Body Beauty Care
during Imperial Times
Roman ladies of this period used a quantity of facial powders, fragrances, balms and ointments which were prepared by the unguentarii. The products were treasured mostly in glass bottles and jars but also in alabaster, scented amber or shell carved containers placed at home in wooden boxes or beauty cases.
The daily makeup would begin with a basic foundation, which was sold in tablets of white lead to be milled and mixed with honey and oils or fats. This concoction was then coloured with various substances such as grapes pomace or ochre powder: interestingly some of these products are now classified as toxic.
It was common usage to retouch eyebrow with stibium, antimony sulphate, also known as kajal, and paint eyelids with shades of malachite green
( an antiseptic but again toxic ) and of azurite deep blue or caeruleum.
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I rossetti venivano ricavati dal gelso, dal fuco
(un’alga rossa), da altri estratti vegetali o animali
e da polveri minerali.
Lip glosses were prepared from mulberry extracts, fucus ( red seaweed ), and mineral powders mixed with vegetal and animal oils.
Teeth were cleaned and bleached with pumice, chalk and sodium bicarbonate. Tablets to fight oral malodor were also utilized. The art of makeup products preparation was the responsibility of cosmetae, women devoted to dissolve extracts and knead emulsions in small bowls. Against skin ageing vegetal beauty masks were also used: some from barley, lentils, lupins, fennels, basil, origanum seeds, vinegar, oils, rose and myrrh extracts. Also popular were substances of animal origin such as honey, deer horns or lipids: for example goose fats and bone marrow.
As for perfumes there is a fine fresco in a Pompeian villa showing how the fragrances were prepared from grapes squeeze or maceration of fragrant parts on olive oil or grapes juice.
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We have also the names of various fragrances such as the Rodinium derived from roses from Capua or Naples and even from Palestine; the Illirium and the Susinum obtained from Pompeian lilies; the Mirtum and Laurum repectively from mirth and laurel; the Melinon from quinces; the Iasminum from jasmine ant the Metopium, made up from the very expensive Judean Balm, coming from Egypt.
The problem of hairloss and baldness was common especially among men and was dealt with a mixture of saffron, pepper, vinegar, laserspitium, wine infusions and some other weird animal extracts; so writes Plinius.
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