The Middle Ages, a thousand-year period marked by profound social, political, and cultural shifts, is often viewed through the lens of decline and stagnation.
Yet, beneath the surface of this so-called "dark age," a complex evolution of beauty standards and fashion took place, deeply influenced its impact on societal values. Lykkers, let's discover how this dark age was not so dark!
From the 5th to the 15th century, beauty and grooming practices underwent dramatic transformations, shaped by a mixture of cultural exchange, and the changing roles of women in medieval society.
The Middle Ages
The era known as the Middle Ages, spanning approximately ten centuries from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 to Christopher Columbus's discovery of America in 1492, has often been referred to as one of the darkest periods in history.
Conventionally divided into the Early Middle Ages (from the 5th century to 1000) and the Late Middle Ages (from 1000 to the discovery of America), the term "Middle Ages" literally means the middle age, serving as a bridge between ancient and modern history.
Following the decline of the Byzantine Empire, the political and social landscape underwent significant changes, leading to a reworking of existing customs and practices. This period witnessed a regression in various fields, including pharmacology and cosmetics.
Beauty Standards: A Backward Trend
During the 11th and 12th centuries, there was a conscious effort to counter the sinful perception of the body. This manifested in beauty routines that emphasized small lips, large round eyes framed by arched eyebrows, and pale, flawless skin symbolizing purity and innocence.
Eyebrows were often completely shaved, creating a wider forehead, while visual seduction was sought through blue or green eyeshadows mixed with clay. Intense cosmetic practices were employed, yet faces lacked the depth and expressiveness achieved through modern makeup techniques. To enhance attractiveness, women resorted to rosy cheeks and darkened eyebrows, occasionally hiring professional painters to adorn their faces with oil or tempera colors on special occasions.
Beauty Practices
The ideal female figure of the time featured a slender frame and golden hair, epitomizing northern beauty norms that solidified through the Crusades.
Hair removal became a common practice to maintain purity, along with peeling treatments and meticulous facial care to accentuate paleness. Olive-toned skin was lightened using products like lead white or masks containing lemon, egg whites, vinegar, among others, while fair-skinned people used powder and blush to highlight their cheeks against a pale backdrop.
Forehead depilation with scrapers was also popular to achieve a wider appearance. Blonde hair was styled in elaborate pyramid-like structures, adorned with hairnets, extensions, gemstones, pearls, and gold for added lavishness.
