Surprising Grooming Etiquette From the Past
Long before the advent of mechanical showers, nail clippers, and electric razors, people’s personal grooming habits were far different than they are today. Many modern grooming tools weren’t invented until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which left anyone who lived before that with limited options, creating some hygiene habits that seem quite unusual today. Here’s a look at some of the strangest personal grooming etiquette in the history of the Western world.
Romans Tweezed Their Bodies
Hair removal has been practiced for ages, but some ancient Romans took the practice to a whole new level. In Roman society, body hair was viewed as an unfavorable trait for both genders. Romans believed maintaining a clean-shaven look helped differentiate them from the uncouth “barbarians” elsewhere in the region. Men also removed their body hair for athletic purposes; athletes were admired for their hairless aesthetic at the time, as smooth skin meant less for an opponent to potentially grab onto. Romans used pumice stone to remove stubble and an early razor called a novacila to achieve a closer shave. But tweezers were among the preferred methods when it came to getting rid body hair — from head to toe.
Many people opted to painstakingly remove each strand of hair using a pair of tweezers, which produced a smoother effect than the rudimentary razors and scrubs that were available at the time. In 2023, archaeologists uncovered more than 50 sets of these grooming devices from the ancient Roman city of Wroxeter in modern-day England. Tweezers were a popular tool of choice because they were cheap to make and didn’t pose any risk of serious harm. That said, plucking out body hair with tweezers was a painful process: The Roman politician Seneca once wrote a letter complaining about the loud shrieks coming from the Roman baths where people had their hair pulled out. Rather than tweeze the hair themselves, many Romans often relied on enslaved people to remove their hair for them, especially around the armpit area, where hair was considered particularly undesirable.
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One Etiquette Book Suggested Using Bird Dung To Cure Baldness
In a passage in his 17th-century book The Path-Way to Health, British author Peter Levens suggested that chicken droppings could be used to cure baldness. He wrote, “Take the ashes of Culver-dung in Lye, and wash the head therewith” — the term “Culver-dung” referring in this case to bird poop, likely that of a pigeon or dove. This was one of several questionable theories to promote hair growth that Levens proposed in his book, and by far the most unpleasant.
Levens also suggested several solutions for removing hair, and yes, they also required animal droppings. He wrote, “Take hard Cats dung, dry it and beat it to powder, and temper it with strong Vinegar, then wash the place with the same, where you would have no haire to grow.” Today, the idea of mixing cat poop and vinegar together sounds like one of the most unpleasant odors imaginable, and indeed it’s unclear how many contemporary readers, if any, actually tested Levens’ solution.
People Used “Ear Pickers” To Clean Ears, Fingers, and Teeth
Q-tips weren’t invented until 1923, but earwax was always a major grooming issue. One of the best solutions for tackling clogged ears was the use of “ear pickers” — an ornate, handheld tool that was common throughout Europe and the American colonies during the 16th and 17th centuries. The device was often made of a precious material such as gold, silver, or ivory, and was worn around the neck on a chain as a status symbol.
One end of a traditional ear picker was formed into a scoop shape that could be used to pry wax out of the ear canal. Doctors often advised people to remove earwax, which at the time was thought to cause deafness. The other end of a standard ear picker was pointed, and often used to dislodge food from teeth or clean dirt out from under the fingernails.
Wigs Were Styled Using Animal Fat
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, wigs were considered fashionable for both men and women. Many men used the hairpieces to hide premature balding, which was increasingly common in Western society at the time due to untreated cases of syphilis. These wigs were usually made from real human hair and then slathered with a pomade made of animal fat to style them and maintain their shape, and they were worn so often that they quickly became pretty disgusting.
Not only did the rancid animal fat cause wigs to stink to high heaven, but they also became breeding grounds for fleas and lice. The wigs were delicate and quite difficult to wash, so many wig-wearers simply persevered through the unpleasantness caused by odors or creatures. But the hazards didn’t end there; the animal fat also made wigs highly combustible, putting the wearer at serious risk if they stood near a candle or other open flame.
Milk Baths Were Popular With Aristocrats
Milk baths were once a popular practice among elite members of society, to keep their skin looking soft and wrinkle-free. One popular legend claims that Cleopatra frequently bathed in sour donkey milk as part of her daily beauty ritual, though the veracity of this claim has long been debated. According to historian Adrian Goldsworthy, that story is likely a myth, and it was actually Poppaea, the wife of Roman Emperor Nero, who helped popularize the practice of bathing in milk. Centuries later, Queen Catherine Parr of England (the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII) was also known to take milk baths, which she enjoyed with “perfumes and scented oils,” according to historian Susan E. James. It’s also said that Queen Elizabeth I bathed in milk to maintain a pale complexion.
Indeed, paleness was such a popular beauty standard in the Western world that women even applied arsenic powder to whiten their faces and hair. This trend was made common in Europe during the 19th century, as doctors promoted “complexion wafers” made of arsenic — a toxic element believed to be harmless at the time — to achieve a fair skin tone, which was associated with the upper-class privilege of not working outdoors.
