Overview
Since the beginning of time, men and women have been searching for the secrets of anti-aging and longevity. The appearance of wrinkles, sagging skin and gray hairs have made people obsessed with finding a mythical 'elixir of youth'. Below is an historical perspective on how men and women have tried to defy aging and maintain their youthful glow. Last update: 2.26.18
Since the beginning of time, men and women have been searching for the secrets of anti-aging and longevity. The appearance of wrinkles, sagging skin and gray hairs have made people obsessed with finding a mythical 'elixir of youth'. Below is an historical perspective on how men and women have tried to defy aging and maintain their youthful glow. Last update: 2.26.18
WOMEN
Ancient Egypt Cleopatra liked to use crocodile dung mixed with donkey’s milk as a face mask. She also bathed in milk with rose petals for hours on end. Her cheeks were blushed using a mixture of clay and crushed beetles, and her eyeliners were made from kohl, a dark-colored powder made of crushed antimony, burnt almonds, lead, oxidized copper, ochre, ash, malachite and chrysocolla. Ancient Greece Since a light complexion was favored, white lead mixed with olive oil was often used to whiten the skin. Although this made faces visibly lighter, the women were also subjected to death by slow lead poisoning, which was absorbed in their skin. Ancient Greeks liked connected eyebrows (unibrow) and would use dark powder to decorate their eyes. Blond hair was highly coveted. To achieve that effect, women would bleach their hair with vinegar, which led to hair falling out and the use of wigs. Ancient China Under the rule of the Tang Emperors (618 to 907), China became the most powerful and prosperous country in the world. Empress Wu Zetian, a Tang-dynasty ruler and sole female emperor, maintained a lifelong interest in skincare formulas. She mixed her famed “fairy powder” (made of carefully harvested and prepared Chinese motherwort) with cold water in order to wash her face each morning. Ancient India Ancient India was no different when it came to searching for anti-aging techniques and perpetual youthfulness. For centuries, women closely guarded their methods and only passed them down generation to generation 'orally'. Sandalwood was the most important ingredient, and was used as a base to create medicines and creams. Two basic kinds of sandalwood were used. White sandal was used for makeup and skin care, while red sandal was used for both medicine and skin care. Ancient Indians also developed a recipe for a skin paste to treat acne by using small portions of sandalwood powder mixed with a portion of turmeric. This paste was applied to the skin before bed and left on during the night. For a cooling effect in warmer or humid weather, camphor was added to the paste. This paste reduced pimples in a short period of time without scarring, and was also used on torsos, providing relief from heat rashes. Ancient Indian beliefs and philosophy taught that living a harmonious lifestyle should include blended body massages and yoga routines to enhance health, strength, youthfulness, and reduce stress. Other creations using a combination of plants and herbs produced beauty products and healing potions. These ingredients were designed to balance the skin and scalp at the cellular level, and prevent dehydration and aging affects of old and dying skin cells. Ancient Indian culture also created herbal bathing solutions using floral, herbal, and milk products to lubricate the skin without clogging pores. Steam treatments combining the effects of sesame oil and herbs eliminated harmful toxins from the skin. 16th Century Europe Queen Elizabeth I was the epitome of beauty and style for English women, who went to great lengths to emulate their monarch. Although cosmetics were considered a hazard because they were considered to block energy from the skin surface, women still strived for the pale and porcelain complexion thanks to their queen. A high forehead was considered the sign of aristocracy and women often plucked their hairline to achieve this look. Raw egg whites were rubbed over the face to achieve a smooth and glazed complexion. To achieve the much coveted pale pallor, women used lead in makeup and consumed arsenic, which gave a white glow to the skin while shortening their lifespan. Some women even used leeches, which would bleed them out to achieve the naturally pale look. They also swallowed tapeworms to stay slim and trim. Mary, Queen of Scots, the ill-fated and attractive adversary of Elizabeth I, prescribed to a beauty regimen that was said to include white-wine baths. In addition to wine’s antiseptic alcohol content, it was also thought to improve complexion. Elizabeth Báthory, a Hungarian countess, is infamous for being one of the world’s first documented female serial killers. Most of her life is shrouded in mystery and legend. It was said that she regularly bathed in the blood of her female victims--peasant virgins sent to the Báthory estate to work as maidservants. 