6 Disturbing Health & Beauty Fads of the Middle Ages...

The elite women of ancient Greece and Rome regularly used cosmetics, a custom that was adopted from the ancient Egyptians. During the Middle Ages the tradition continued only among the nobility, as most of the peasant classes didn’t have the money for such luxuries. Of course, in medieval times the church kept a watchful eye over everything, and this included the makeup habits of its female parishioners. Adding makeup to one’s face was thought to question the workmanship of God’s vision. And early in the period [any English] “woman who wore makeup was seen as an incarnation of Satan”, as the use of cosmetics was only found in brothels. In today's episode, we look at Disturbing Health & Beauty Fads of the Middle Ages.
00:00 Introduction
1:23 Forehead Plucking
3:14 Body Hair
4:11 Teeth Blackening
4:59 Foot Binding
7:15 Pale and interesting
10:01 Doe Eyes
🎶🎶 Music by CO.AG: / @co.agmusic
Narrated & Edited by: James Wade
Thank you for watching.
DISCLAIMER: All materials in these videos are used for entertainment purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement is intended. If you are, or represent the copyright owner of materials used in this video, and have an issue with the use of said material, please email us at [e-mail]
Copyright © 2021 Top5s All rights reserved. In this video, we've compiled information from a variety of sources, including documentaries, books, and websites, all with the aim of providing an engaging viewing experience. While we strive to ensure accuracy, we acknowledge that there may be variations in the authenticity of the content. We encourage viewers to delve deeper and conduct their own research to corroborate the information presented.

[@anerrorhasoccurred8727]

I laughed at the “be pretty enough for your husband but not pretty enough to tempt other men” rules 💀 that seems like a HIGHLY specific area lmao

[@katarinatibai8396]

Imagine - when you are able to achive that specific goal - you will be burned at a stick as a witch. There's no win situation for a woman - 😅🤪

[@squamish4244]

It's STILL something women deal with. Look attractive, but not TOO attractive!

[@voyaristika5673]

I know! And good luck with that! Sheez.

[@morganreigns1984]

@The Snow Nigro lol

[@hollywertz8213]

900

[@lisajohnson4744]

Who on earth was the first person to turn a little girl’s toes back to front, slit the arch of her foot, tie it all up, then make her WALK?! What a sicko!

[@anadubar4819]

A sadist

[@sliva7938]

You obviously don't know what goes on in some African and North African countries with little girls and women. Has to do with razer blades or glass shards and not used for the eye brows.

[@irulan9161]

@sliva Agreed. FGM is a brutal practice

[@annemurphy9339]

@@sliva7938 Many of these little girls die of infection too, no doubt aided by shock & trauma.

[@2Ryled]

@@sliva7938 they also do breast biding and that is barbaric. Basically burning them then binding.

[@nalublackwater9729]

Imagine a documentary in a few centuries, numbering the beauty trends we have now, about stuffing our bodies with strange substances to get a different shape.

[@Weiswolfe]

yeah i find it that gross, looks like spider eggs about to explode and eat my face lmao, i like natural bodies, maintained by good exercise and good meals, not with polymers, the only plastic i need is on my pc not in a human being bruh

[@joecrow7666]

Stretching the skin back over our faces to fight aging, injecting our lips to ridiculous proportions, hair plugs, sex change operations. Nothing ever changes.

[@doclouis4236]

This. Not to mention, certain people taking hormones to modify their appearance to look like the opposite sex and justifying it with social media or current political trends enabling them to do so. There are even parents that are allowing this to their kids at a young age where those same kids are at an age where they can't make decisions for themselves nor are they old enough to drink or vote.

[@beaniebop84]

This was the comment I was looking for because I was just about to post the same thing. Our beauty trends today are sickening also

[@animposter4971]

@Trefor Gordon science and psychology disagrees with you

[@amberwinter4351]

I'd heard of foot binding but for some reason I'd imagined it just involved wrapping bandages around feet to stunt their growth a little bit. I didn't realise it was as extreme as breaking toes and wrapping them under the feet. Absolutely monstrous!!

[@ashleypaul6326]

Yep it’s so evil. All about servitude.

[@justtime6736]

Worst of everything mentioned. Barbaric.

[@bridgethannah2933]

And what child abuse! Poor things.

[@justtime6736]

@@bridgethannah2933 Little girls unable to play. Just absolutely... 😡

[@simontemplate]

Very upsetting to see that poor old lady. What a traumatic thing to happen to her at such an early age, casting a long shadow over the rest of her life.

[@squamish4244]

I know this is not a disturbing beauty fad, but, contrary to popular culture, the Vikings were actually hygienic and well-groomed. They took baths once a week (a lot for the Early Middle Ages) and combed and oiled their hair. When Viking men settled in England, they attracted a lot of Anglo-Saxon women due to their cleanliness and grooming.

[@elisabethandersen1102]

Saturday in Nordic languages means "washing day", from the old Norse "laugardagr".

[@freefromthedark6784]

Yes the Vikings were very hygienic. But do you have proof that other Europeans were not washing? Because so far that's bullshit. The reason women probably liked them is because they're elaborate beauty trends and hair...not just cause they washed

[@jenniechurch5337]

Yes...I have read about this!

