LATE MEDIEVAL EUROPE
1300-1500
- PLAIN AND PIOUS
Eyebrows were ruthlessly
plucked—as was the natural
hairline—to create the fash-
ionably high forehead pop-
ular in medieval and early
Renaissance Europe. Pale skin
was prized, and hair could
be dyed a variety of shades,
including blond. A headdress
could complement the final
look: delicate and devout.
MICRONESIA
UNKNOWN-TODAY
- CURVE APPEAL
Within the many societies
of the Pacific Islands, a larger
body size was often equated
with status, wealth, and
health. For women, a robust
figure was long considered
beautiful, appealing to men,
and an asset for child rearing.
In recent decades, however,
the preference for thinner
frames has been growing.
QAJAR DYNASTY, PERSIA
1785-1925
- EYEBROW EMPHASIS
Women had a number of
cosmetics to enhance their
looks, particularly eyes and
brows. Surma (kohl) defined
the eyes and made them
appear larger. Wasma—
a thick paste made from
indigo—darkened, thickened,
and often con nected the
eyebrows for an effect
deemed especially attractive.
SENEGAL
EARLY 20TH CENTURY
- CURATED COIFFURES
The Nguuka hairstyle was
popular among married
women. It was created by
using black wool to help
form two large spheres that
covered the ears, bound
with a textile stretched
across the top of the head.
Pendants of gold or other
materials often decorated
the elaborate style.
We’ve been chasing beauty for millennia, primping and painting our way to a more
desirable ideal. Cultures in every era have held different standards of feminine beauty
and myriad means of achieving it, from the toxic lead cosmetics of the past to today’s
Botox injections. But the standards often serve the same aims: to attract and retain a mate;
to signal social status, wealth, health, or fertility; and of course, to simply feel beautiful.
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MONICA SERRANO, NGM STAFF;
AMANDA HOBBS. ART BY JANICE SUNG