18th and 19th Century Europe Marie Antoinette (1755 – 1793) was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. She.concocted a lavish facial regimen that consisted of cognac, eggs, milk, and lemon. Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, was Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796, and the country's longest-ruling female leader. As part of her morning beauty ritual, she would smooth ice upon her face, decolletage (upper part of a woman's torso, comprising her neck, shoulders, back and upper chest, that is exposed by the neckline of her clothing), and neck in an effort to promote a youthful glow. Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), a 19th century Austrian noblewoman, had a self-imposed beauty routine that was rigid and obsessive, and included an intense tight-lacing practice that kept her waist smaller than nineteen inches in circumference. A favorite product of Sisi's was Crème Céleste, a concoction of spermaceti (a wax found in the head of sperm whales), sweet almond oil, and rosewater. She would apply this daily. At night, she was known to coat her face in raw veal and crushed strawberries that was kept in place with a custom-made leather mask. Information compiled from various Internet sources. |
MEN
In 2010, researchers at the University of Bristol in England found evidence suggesting Neanderthals wore makeup more than 50,000 years ago. The team unearthed seashells in Spain that later revealed themselves to be makeup vessels housing yellow and red pigments mixed with a reflective black material. They claimed that when fresh this mixture would have created a stunning black surface, undoubtedly used for cosmetic purposes. The association between men and makeup was mentioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 23:40), and eye shadow was used in Egyptian burials dating back to 10,000 BC. Men’s grooming and skin care had its origins in the word "cosmetae" which was first used to describe Roman slaves whose function was to bathe men in perfume. Since the Egyptians, each subsequent civilization invented unique words that referred to cosmetics and fragrance as one science. The Greeks used the word 'kosmein' which conveys the thought - to decorate, to make-up, to care for and to produce harmony between body and mind. Grooming and to make-up the external appearance to enhance ones beauty in harmony with the mind was regarded by many in pre-Christian Greece as being the basic requirement for a deep inner feeling of happiness. Men’s grooming and skin care first included the use of fragrant oils. As early as 10,000 BC, men were grooming themselves using scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odor. Men’s use of makeup began with dyes and paints that were used to make-up and color the skin, body and hair. At this time men’s makeup included rouge for their lips and cheeks, and makeup for the nails using henna as a stain. Men’s makeup also included the use of kohl to heavily line the eyes and eyebrows. Kohl was a dark-colored powder made of crushed antimony, burnt almonds, lead, oxidized copper, ochre, ash, malachite and chrysocolla. When used by men as makeup, kohl was applied using a small stick as a makeup applicator. The makeup was applied to the upper and lower eyelids, painted in a line that extended to the sides of the face for an almond effect. In addition to its purpose as men’s makeup, kohl also reduced the suns glare, and it was believed that kohl eyeliner could restore poor eyesight and reduce eye infection. Men who used kohl as makeup kept it in a small, flat-bottomed pot with a wide, tiny rim and a flat, disk-shaped lid. From 7,000 to 4,000 BC, the fatty oils of olive and sesame were combined with fragrant plants to create the original Neolithic ointments for use in men’s grooming and skin care. When the Egyptians were learning to write and make bricks in 3,000 BC, they were also importing large quantities of myrrh. The earliest recorded items of Egyptian commerce included spices, gums, and other fragrant plants that were used in men’s make-up, grooming, and skin care products. Men’s grooming became an inherent part of Egyptian hygiene and health. Oils and creams were used for skin care protection against the hot Egyptian sun and dry winds. Myrrh, thyme, marjoram, chamomile, lavender, lily, peppermint, rosemary, cedar, rose, aloe, olive oil, sesame oil and almond oil provided the basic ingredients of most men’s grooming ointments and perfumes. Makeup took a step forward with the use of a clay called red ochre, which men used to make-up their lips, cheeks and nails. Grinding ochre and mixing it with water made this men’s makeup. Men’s makeup was stored in special jars that were kept in special makeup boxes. Women would carry their makeup boxes to parties and keep them under their chairs, but men did not carry their makeup kits with them. History did document the jealousy one man had over another’s makeup, skin care and grooming collection. When Alexander the Great entered the tent of defeated King Darius after the battle of Issos, Alexander threw out the king's