[@nalublackwater9729]

"A lot" depending on who you compare them with. English women were attracted to then bc old english bathed once a year, with luck. To ppl in Hispania (or Al-Aldalus by that time) Norsemen stank like donkeys.

[@matchstick831]

I know it’s sort of unrelated, but the Vikings also did not wear horned-helmets as opposed to contrary to popular beliefs. The legend of their helmets having horns stems from the villages they frequently terrorized and the villagers feared them as devils or monsters.

[@SometimesMyself]

I have a naturally high forehead, thin lips, short eyelashes, and practically nonexistent eyebrows. Oh, and I’m pale. In the Middle Ages, I would’ve been quite the looker!

[@lisacondell6043]

Do you think that is the look Madonna has been trying pull off?

[@anomalyahblack1515]

I have all except a high forehead so I better start plucking 😂

[@serenapopowich8084]

Vanity aside, given the toxicity of most make-up until very recent times, The Church's prohibitions against heavy make-up use probably saved lives💀

[@janececelia7448]

Who says makeup today isn't toxic? Just look at the ingredients on the packaging.

[@berilsevvalbekret772]

@@janececelia7448 still better than arsenic mate

[@EsotericBibleSecrets]

Honestly, I'd find a good plain looking peasant girl plenty attractive. You just have to have the right stuff going on... In the mind, in the heart, and with just the right seductive touch.... It's not just about what you have but how you use it.

[@ae5631]

yes of course ... the catholic church has saved everything and everyone ... what a load of bullsh**

[@jaynesegman7847]

Today animals are used in cosmetic making. and for fur coat s. That is cruelty

[@HarleyFM808]

Ok but the teeth blackening stopping tooth decay is pretty cool tbh

[@akajessca]

I guess just looking like your teeth are rotting is better than dealing with the pain and health problems that is caused by actual rotten teeth

[@taracochran-patrick784]

Yep

[@gildedpeahen876]

Bring back black teeth!

[@user-dt3wm8rn4j]

Chinese & black teeth. Still have seen but extremely rare.

[@PumpkinMozie]

I feel so bad for all the poor women/girls who had to endure foot-binding :(

[@jaynesegman7847]

Yes. And if women stood up for themselves more, it wouldnt have happened. Its called learned helplessness

[@msdownzie3254]

What the fuck no way fake is god really that sick In the head

[@Blueturtle1]

@@jaynesegman7847 You are victim blaming. Shut up

[@martinsndergaard2229]

@@jaynesegman7847 What are you saying? This wasn't grown women but it was children. How can a child go against their parents demands?

[@wordscapes5690]

@@jaynesegman7847 The practice was embraced by women. Much like corsets, stiletto heels, breast enhancement, and other modern trends. In fact, even after the communists banned the practice, many young girls demanded that their feet be bound, and they did it in private - padding up their feet to look unbound. All oppression of this kind becomes, ultimately, self-sustaining.

[@Pretermit_Sound]

The “doe eyed” look had a resurgence in popularity during the Victorian Era also, and was also achieved using an extract from the belladonna plant. Interestingly enough, there are legitimate medical uses for belladonna, as it contains atropine (which is the active ingredient in belladonna). It’s only safe in very small, very controlled doses however. For as much as we tend to romanticize the past, it’s definitely a lot safer, statistically speaking, to live in the 21st century.

[@mimoleta]

I can't believe it was a trend. I had to use dilating eye drops for a medical exam and it was so uncomfortable.

[@BlackStrawberry79]

Don’t think it’s any safer now, microplastics in our bodies, pollution everywhere, hardly a square mile of earth or ocean unaffected by the actions of humanity, fertilisers and pesticides in our highly processed nutrient-void food, the sheer amount of artificial chemicals we ingest and put on our body every day. It’s probably worse and we won’t know the real effects of our actions for a while.

[@Pretermit_Sound]

@@BlackStrawberry79 *statististcally speaking

[@riccardob9026]

@@mimoleta My reaction too when I heard about the beauty use of belladonna,...

[@446wasmynumber]

amphetamine gives the same result but like i said in my comment above its highly dangerous'

[@bexiboo1981]

Foot binding is the craziest one for me. How you could mutilate you own child in that way is beyond me.

[@akajessca]

I can't even stand to imagine how insanely painful that must have been.

[@argentorangeok6224]

It's totally cool to mutilate children in even worse ways today.

[@jessicamessica2271]

We still circumcise baby's all the time, even though I think that's inhumane as well

[@thecultofjohnnydelr.soulsw7010]

Foot binding is disgusting.

[@Ravioliyt]

They forced it upon the little girls while they were just around 5-8 years old. It's not their fault. But yes I agree, the practice and encouragement of the food binding is disgusting, even more so the men who sought it out and made it a trend.

[@thecultofjohnnydelr.soulsw7010]

@@Ravioliyt Did I say it was any particular individual's fault? 🤦🏻Even though it could not have possibly been the prepubescent victim's desire but her parents' in exchange for wealth, power and status. A freak show nevertheless.

