Ever looked at today’s beauty crazes and thought, ‘What were they thinking?’ Well, step back in time, because history is filled with beauty standards that were just as puzzling, if not more so! People have always sought ways to enhance their looks, often resorting to methods that sound downright bizarre or even dangerous today. Get ready to explore some of the most shocking and strange beauty trends from bygone eras. You might find that our ancestors took ‘beauty is pain’ to a whole new level!
10. The Greek Unibrow
Forget today’s perfectly sculpted arches; in ancient Greece, the unibrow reigned supreme! A unibrow wasn’t just a facial feature; it was a status symbol. Women whose eyebrows met in the middle were considered highly attractive, intelligent, and pure. This look was so coveted that those not naturally blessed found creative ways to achieve it.
If you had a hint of a unibrow, a little soot rubbed between the brows would enhance it. For those with separate brows, the dedication went further. Fashion-forward Greeks would dye goat hair and use tree resin to stick it onto their foreheads, crafting the perfect, prominent unibrow. It was the ultimate accessory of its time!
9. Bulging Blue Veins in Pre-Revolution France
In the opulent world of pre-revolution France, ultra-pale skin was all the rage among the wealthy, partly due to class distinctions. Think of Marie Antoinette and her court, who would powder themselves excessively to achieve a ghostly white complexion. This extreme paleness made blue veins stand out more, and believe it or not, that became a fashion statement!
To emphasize this look, women would use blue pencils to draw on or enhance their veins, making them appear more prominent. This, combined with towering, often lard-smeared wigs and constricting, elaborate dresses, created an artificial and over-the-top aesthetic that defined the era’s aristocracy.
8. The Englishman’s Codpiece
Beauty and fashion oddities weren’t just for women! For around 500 years in England and across Europe, the codpiece was a prominent, if peculiar, male fashion accessory. It started practically: men’s fashion in the 1400s featured tight leggings and short tunics that didn’t leave much to the imagination, drawing criticism.
King Edward IV eventually ordered men to cover their private parts, leading to the codpiece. Over time, these evolved from simple coverings to symbols of masculinity and power, sometimes even styled like armor. They grew to astonishing sizes, crafted from velvet or silk, and often heavily decorated with jewels. You can still see King Henry VIII’s rather ostentatious codpiece at the Tower of London!
7. Gladiator Sweat: Roman Face Cream & Aphrodisiac
If the thought of using someone else’s perspiration makes you cringe, you might want to skip this one! Ancient Romans had some unique beauty practices, and collecting gladiator sweat was among them. The belief was that the more skilled a gladiator, the more potent their bodily fluids.
Women would buy small vials of gladiator sweat to use as a face cream, hoping it would improve their complexion. The grime and sweat were scraped from gladiators’ bodies using a special tool called a strigil, then mixed with olive oil for a smoother consistency. Beyond skincare, gladiator sweat and blood were also considered powerful aphrodisiacs and were sometimes consumed mixed with wine. Talk about an acquired taste!
6. The Victorian ‘Tuberculosis Look’
The Victorian era, known for its restrictive corsets that reshaped women’s figures, also had a particularly morbid beauty ideal: the “tuberculosis look.” This coveted appearance involved pale skin, a delicate and fragile frame, and flushed red lips—all symptoms of the devastating disease.
Shockingly, some individuals reportedly tried to contract tuberculosis intentionally because the illness was thought to enhance a woman’s natural beauty. The fever-induced sparkling, dilated eyes were admired, and the slow, wasting effect of the disease on the body was disturbingly romanticized. It’s a chilling example of how beauty standards can take a hazardous turn.
5. Extremely Long Nails of Chinese Aristocracy
In ancient China, extremely long fingernails were a significant status symbol among the aristocracy. These impressive nails demonstrated that the owner did not need to perform manual labor, signifying wealth and power. Some also believe this practice stemmed from philosophical ideals that valued the physical body, meaning one shouldn’t alter it by cutting nails.
Because these long nails were so precious, protecting them was essential. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, wealthy women wore ornate nail guards, often made of gold encrusted with jade and other precious stones, to shield and further decorate their lengthy nails. These weren’t just nails; they were declarations of status.
4. Ancient Egyptian ‘Cures’ for Baldness
The desire for a full head of hair isn’t new; men in Ancient Egypt were also concerned about baldness. They concocted various remedies hoping to stimulate hair growth. One popular, albeit pungent, mixture involved blending lead, onions, iron oxide, honey, and various animal fats into a paste.
This concoction was applied to balding scalps, though its effectiveness is highly doubtful. Another ‘cure’ involved grinding down animal hooves and dog paws with date juice to create a scalp treatment. Needless to say, these remedies probably resulted in strong odors and skin irritation rather than luscious locks.
3. Black-Dyed Teeth in Japan (Ohaguro)
Ohaguro was an ancient Japanese custom where people dyed their teeth black. This practice was common for centuries, particularly from the 1600s until the mid-1800s. The jet-black lacquer was typically made from a mixture of iron filings, vinegar, and tannins from tea or vegetable sources.
Why black teeth? In Japanese culture, purely black objects were considered exceptionally beautiful and rare. Ohaguro was often practiced by wealthy, married women and geishas, symbolizing maturity, beauty, and social status. It was a striking look that stood in stark contrast to modern desires for pearly whites.
2. The Medieval ‘Baby Look’
Hair removal and modification have long been part of beauty rituals, and medieval times were no exception. Women in this era strove for what might be described as a ‘baby alien’ look. This involved plucking eyebrows and eyelashes completely and shaving the forehead to make it appear larger and higher. A broad, high forehead was considered extremely attractive.
The ideal was a hairless face with a hairline pushed as far back as possible, as this look was associated with purity and innocence. This trend remained popular through the Renaissance period, even adopted by figures like Queen Elizabeth I, who famously plucked her eyebrows for that wide-faced appearance.
1. Gargling with Portuguese Urine in Ancient Rome
Dental hygiene through the ages has seen some questionable practices. While today many seek ultra-white teeth, the Ancient Romans had a rather startling method: gargling with urine! Historians report that Romans imported urine from Portugal, believing it to be more potent than their local supply (the reasons why remain a bit of a mystery).
The ammonia in urine acts as a disinfectant and has bleaching properties, so it actually could whiten teeth. However, the thought is undeniably gross! This practice became so common that Emperor Nero even taxed the trade of bottled urine. Urine was a known ingredient in mouthwash well into the 18th century. Definitely not your average minty rinse!
From soot-enhanced unibrows to urine mouthwash, these historical beauty trends certainly paint a vivid picture of humanity’s changing ideals of attractiveness. While some practices seem utterly baffling today, they remind us that the quest for beauty is timeless, even if the methods are, shall we say, unique. It’s a fascinating glimpse into how different cultures and eras defined what it meant to be beautiful.
What do you think is the weirdest beauty trend on this list? Did any of these surprise you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
