Have you ever wondered, in the olden days, how did people bathe, beautify, prevent pregnancy or… brush their teeth? Let’s take a look at how personal hygiene and beauty procedures existed in the Middle Ages.
In ancient times, baths were nothing more than ditches in the suburbs. Early civilizations provided the first baths in the form of stone holes filled with sand.
In ancient Rome, the first public toilets with aqueducts were built. People even had meetings and long conversations there.
In 1494, Columbus’s American expedition brought to Europe an unexpected “gift”: syphilis. After a few years, all European countries were affected by the disease. There have been many attempts to invent protection, but the official date of the invention of the condom is in the 17th century.
And although condoms have a long history, they were invented and named by an aide to King Charles II of England: “Dr. Condom” or “Earl of Condom”. However, the story has proven to be a myth.
When trying to get an abortion, women from ancient times used whatever sharp objects they had, such as knitting needles, hangers, or spinning reels.
There are also people using poison, some substances, such as iodine, glycerin, or even quicksand (in China), which have been injected into the womb. Of course, the outcome is quite unfortunate for both the fetus and the mother.
The tradition of shaving goes back to ancient times, its main cause is parasites, and shaving is the only way to get rid of them.
The men used different tools, such as shells, knives, mud, wax (for plucking), fire, burning tobacco, and even daggers, axes, and swords. This process is usually left to a barber to perform.
In ancient Egypt, women used tampons made from a wooden stem covered with papyrus. In ancient Rome, sanitary cantons were cotton pads. In medieval Europe, women used bandages pinned to the belt of their skirts.
Until the 20th century, the problem was only solved with fabrics that had to be washed and reused continuously. The situation changed during World War I when nurses started using medical blotting paper. It was the first step to modern sanitary ware.
The ancient toothbrush was a wooden stick with a broom end on one side (for brushing) and a pointed end on the other (for flossing). Other options are fabric with broken limestone inside or a charcoal stick.
In Europe, people don’t brush their teeth for a long time because they consider the process to be indecent. But a book on dental care and tooth decay written in the 17th century was published and the situation changed.
In 1780, the mass production of toothbrushes began. In the 20th century, toothbrushes with synthetic bristles were invented, where bacteria could not accumulate.
The first antiperspirants were invented in ancient times (in the Middle East and Egypt), and they were special aromatic oils.
In Asia people use salt. In Europe, the first perfume was invented in the 16th century. However, the first deodorant was invented in 1880 in the United States. In 1930, the first roll-on deodorant was created by ARPID, and the first antiperspirant appeared five years later.