[@yolomayans1655]

No way lmao wonder why u felt the need to comment that and then answer that shell of an answer to the guy

[@thecultofjohnnydelr.soulsw7010]

@@yolomayans1655 .....because of you.

[@KT319]

Yes, it’s a form of mutilation encouraged by men with pedophilic tendencies.

[@meowmix6081]

With the foot binding I just kept thinking is any marriage worth all this torture? I completely agree that the disfiguring was done to prevent women from running away from bad husbands.

[@bustedkeaton]

It was a status symbol, just like having multiple wives was a status symbol for many centuries. Nowadays, of course no marriage is worth that, but in a time when christian women couldnt hold office or vote or have property that their parents didnt give them, not marrying meant no upwards mobility at all, and relying on your family for support. I maintain id have done my absolute best to get into a nunnery (or to a muslim country) in the middle ages

[@kellysong2256]

Yet another way to control women 👿

[@EsotericBibleSecrets]

It's easy to shine in times when a good husband was highly valued. Natural selection no longer favors the noble qualities of man. -from the introduction of Idiocracy.

[@jaynesegman7847]

No

[@msdownzie3254]

What the fuck kill me already

[@amandapittar9398]

“Blank and without any expression..” Botox anyone? You wonder about high heels which give the impression of smaller feet too.

[@mavera-5777]

Ikr we criticize beauty standards in the past so harshly but it's not different at all from what we do today. Women are undergoing dangerous surgeries and using questionable products everyday.

[@Weiswolfe]

high heels if use with care doesnt affect health at all, makes legs look sylish and longer, and the rise of sneakers has made beaty easier, and about the make up afaik there brands are being force to be more humane and healthy with their products

[@coz7891]

@@Weiswolfe How do you use high heels with care?

[@coz7891]

@@Weiswolfe High heels are bad for your back, hips & affect other parts of your body as well.

[@coz7891]

@RubyTwoBears Where did I state what a woman can or can not wear? Being female, I'm asking, how do you "wear heels with care"? & in my second comment, am just stating facts.

[@helenhoward5346]

Jesus, I had really bad swelling after having my kids and trying to walk in general, even with spacious comfy shoes was excruciating and almost physically impossible (when you're that swollen around your ankle, the skin is so stretched out that it cannot bend without tearing the skin). Ugh those poor little girls. You'd think innate human empathy for most would prevent such horrors inflicted upon children.

[@Snuzzled]

Unfortunately, they believed they WERE acting empathetically. They believed a woman who hadn't had her feet bound would be unmarriable, which was not only shameful but also meant she would be unable to provide for herself or her family in their old age. It meant that she would bear them no children, which was also incredibly shameful. They thought they were doing her a kindness. It was often the women, mothers and grandmothers, who took up the charge of binding the girls' feet.

[@cynthiasnyder1561]

Much the same sad thinking as the sick practice of female genital mutilation.

[@SaheeliRai]

Think about FGM now. Pain for the rest of these poor girls lives, but their moms still allow it to them beeing able to be a part of their society

[@katerynaberidukhova2923]

The video missed one thing - often, the foot arch would be broken as well, and compressed together. Then the child would be forced to WALK on those broken feet so that the bones would "settle". Quite a few children didn't survive the brunt of this procedure :(

[@moosehead1183]

@@SaheeliRai yes, I was thinking the same thing. It's common practice in many countries today, sick as it is..and the worst part is that it's women who're performing this mutilation on their own girls.

[@lucamackenzie9229]

It would be interesting to explain WHY the geishas blackened their teeth: they didn't want their teeth to look yellow next to their white colored skin

[@Joelswinger34]

It's weird that they thought black teeth loiked better than yellow ones though!

[@UltraMegaMango]

Ig it’s the contrast

[@EsotericBibleSecrets]

The Vikings often had perfect teeth, as evidence has shown. I was watching a documentary about this and they also did the teeth blackening. So maybe it was a means of protecting teeth from harmful acid reflux that happens during sleep.

[@ae5631]

thank you! i waited for this explanation!

[@lucamackenzie9229]

@@ae5631 😇

[@al4381]

A lot of these practices mentioned were later trends, not medieval. The lead white makeup is distinctly Elisabethan, and didn't really catch on outside of England at the time, but had its resurgence during the 18th century. Belladonna was used during the renaissance as well. The mousehair eyebrows anecdote comes from the 18th century, and I am unaware of any medieval sources claiming that women would use mousehair to make artificial eyebrows.

[@TheJollyJokerDancer]

Yeah, it's so annoying when people call "medieval" anything before the 19th century, like, "whatever, olden times, we smart, them fool".

[@wengercleopatra2150]

Yep. You took the words out of my mouth. Medieval fashion was actually quite comfortable.

[@kathleenleary791]

The "pale" woman shown most often here seems to be Elizabeth I, who was definitely NOT a medieval monarch.

[@mack6511]

I was just thinking he means the epoch of the house of tudor not the middles ages...smh

[@AndrewMacLaine]

Yep. It's annoying! So many people think there are only 5 historical time periods: Stone Age, Ancient Egyptian, Medieval, Victorian, and Roaring 20's.

[@raynemarie8058]

“Not about beauty, but about male domination”- often the two go hand in hand, and it can be both for sure!