makeup box of priceless grooming ointments and perfumes. Ironically, after Alexander had traveled extensively in Asia, he too became addicted to men’s grooming, makeup and aromatics. He sent plant cuttings to his Athenian classmate in Athens from everywhere he traveled. His classmate then used the cuttings to establish a botanical garden in Athens to create skin care, makeup and grooming products. Men’s grooming habits including the use of makeup did not fade. By about 300 BC, myrrh and frankincense from Yemen reached the Mediterranean by way of Persian traders. The trade routes swelled as the demand for roses, sweet flag, orris root, narcissus, saffron, mastic, oak moss, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, aloe wood, grasses and gum resins used to make men’s grooming, skin care and makeup increased. Men’s grooming and the use of men’s makeup also became common in the Middle East. Iraqi men’s makeup included the practice of painting their faces with kohl just like the Egyptians had. Some historians believe this use of men’s makeup was to protect them from the evil eye. However, it is also believed that Iraqi men using makeup was a natural predisposition based on the prominence of the male species in society. The original Egyptian intention of men’s skin care, grooming, and makeup suffered a bastardization beyond any reasonable recovery with the Romans, who were unabashedly hedonistic. Egyptian oils intended to be used for men’s skin care and grooming became nothing more than sexual accoutrements in Rome. Around 100 AD, the Romans took men’s grooming and makeup to a higher level. Men’s makeup included the use of barley flour and butter on pimples, and sheep’s fat and blood on fingernails for polish. The Romans crowning contribution to men’s skin care was the practice of taking mud baths laced with crocodile excrement. Men’s grooming practices expanded to the frequent dying of their hair. Blond was the preferred color of the times, and this grooming habit was intended to make men look younger. However, the practice was curtailed, as dyes were so caustic they had the affect of causing ones hair to fall out. By the middle of the 1st century AD, the use of makeup was common practice. The Romans were known to make-up their eyes with kohl, use chalk for whitening their complexion, and rouge for their cheeks. Men’s grooming consisted of depilatories for hair removal and pumice for cleaning teeth. It also included the use of oil-based perfumes in baths and fountains, and the application of these oils to their weapons. There is evidence that the Vikings also liked to wear make-up as the Arab traveler Ibrahim Al-Tartushi who visited the Viking trading hub of Hedeby in 950AD wrote: "there is also an artificial make-up for the eyes, when they use it beauty never fades, on the contrary it increases in men and women as well". What he was observing was probably the use of kohl as men’s makeup During the early Middle Ages, the dominance of the church kept men’s grooming and the use of makeup to a minimum. Cosmetics and makeup as a specialty in and of itself began separating from medicine between 1200 and 1500. Afterward, there appears to have been a separation again into two branches of cosmetics: those used for men’s grooming, makeup and skin care for the routine beautification of the skin, and those used for the correction of disorders. Historically, men’s grooming and makeup was at times controversial. It was often criticized on religious and moral grounds. During Victorian times, men’s makeup was considered the devil's making, and as a result, men’s grooming and their use of makeup faded. During the reign of Elizabeth I of England, men’s grooming and makeup made a popular come back. Popular men’s grooming treatments included rosemary water for the hair and sage to whiten teeth. Men’s skin care included elderflower ointment for the skin, bathing in wine, and an egg and honey mask to smooth away wrinkles. Men’s makeup included geranium petal rouge and lipstick to suggest health, wealth and gaiety. Pale skin became a make-up trend de jour. Unknowingly, the makeup used to whiten the skin was made with lead and arsenic, which resulted in many early deaths. Men’s grooming also included the bleaching of hair with lye, which caused it to fall out. As a result, men’s grooming began to include wigs, and makeup included the use of powder. Although men’s grooming remained popular, men’s skin care and the use of makeup again faded in prominence in the late 1800’s. During the late 1900’s men’s grooming, skin care and makeup began to increase in popularity. With the introduction of the Metrosexual phenomenon in 2000, men began focusing on their grooming and the use of skin care and makeup. Source Source |
21st Century
Since the start of the 21st century, anti-aging medicine has grown out of quackery and into hard science, with doctors becoming increasingly successful in developing drugs and techniques that turn back the signs of aging at a time when the population is aging, increasingly affluent, and obsessed with the cult of youth.
