ochre, a more expensive blush, was imported from Belgium and basis against a stone into powder.^[xviii] Despite a widespread cognition that cinnabar and reddish pb were poisonous, they were both still used extensively.^[vii] Inexpensive alternatives included mulberry juice and vino dregs.^[8]

Center makeup [edit]

Roman glass perfume flask and two-part eye makeup container.

The platonic eyes, from the Roman perspective, were large with long eyelashes. Pliny the Elder wrote that eyelashes brutal out from sexual excess, and so it was especially important for women to keep their eyelashes long to prove their chastity.^[27]

Kohl was the main ingredient in middle makeup, and was composed of ashes or soot and antimony, with saffron unremarkably added to improve the smell. Kohl was practical using a rounded stick, made of ivory, glass, bone, or woods, that would be dipped in either oil or h2o get-go, before being used to employ the kohl.^[7] The utilise of kohl as makeup came from the e. In addition to kohl, charred rose petals^[28] and appointment stones could be used to darken the eyes.^[8]

Colored eyeshadow was as well applied past women to accentuate their optics. Greenish eyeshadow came from malachite, while blue came from azurite.^[3]

The Romans preferred dark eyebrows that almost met in the center.^[7] This consequence was achieved past concealment their eyebrows with antimony or soot and and so extending them inward.^[3] Plucking began in the 1st century BCE to tidy their overall look.^[4]

Lips, nails and teeth [edit]

Although evidence for the usage of lipstick appears in earlier civilizations, no such testify has materialized to indicate that the Romans always colored their lips.^[29] The only evidence for painting nails comes from a red dye they imported that was produced from an Indian insect. Generally but the wealthy cut their nails, as they used barbers to prune their nails brusk, following the gimmicky exercise for practiced hygiene.^[7]

Although oral hygiene was nowhere near today's standards, white teeth were prized by the Romans, and then fake teeth, made from os, ivory and paste, were popular items. Ovid shed light on the way white teeth were viewed in society when he wrote the statement, "Yous can practice yourself untold harm when you express joy if your teeth are black, too long or irregular."^[4] The Romans besides sweetened their breath with pulverisation and baking soda.^[6]

Perfume [edit]

Perfumes were very popular in Ancient Rome. In fact, they were and then heavily used that Cicero claimed that, "The right smell for a adult female is none at all."^[iv] They came in liquid, solid and gluey forms and were oft created in a maceration procedure with flowers or herbs and oil.^[5] Distillation engineering, as well every bit most of the imported ingredients, originated in the eastward.^[6] The most prominent perfume market in Italy was Seplasia in Capua.^[16] Perfumes were rubbed on or poured onto the user and were often believed to be helpful against different ailments, such as fever and indigestion. Dissimilar scents were appropriate for different occasions,^[10] as well equally for men and women.^[30] Deodorants made from alum, iris and rose petals were common.^[31]

In addition to personal use, perfumes were used in nutrient and to freshen the household aroma.^[5]

Containers and mirrors [edit]

Makeup ordinarily came in tablet or cake form, sold at marketplaces.^[7] Wealthy women bought expensive makeup that came in elaborate containers fabricated from gold, forest, glass or bone.^[6] Kohl came in compartmentalized tubes that could store more than 1 color of eye makeup.^[seven] Glassblowing, invented in the 1st century CE in Syria, lowered the price of containers. The almost mutual color for drinking glass was teal.^[2] Gladiator sweat and fats of the animals fighting in the arena were sold in gift pots outside of the games to improve complexion.^[three]

Mirrors in Ancient Rome were by and large hand mirrors made from polished metal, or mercury behind drinking glass.^[4] Spending too much time in front of a mirror was thought to denote that a adult female was weak in graphic symbol.^[32]

Prostitutes [edit]

Cosmetics, and especially their overuse, were commonly associated with prostitutes, both being regarded as immoral and seductive. The Latin word lenocinium actually meant both "prostitution" and "makeup". Due to their low income, prostitutes tended to use cheaper cosmetics, which emitted rather foul odors.^[33] This, combined with the potent, exotic scents used to comprehend up the stench, fabricated brothels smell especially rank. As prostitutes anile, with their income dependent on their appearance, they opted for more copious amounts of makeup. Courtesans oft received cosmetics and perfumes as gifts or partial payment.^[29]