[@chadvix5861]

Shut up already bruh

[@samewish]

Is about male control and domestic abuse rule over girls

[@ae5631]

the men believed from the beginning that we women were worthless and that they had to dominate us. unbelievable.

[@jaynesegman7847]

Women need to stand up for themselves more!

[@sarithajagajith6568]

@@jaynesegman7847 women should have the freedom for that

[@justinfilipovic8939]

I've heard that in renaissance Italy that wealthy people often didn't let their children play outside but kept them inside all the time so that they could have wealth distinguishing pallor and as a result the children of the wealthy in that time and place often suffered from rickets

[@weemac4645]

Not only wealthy but must be seen to be wealthy.

[@dtschuor459]

The word you want, I believe, is pallor. But, very interesting point…

[@dtschuor459]

@@justinfilipovic8939 Sorry…too many years in the classroom for me. I meant that to be helpful, not critical💓

[@kipter]

Foot binding is pretty horrific.

[@FC-hj9ub]

Banned but thr ban is not enforced. Half the people were still doing it in the 20th century

[@luanasari5161]

"pretty"

[@taylortarantino_o]

The fact that a woman is more attractive when she looks “childlike” is so disturbing.. and it’s not even like that’s not a thing anymore. It still is. Women are seen as more attractive when they don’t have hair on their bodies anywhere but their heads.. like a child.

[@MrLaurak12]

Creepy isn’t it?

[@junfour]

Or, you know, like a woman? Women have less body hair than men, therefore having less body hair is feminine. It's not hard to figure out, if only you took the time to ask the question.

[@junfour]

@@beatricepevensie Hey! Someone else gets it!

[@crazygur1y]

​@@junfourhaving body hair is feminine because women NATURALLY have it but everyone acts like female body hair is worse than war. There have been studies questioning why women with faces that are more “child-like" are attractive to men.

[@junfour]

@@crazygur1y Men are hairier than women. Therefore being less hairy is more feminine. Accentuating sexually dimorphic traits is what people tend to do when they're trying to look more attractive.

[@BesaOMC]

Lol I feel the medieval women who over-plucked their brows, mine are practically gone now! Perhaps it’s time for me to invest in mice fur?

[@onespiceybbw]

My sister finally had some brows tattooed on.

[@fridakahlo4225]

Girls in my country achieve the look by rubbing their eyebrow area with a mixture of vitamine b and e capsules in bepantene cream. They also shave the area on a regular basis to provoke eyebrow growth.

[@Witchmee]

You can have your arm or other body hair transfered to your eyebrows.

[@weemac4645]

Invest in a brain.

[@elsabisa5919]

I’m not into the current furry brow look. Once styles change, people will decide it looked hideous. 1950’s brows, well defined, are my favorite classic look. Just get them micro bladed on if you really want more than you have now.

[@cw4608]

It is just as bizarre (to me) that perfectly healthy people are being suctioned, sliced, and diced. Having plastic chins and cheekbones inserted, bags of silicone added, and butt lifts done. Spending fortunes to have this done

[@tanyamushaney2743]

We in 2022 have no room to talk when it comes to ridiculous beauty rituals. We shoot bachelism into our skin and rip our pubic hair out by the roots with hot wax ! Giving future generations good cause to say WTF ? Lol were all crazy and always have been. I think ppl will be entirely hairless in the future for a time then it'll be something equally ridiculous. The thing to remember is that beauty is in the eye of the beholders century. I love all of this, thank you so much for this delightful fun and informative video.

[@jmsessn]

that beholder practically doesn't exist, that's the problem

[@lynnjudd9036]

Yup, and what chemicals are in the stuff used for spray tanning?

[@alegnalowe3679]

Too bad they knew nothing of chemistry and toxins that could eventually kill them.The foot binding was brutal and cruel too.

[@RubyBlueUwU]

Realistically, it’s rather unlikely it would’ve stopped them as even when these kinds of dangers become apparent people are often willing to take that risk or remain blissfully ignorant to continue their habits. Think about how many people today still go on sunbeds, when it’s known to be damaging to your skin and your health. Think about people who undergo extremely risky extensive cosmetic surgery to try and better fit the beauty trends of the day. It’s weirdly a constant of humanity; intentionally causing yourself harm or risking harm to be considered attractive.

[@alegnalowe3679]

@@RubyBlueUwU you are right.

[@MsTokyoflower]

Actually many times they did know. They just didn't care.

[@alegnalowe3679]

@@MsTokyoflower kind of like smoking and drinking too much.

[@jtidema]

Yet many people today still eat, drink, smoke, and use all kinds of things that are harmful to them... and don't care...

[@charonavery1993]

I learned about foot binding in school and Jesus has it stayed with me ever since. I can't imagine how excruciating that was.

[@Sennapop]

Poor women ...I feel so bad for what they had to do for beauty...sad what they went through!

[@juneroberts5305]

Considering what women (willingly) do to be considered beautiful in this supposedly modern day and age, it just goes to show that the more things change the more they stay the same.

[@SW-kr9fl]

I think many women go through even more bizarre procedures these days for beauty. Just a quick look at instagram will show you

[@Sennapop]

@@SW-kr9fl agreed

[@amytrumbull156]

And still do!

