History of Aesthetics - Beauty in History

The Importance Given to Beauty in History
Throughout history, human beings have sought remedies to beautify their bodies. The most obvious example of this is that primitive communities painted their faces with vegetable or mineral paints. In ancient times, not only women but also men resorted to various methods to become beautiful. Famous people such as Hippocrates, Plutharkos, Herodotos, Plinius the Great, Paul d'Egine, Ovidius, Galen emphasized this.

The recipe for the first ointment made is found in the Ebers papyrus: This balm for hair growth was prepared by the mother of the Theta king, three hundred years ago, during the first dynasty of the pharaohs. According to Herodotus, the women of Seytes used to crush the wood of cypress and cedar trees and the log on a hard stone, mix it with water and make a paste, and apply this mixture to their faces and bodies. This fluid was removed only the next day. Thus, a pleasant smell would remain on their bodies, and their skin would gain softness and shine.

Thousands of years before Christianity, Babylonians and Egyptians used oily perfumes. Ancient Egyptians put various scents in their baths and cleaned their bodies with clay. When they came out of the bath, they massaged their bodies with fragrant oils so that their skin would not be dry. Over time, these traditions spread to the ancient Greek Civilization. At the time of philosophers such as Aristotle and Xenephon, great importance was given to beauty. In the Middle Ages, the Arabs passed these traditions to Europe. For Arabs, henna has always been a favorite hair dye; it still is. Hair dyes, preparations applied to the face, toilet lotions put in the bathroom were introduced to Western countries by those returning from the Crusades. In ancient times, a kohl made of antimony was used in eastern countries. The Assyrians, on the other hand, wore a blue lipstick on their eyes and believed that this color alleviated the negative effects of the hot sun.

The homeland of fragrant oils has been Asian countries. Many perfumes were used in India during the Mongol Empire. The Chinese also used oils they made from plants. While the Chinese were advancing acupuncture, the ancient Egyptians were trying to learn about essences. The ancient Egyptians used a very small amount of white lead (less because lead is poisonous) to give their faces a white color. It wasn't just the Egyptians who used essential oils. It is understood from an earthen tablet found in Babylon that the oil of cedar, cypress and myrrh trees was imported 1800 years ago. This tablet proves that the essence trade goes back 4000 years. It is understood that in ancient times Syrian experts made the city of Corinth a center for perfume making. The ancient Greeks were also interested in this subject and learned a lot from the Egyptians. The Greeks, who succeeded in advancing the art of perfume over time, made various combinations. The most famous perfume of that era was "magaleion". This perfume was so named after its maker, Magallum.

The Romans were more generous in the use of perfumes than the Greeks. They put a lot of perfume on their hair and clothes. They also used perfume to make their beds smell good. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the fleeing Romans brought the art of perfume to Istanbul with them. Thus, the Byzantine reign became a 'fragrant' one. It is proved that cosmetic preparations were used for the first time in Egypt. Fifty years ago, when American archaeologists dug the tomb of the mother of the Egyptian Pharaoh Cheops, who built the pyramids, they found various treasures. Among them was a box full of beauty preparations. The process of distillation and retort was discovered by the Arab physicist Ibn Sina at the end of the 10th century. This great scholar knew how to benefit not only from the essence of plants, but also from their fragrant waters. Rosewater was first brought to Europe during the Crusades.

When these substances attracted the attention of a European businessman, and the fragrances attracted the attention of beautiful women of the time, Europe XII. century began to make perfume. It should not be forgotten that cosmetic preparations are not only monopolized by women. North American Indians and some African tribes paint the faces of men in their rituals and collective dances.

The emergence of a new class in the Renaissance era created a great fondness for luxury. XVII. In the 19th century, it was seen that men also wore make-up. XIX. at the end of the century and XX. At the beginning of the century, the cosmetics trade started to take a distinctive direction. New discoveries have played a major role in making soap-free shampoos, cold perms, and many more hair, skin, and facial care items.

As for the powder: First, BC. It originated in Egypt and Iran around 2500 BC. Some substances were mixed and applied to the face to whiten the skin. This mixture was called "talak". The word "talk" today comes from "talaq". The ancient Egyptians used to whiten their faces by applying plaster. It is known that Cleopatra put a lot of powder on her face. In the Middle Ages, powder was applied to the face to provide a pale color. Over time, this was replaced by starch from wheat. Later, it started to be obtained from powdered rice. King of France XV. In the time of Louis, men, women, children, everyone used to powder their face and even the wig they wore on their head. It is seen that the powder is also seen in the costumes of the soldiers. Even during the revolution, the French did not forget their fascination with ornaments. It is known that Napoleon used powder in his Italian Campaign.