Men'due south use [edit]

Men are also known to have used cosmetics in Roman times, although it was frowned upon past society. Men seen carrying mirrors were viewed as effeminate, while those using face-whitening makeup were thought to be immoral because they were expected to be tanned from working outside.^[34] Two of the more acceptable practices were the light use of certain perfumes and moderate hair removal. A man removing too much pilus was viewed as effeminate, while removing as well little fabricated him seem unrefined.^[32] The Romans found information technology especially inappropriate for an emperor to exist vain, every bit was apparently the example with the Emperor Otho.^[35] The Emperor Elagabalus removed all of his body hair and oft donned makeup, which caused the Romans much grief.^[36]

References [edit]

^ An Aboriginal Roman Make-up Lesson The History Channel. Retrieved 2009-x-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c Stewart, Susan. Cosmetics & Perfumes in the Roman World. Gloucestershire: Tempus, 2007, pp. 123-136.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^{due east} Ancient cosmetics brought to life BBC News. Retrieved 2009-x-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cowell, F.R. Everyday Life in Ancient Rome. London: Batsford, 1961, pp. 63-66.
^ ^a ^b ^c Stewart, Susan. Cosmetics & Perfumes in the Roman Earth. Gloucestershire: Tempus, 2007, pp. 9-13.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f A Brief History of Cosmetics in Roman Times Archived 2014-02-23 at the Wayback Machine Life in Italy. Retrieved 2009-x-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^yard ^h ⁱ ^j ^m ^fifty ^m Olson, Kelly. Dress and the Roman Woman. New York: Routledge, 2008, pp. 61-lxx.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^{due east} Stewart, Susan. Cosmetics & Perfumes in the Roman World. Gloucestershire: Tempus, 2007, pp. 32-60.
^ Tertullian, De cultu feminarum, 2.v.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Angeloglou, Maggie. A History of Make-up. London: Studio Vista, 1970, pp. 30-32
^ Olson, Kelly (2009). "Cosmetics in Roman Artifact". The Classical World. 103 (3).
^ Achilles Tatius. Leucippe and Cleitophon. 2.38.two-3.
^ Livy, History of Rome Archived 2009-10-02 at the Wayback Auto, 4.44.11.
^ Olson, Kelly (2009). "Cosmetics in Roman Antiquity: Substance, Remedy, Poison". The Classical Earth. 102 (3).
^ Ovid, The Art of Love. 3.213-14.
^ ^a ^b Balsdon, J.P.D.Five. "Roman Women: Their History and Habits". London: Bodley Caput, 1962, p. 261.
^ Ovid, The Art of Beloved., 3.270.
^ ^a ^b Ovid, The Art of Beauty.
^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 32.65.
^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 11.238.
^ Horace, Epodes, 12.10.
^ Roman cosmetic secrets revealed BBC News. Retrieved 2009-ten-29.
^ "The Love Books of Ovid: The Art of Beauty".
^ Martial. 12.32.21-2, 10.90.
^ Pliny the Elder. Natural History, 26.103.
^ Horace, Epodes, 12.10-eleven.
^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 11.154.
^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 21,123, 35.194.
^ ^a ^b Stewart, Susan. Cosmetics & Perfumes in the Roman World. Gloucestershire: Tempus, 2007, pp. 111-114.
^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, 15.684.
^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 21.142, 35.185, 21.121.
^ ^a ^b Stewart, Susan. Cosmetics & Perfumes in the Roman World. Gloucestershire: Tempus, 2007, pp. 82-95.
^ Seneca, Controversiae, 2.21.
^ Ovid, The Art of Love. 1.513.
^ Juvenal, Satires, 2.99-101.
^ Cassius Dio, Roman History 80.fourteen.4.
^ Peter Green, (Autumn, 1979). "Ars Gratia Cultus: Ovid as Beautician". American Periodical of Philology (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Printing) 100 (3):pp. 390-1.

External links [edit]

The History Channel: An Ancient Roman Make-upward Lesson Video sit-in
Ovid'southward "The Art of Beauty"
A Cursory History of Cosmetics in Roman Times
BBC News: Aboriginal cosmetics brought to life
BBC News: Roman corrective secrets revealed