[@juliahengstermann193]

Did somebody watched the video where a woman put Gorilla glue in her hair?

[@BifMcAwesome]

I've heard stories that people inject small amounts of ink under their skin to permanently draw pictures on it or write words on themselves.

[@kathleenvargovich9539]

OMG! I've heard that too!

[@trinelangohr6661]

THANKS for mentioning historic body hair removal. I can't count how many people believe that nobody shaved before the 1920s, when in reality people shaved, threaded, waxed, or just let it grow according to fashions for all of human history. I mean, you can even SEE it in Renaissance statues: the guys have body hair, the girls don't. And i remember a very vivid story by the poet Juvenal (an ancient Roman) who lived above a barber and had to deal with the screaming from below when his male (!) customers came to get their armpits waxed. And still, people think that removing body hair is an unhealthy anomaly of the 20th century :D

[@yolomayans1655]

I mean its still unhealthy tho or well painful and sexist rather.

[@mariaaleksandrova1103]

Ok, it is an unhealthy anomaly of many centuries. Does it really make it better?

[@Weiswolfe]

@Dru Baxter this 100%, big brain comment, if you do it for others the problem is in you, there is nothing sexist about depilation, as both men and women do it cause, body hair is gross and distasteful and even healthy

[@miavim]

@@Weiswolfe body hair is not gross 🙄

[@actionjksn]

@@miavim Yuck

[@jeanpaulsinatra]

Ugh the footbinding bit made me dry retch. Also you could say most beauty standards are about dominating women. Size Zero might not be as physically tortuous as footbinding, but the conditioning of girls does real harm

[@marissamendoza8128]

I remember when I went from size 1 jeans in freshman year to size 3 jeans in junior year and i didn’t think anything of it until my friend in p.e. class called me out about it and I felt so bad and self conscious. Going on Instagram just made me feel even worse. I dropped down to 97-103 lbs for a long time. I’m a grown adult now size 6 and 140 lbs & I’m very happy to say that i didn’t let it get to me and I’m happy with the way I am.

[@alastor8091]

Nobody is dominating women with beauty standards. Women do it to compete for men's attention. They think it makes them look more attractive so they do it, just like how they wear a pound of make up today and get lip injections. All to compete against other women.

[@jeanpaulsinatra]

@@alastor8091 a wild sociologist appears

[@alastor8091]

@@jeanpaulsinatra no degree necessary, just eyes and ears.

[@jeanpaulsinatra]

@@alastor8091 congratulations, you're making the same arguments as flat earthers

[@greenghoul157]

Being pale is still a beauty standard in some countries like South Korea I wish that there was some pale medieval makeup that's safe to use

[@yvellebradley2502]

You can apply extra fine rice powder to your skin, either as a dry powder (don’t breathe it in) or in a zinc cream.

[@emzybenzey]

I'm so proud to be one of the earliest subscribers! Always so happy to see a new video. Also a very informative and interesting subject 😃 Hope you had a great Christmas J! X

[@dalalh5953]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing🙏🏻. Here in Middle East, Women used also to practice some interesting actions to help them look gorgeous. For instance, kelio Patra used red powder for her lips excracted from smashed beatles. While in Alzahrani in Andalucia created lip color from beeswax and red plants dye. In Arab peninsula, Women adored to wear lots of eye dye called othmod. It makes the sight sharp and a women would get lengthy black eyelashes. Othmod was always used by women to dye their lips through needles tattoo. Dark and long silky hair is part of beauty, so woman used Henna herbs and animal fats to grow stronger hair. In fact they used to soak their hair with the camel urine! but always should smill good, so they used different oils like lavender and musk to smell good. The woman is considered beautiful if she has long black hair, white pure skin with no scars or tattoos, long nick. Big eyes. Huge breast and base, with flat stomach. White teeth ( they used siwak plant for) whitening and they trem teeth to look smaller ) .please try to read about it. It is very amusing.

[@sarithajagajith6568]

I have seen blond haired beautiful women, I have seen fat beautiful women, I have seen small eyed beautiful women. And these body you have mentioned is unrealistic. Tell men to have a flat stomach first.

[@sabine4759]

@@sarithajagajith6568 Men believe it ś only a woman 's issue making themselves desirable and beautiful! They don 't have to look georgous! They are often old, ugly and stink ,with fat belly and hair loss and still wanting a beautiful Lady at his side!

[@trebleclef131]

I appreciate the effort that went into researching and presenting information about various practices from around the world during medieval times. It was a pleasant surprise to see such different cultures represented. Personally, when I think of ‘’medieval“ a very specific image comes to mind. Partly due to the fact that specific cultures tend to dominate discussions about the time period. So it was nice to be reminded to expand my thinking and remember that there were a multitude of different cultural practice happening at any given time in history

[@trevorshackelford3862]

Love the content! Always had an interest in this period of history and this continues to fill in the knowledge gaps and subtleties to my understanding of the period, Thanks!

[@andraanzano8378]

Absolutely fascinating - some of these things I knew but not in this level of detail. Thank you so much for all the historical Content

[@christinam9435]

I love these. I feel they aren't that detailed and are a little superficial but it's a great way to get some quick interesting insights.

