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HAIR & BEAUTY

HISTORY ANSWERS

Peter the Great Why did Peter the Great ban beards?
removed his beard but
he sported a natty ’tash
Harriet Baden and peasants — should clear his face of
Back in the 17th century, Russia was a rather hair. He promptly whipped out a barber’s
insular country, lacking a navy and a well- razor and began to shave the beards from
trained army. It also struggled economically the faces and necks of his aghast courtiers.
and scientifically so, in a bid to modernise Police were later instructed to do the same
his country, Tsar Peter I made a radical to any hairy-faced man they saw in the
decision to don a disguise and find out how streets. Suffice to say, the ban didn’t go
Western Europe did it. On his grand tour, he down well with his subjects.
learned about the advances in shipbuilding It was opposed by the Russian
and he visited factories, museums and Orthodox Church, which believed it to be
arsenals. He also noted that the modern blasphemous, and he eventually allowed
Western Europeans did not have beards. men to retain their beards as long as they
That, he felt, was very important. paid a tax and carried a copper or bronze
When Peter returned to Russia in 1698 token as proof. This fee — 100 rubles for
and enjoyed a welcoming reception, he the wealthy and a kopek for commoners —
demanded that every man — except clergy remained in placed until 1772.

How did the While at the baths, Romans
would have perfume
Romans stay literally poured onto them

smelling fresh?

Neil Comber
Although the Romans were fanatical
about hygiene and had high
standards of cleanliness, Ancient
Rome was a challenging environment.
Despite the prevalence of baths and
toilets, the air ran thick with the
smell of sweat, animals and waste.
Romans would counter this by dosing
themselves in perfume and even
bathed and soaked their clothes in it.
Perfume-making workshops
created large quantities of the stuff,
using oils as the carrier that made
the fragrance slow to diffuse. They Queen Elizabeth I
was obsessed with
often opted for olive or almond oil
her appearance
and added plant-based ingredients
such as flowers, woods, resins,
seeds and leaves. Animal-derived What was Elizabeth I’s
scents were the most desired — the
glandular oils of the musk deer and beauty regimen?
civet cat were popular.
Perfumes were rubbed or poured Rosie McCrae
on and scents were created for As Elizabeth aged, her trusted ladies would spend hours each
different occasions. Attempts were day creating the impression of desirably flawless, pale skin. They
also made to mask foul smells would layer ceruse — an expensive ointment made up of white
en masse. Pliny the Elder lead and vinegar — on to her lined and wrinkled face, neck and
described the ingredients hands. A red dye mixed with mercuric sulphide was then placed
and methods of perfume on her lips and cheeks while a black lead sulphide called kohl was
making and writes of This stylish glass perfume used to outline her eyes. A reddish-coloured wig hid her balding
rose-scented water being bottle dates back to the first hair and her forehead was increased by plucking back her hair line.
sprayed in theatres. half of the 1st century Her eyebrows were plucked, making them arched.
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