Consequently, full facelifts are becoming a last resort. Botox, which is injected below the skin to even out wrinkles, is also becoming dated. Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as hylaform and restylane, have been shown in clinical trials to have far lower risk of allergy than botox. Also, a patients' own fat can be transferred to parts of the face. A rejuvenating laser has been developed which doesn't break the surface of the skin, but stimulates the fibroblast cells that produce natural collagen, filling out sagging flesh and reducing wrinkles.
Also, there are new topical creams that are far more potent than anything before. In contrast to over-the-counter solutions, prescription-only Retin A and Tazarotene creams have been shown to be very effective in stimulating the production of new skin cells, helping repair skin damaged by too much sunbathing, getting rid of brown spots, and rejuvenating the skins texture. The creams also get rid of fine lines and shrink pores. These new treatments come on top of tested methods like the resurfacing lasers and dermabrasion, basically sandblasting which takes off outer layers to help rejuvenate the skin. But how much effect they have depends on each individual. Some patients can be made to look 10 to 15 years younger; some only two to five years depending on how much they've aged, their genetics, their lifestyle--like whether they smoke.
Consequently, trying to turn back the clock can also be very damaging for people who have it done for the wrong reason. Says one consultant, people suffer a life crisis, get depressed and see surgery as the solution. That doesn't change their lives, and they just get more depressed. Objectively you can have a good result, but it still makes you worse. Source
Learn more about the History of Cosmetics.
Since the start of the 21st century, anti-aging medicine has grown out of quackery and into hard science, with doctors becoming increasingly successful in developing drugs and techniques that turn back the signs of aging at a time when the population is aging, increasingly affluent, and obsessed with the cult of youth.
Consequently, full facelifts are becoming a last resort. Botox, which is injected below the skin to even out wrinkles, is also becoming dated. Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as hylaform and restylane, have been shown in clinical trials to have far lower risk of allergy than botox. Also, a patients' own fat can be transferred to parts of the face. A rejuvenating laser has been developed which doesn't break the surface of the skin, but stimulates the fibroblast cells that produce natural collagen, filling out sagging flesh and reducing wrinkles.
Also, there are new topical creams that are far more potent than anything before. In contrast to over-the-counter solutions, prescription-only Retin A and Tazarotene creams have been shown to be very effective in stimulating the production of new skin cells, helping repair skin damaged by too much sunbathing, getting rid of brown spots, and rejuvenating the skins texture. The creams also get rid of fine lines and shrink pores. These new treatments come on top of tested methods like the resurfacing lasers and dermabrasion, basically sandblasting which takes off outer layers to help rejuvenate the skin. But how much effect they have depends on each individual. Some patients can be made to look 10 to 15 years younger; some only two to five years depending on how much they've aged, their genetics, their lifestyle--like whether they smoke.
Consequently, trying to turn back the clock can also be very damaging for people who have it done for the wrong reason. Says one consultant, people suffer a life crisis, get depressed and see surgery as the solution. That doesn't change their lives, and they just get more depressed. Objectively you can have a good result, but it still makes you worse. Source
Learn more about the History of Cosmetics.