[@Lorena-eh5cl]

This is one of the first times for me in KZbin history that I’ve been so bummed the video wasn’t longer lol. I want more of these facts

[@Jade12568]

I just found your post. Very much looking forward to watching all your videos,. Thank you for all the hard work that obviously this requires.

[@SparkieGoth]

I came over a bit faint watching some of this. 🤢 It did make me chuckle, though. Being part of the Goth subculture, I try my hardest to keep out of the sun and paint my already pale skin white with (hopefully safe!) foundation. The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh. Keep up your great Medieval Madness work. My only complaint is that there aren't more videos and they are only short! Other than that, I really enjoy them.

[@darkgraver6095]

Oh hey! Another goth who also watches MedievalMadness! I wonder what it is about us goths that draws us towards the middle ages/the medieval period, as evident by some of the fashion choices made within the scene (such as pale skin (when possible) and velvet, medieval gowns/robes)... ...I mean heck, I do exactly as you do - I stay out of the sun, and on the rare instances I go out I cake on sunscreen. I wear white foundation and white face paint whenever I go out, and I also have a velvet medieval gown or two... ...Perhaps we're all just enthralled with history to some extent? Or maybe there is a sense of serenity about it (as depicted in biblical images of the time) that we find so alluring, like a type of escapism? You're right though! Even after many centuries it's strange how what "goes around comes around," and that truly many fashion and beauty trends are cyclical! History certainly reveals human nature..

[@greendragon4058]

I'm very Gothic and I'm over 60 you can't take that away from me. I hope back and babies when my kids are very small the big hair looks silly now imagine what we think of ourselves looking back twenty years

[@judynya3176]

A tan girl can't be goth?

[@bridgethannah2933]

Your skin is definitely going to look younger longer! I’m 66 and you wouldn’t believe The difference between me who used umbrellas, wore hats, and sunscreen versus the ones who tanned or worked outside. I still look old but the difference is huge. (Add smoking and you get a 35-year-old who looks like a grandmother. Even if you eventually change your lifestyle, avoiding the sun is helping you. Just take some Vitamin D

[@theparanoidandroid3583]

@@judynya3176 No reason why she couldn't, but from what I know of it being pale is part of the goth aesthetic so she would probably then want to lose the tan.

[@sarah82ish]

Love your channel! I’m a huge history buff and I’m learning loads from you. Thanks! Keep up the great work. Merry Christmas

[@rj5529]

I can't believe what painful things medieval women had to go through, says me who got full body laser hair removal lol

[@amberv1340]

Sure it's mildly uncomfortable but laser hair removal doesn't at all harm you. It may even help your skin by killing harmful bacteria and thereby reducing acne and folliculitis. A procedure being a little bit uncomfortable doesn't mean it's harming a person. So I don't think comparing our modern beauty routines to those of the past is a fair comparison.

[@rj5529]

@@amberv1340 I would say it was more than mildly uncomfortable lol, but yes, rather that then medieval D:

[@skunkie110]

@@amberv1340 I got laser hair removal and that freakin hurt. I feel like they started light... but each session I think they were ramping it up more cause it got progressively more painful. Wasn't worth it for me... still got hair there and I wouldn't do it again. 🙅‍♀️

[@ItsGroundhogDay]

With all that we've supposedly learned, we're still repeating the lessons that should have been learned centuries ago, if perhaps in different ways. I could see shades of 2021 in a lot of this.

[@BloodSweatandFears]

How so?

[@VTXHobbies]

@@BloodSweatandFears circumcision comes to mind.

[@BlackStrawberry79]

BBL

[@mmgs1148]

@@BloodSweatandFears BBL is life-threatening, laser hair removal is really painful, so as other face treatments including needles f.e. tatoos are painful too. Plugging brows is not different than plugging hair. Many skin cosmetics have harmful ingredients and skin absorbs almost everything you put on it.

[@BloodSweatandFears]

@@mmgs1148 yes but these are all choices of the individual, who has every right to risky behavior.

[@ipomoeaalba936]

I never imagined this would be so interesting. Thank you.

[@brontiq]

The foot binding is a horrible treatment. All those poor women were left unable to walk sentenced to a life of pain simply to attract men. The horror

[@rosequartz4102]

The thin eyebrow thing is something people who primarily came of age between 95-2005 are dealing with. It was popular to have thin eyebrows and when you pluck and pluck and pluck they don't grow back! It's so annoying to have to fill them in every single day.

[@seitanbeatsyourmeat666]

Another trend I was too lazy to care about, and ended up a winner 😂

[@Crossword131]

I plucked mine out to Cholla/Jean Harlow thinness in the 90s, and I STILL gotta pluck these mfrs. But you're still right, I think I'm an anomaly.

[@susancrawford5927]

Not 1995 - 2005, I was born in 1950 and women still alive born since 1930 are still dealing with a loss of their eyebrows.

[@c.w.8200]

I witnessed my peers pluck their eyebrows to death and I just didn't pluck mine at all. I'm blond so my eyebrows are very sparse and ratty anyway, why make it worse?

[@alexisalexi5161]

Sing it Rose!

[@rachelannsmart3710]

This one was amazing. I have always been interested in the more mundane aspects of living that we don’t hear much about.

[@michellebruce5092]

Great history video I enjoyed it can't wait to see more soon. Your videos are always enjoyable and relaxing have a great day 😀

[@createa.googleaccount713]

What type of man would require his bride to be tortured her Entire Life for Him? And wonder why women globally still Contort themselves in hopes of the acceptance of a mere man! 🥺

[@seagle111]

What a stylish, impeccably presented historical narrative - I can listen to this pleasantly moderated dulcet voice all day. It isn’t Burton or Olivier… But reminds me of the young tutors one had a crush on as a teen!

[@chilyzara]

This is awesome video …Appreciate your sharing😊

[@bbyjscx]

Very informative and interesting, thanks

[@tjones7341]

Women today: Wow can you believe all these crazy and painful things women used to do to look beautiful. Also women today: Dying from botched bbls, shaving down parts of their bones, shoving their faces full of Botox, starving themselves thinner. (Note: I am a woman)

[@rabbit0.023]

Maybe because the majority of women on this planet aren’t going through plastic surgery

[@aleksdreeve8878]

One time my optometrist did this test to my vision where she put a few drops of this yellow liquid and my pupils were dilated for the rest of the day. I wouldn’t say they’re doe eyes. More that cracked out eyes. I looked like I was on every drug at once. I couldn’t stop laughing. Took 500000 photos and sent them to all my friends. Couldn’t drive after the visit. Had to have my parents pick me up

[@LadyDragonbane]

Oh, definitely! lol

[@anne5surf]

Fascinating. Thank you.

[@ladyhonor822]

"'IT'S BETTER TO LOOK GOOD THEN FEEL GOOD"'.

[@chanelname1185]

Amazing work as usual can’t wait for the next one! Merry Christmas to you and the team!

[@sidoniewinterpasternak9938]

The best advice - if you are comfortable, you are confident, you are beautiful

[@Karlbrentwood]

One of the my fav episodes yet.

[@natn14]

This channel makes such high quality content. You deserve a lot more views and follows.

[@JAM661]

Even today some women do so many insane things in the name of beauty.The money women waste on beauty products is insane. I was traveling witha friend and her bag was over the limit. I had still had 10 pounds so I took her 7 pound make-up bags for her 1 week trip. When I had her tell me what she paid for each itemmit came out to be about $700.00 and 80% of the stuff she did not like or use. The industry also kills and test on millions of dogs and other animals causing these poor animals to suffer from chemical burns in their eyes and other horrible effect of living your whole life in a cage to be tested so some women can look like she has a few less wrinkles. The money women waste on these products that are insane and can cause major long term problems. Women will risk their live doing surgery for a smaller nose, insane boobs that look like they will balloons that will pop any day or to have a bigger and harder butt. Women seem to have no clue how wearing high shoes ruins your spine and hips by wearing them ( which changes your mechanics of how you walk naturally and causes a lot of unneeded stress on your spine, hips, knees and feet.) Since women started to wear high heel shoes they have far out paced men in needing surgery for spinal disc issues. In the past those types of injuries were more seen in men who did constructions heavy lifting. I also find the women who say they are the poorest are the ones who get their hair done all the time ( or stuck wearing a wig because they ruined their hair from all the past stuff they used.) Spend money on having these insane nails and have a closet full of clothes which most is in pikes because they would rather spend money they do not have on new clothes that washing and taking care of what they have. I find it very interesting to more women who use beauty products usually do so because they are to afraid of people really knowing who they are.

[@collinmclaren6608]

Oh God, the whole foot binding segment just had me squirming. That, and wasp waist, are two of the most disgusting "beauty" trends from the past in my opinion.

[@lindahaggard6416]

Just found your bodacious channel and quickly liked and subscribed! I marvel at the line drawn where you are made up to attract your husband but not other men!

[@yvonnegeldard1880]

Extremely informative

[@sandrajohnson2489]

I am a ginger lady. My eyelashes are very light as are my eyebrows so I guess one could say I have an 'open' face. I do wear makeup from time to time so I don't look like I'm dead.

[@weemac4645]

Anything that distracts from your hair colour has to be an improvement.

[@annemurphy9339]

The rarest and most beautiful natural hair color is red! Many of the ancient Hebrews were redheaded. No doubt you look beautiful without makeup, and striking with it as well.

[@morganreigns1984]

I am too am a natural red head (Irish and German heritage mainly) with blue eyes although sometimes they can look greenish and hazel/grey too at times depending on eye makeup and clothing colors im wearing .

[@morganreigns1984]

@@weemac4645 red hair is beautiful so i don't know what you mean by that

[@karenl5114]

Enjoy it while it is still red. Mine has been turning blonde with age.

[@frederickburke9944]

Topic suggestion: medieval hygiene. The book to read is The Dirt On Clean

[@Claire-be4gd]

Just found your channel , so interesting ..🖤

[@ameliareaganwright2758]

Very, very interesting. Thank you!

[@elsabisa5919]

Are we sure they actually removed the eyelashes and eyebrows? The obvious example would be the Mona Lisa, but recent studies indicate that she originally DID have delicate eyebrows and eyelashes, but they disappeared due to over cleaning of the painting.

[@fionaxu977]

But the Mona Lisa is a representation renaissance, while the eyebrow plucking thing mostly goes on during the eleventh century. Also, we have recordings of monks that time raving against women plucking their eyebrows and lashes, saying devils would stick needles there when they die etc, so I would assume it’d be a common enough practice?

[@lucianoalbrechtbroboski6154]

​@@fionaxu977 Can you please tell me the name of these sources and records so i can research further. Because the video doesn't mention any sources or records, and all the images in the video are from periods after the middle ages (and they're not even trying to represent something from the middle ages). Also, everything said in the video is post-middle age: renaissance mostly; or not in Europe, which makes the term "middle age" very problematic. Ex.: It is said to that the hair plucking thing take place at XV century... so it's a renaissance thing, not medieval. In the XV century things like the arrival of Europeans in America happen. I look at other videos of this channel, and the same problems happens. This channel doesn't seen to be a credible source of historic information.

[@RedNightDragon1]

@@fionaxu977 The high forehead thing is definitely 15th century. If you look at 15th century portraits such as Mary of Burgundy you will see it.

[@fionaxu977]

@@RedNightDragon1 Aye, just googled it. Thanks for the fun fact!

[@p4ngolin]

had an eye test recently that required my pupils to be dilated. Someone on the train told me my eyes were "freaky". Definitely not in fashion anymore hahaha Nowadays people use circle lenses to mske the iris look bigger though. much safer but same goal in the end

[@em84c]

Meth makes your pupils big.

[@lis7742]

@@em84c MDMA too

[@lornafarrelly7797]

So interesting!!!

[@guldenaydin9918]

Nice work... Thanks. ⚘️🍃.

[@voyaristika5673]

I am loving these videos. I'm trying to save some for later but it isn't working. Beauty standards through the ages are fascinating. What will they say in the future about the rich Hollywood types turning their faces into bizarre looking caricatures they somehow see as pretty? That seems a lot more prevalent here in US than Great Britain. I wonder if that has anything to do with older GB actresses having true, often great, talent as compared to Hollywood where you're often out of work once you leave your youth? And foot binding!? Those poor baby girls.

[@Elly3981]

Honestly, a lot of stuff we do today in the name of beauty isn't all that different from the middle ages. Just saying.

[@sterling.3745]

True

[@junehamiltom313]

Stumbled on your channel.. so interesting..

[@12235117657598502586]

Fascinating! 👍

[@otterwithagun1982]

My great, great grandmother had binded feet. I could not imagine.

[@GlennFam]

Very interesting. Keep up the great work!

[@jaynesegman7847]

Thank you. Good vid

[@m.f.richardson1602]

Always interesting. Thank you. Peace 💕🇺🇲

[@TheEiasam]

A lot of modern makeup products still carry harmful ingredients, including lead.

[@phaedrawidney5246]

Love ALL your channels!! Happy Christmas 🎄

[@beneath.the.rosesluciddrea8470]

This was fascinating

[@arlanstrong1424]

Most excellent 👍

[@chrisd.4610]

Pale complexion is still to this day is the beauty standard in Asian countries particularly in the East. They all still thinks that dark/tan skin tones associate with lower class field work where as having pale/whiter skin associates with wealth, status and privilege. Hence, more desirable.

[@annemurphy9339]

Ancient societies associated dark, sun blackened skin with menial laborers who had to toil in the sun all day, so the upper echelons of society took great pride in their fair, aristocratic complexions. Today, a dark tan is often desirable and denotes someone who is affluent enough to afford leisure time.

[@morganreigns1984]

@@annemurphy9339 depending where you live as i would say that's relative

[@em84c]

And in the west we use fake tan and bronzers to make us darker!

[@firegirl560]

@@annemurphy9339 well that depends bc ppl are still dehumanized for having dark skin today so

[@HereComesBatman]

I've had such a great time binging this content the past couple days

[@beatrixmunku]

amazing thankyou

[@skp6613]

Ah yes, the old rubbing cat shit on your forehead trick. That’s my go to.

[@suenoslucidos3899]

We look back and feel disgusted and appalled by the foot binding, body plucking, and poisonous makeup. In time we will look back at Botox, cosmetic surgery, and skinny trend in the same way. As a disgusting, ugly, fad. And anyone who did it will be viewed as ugly and a victim of their time. so ironic.

[@simonmandel2621]

Or circumcision

[@Weiswolfe]

botox and silicon are ugly, plasticy and mannequin like, cosmetic surgery depends, if you actually have a deformation that affects your well being, like a bad nose, obesity is always shunned because is a sickness, being fat takes years of life so our brains naturally find it hideous, i will always find beauty in an atlethic body rather than a skinny bonely one

[@sandrajohn9837]

You can't put foot binding in the same class as these other cosmetic practices. It was sustained torture resulting in lifelong disability and pain. Systematic brutalization of girl children. Child abuse of unimaginable severity.

[@Pipsqwak]

@@Weiswolfe Obesity is actually valued in some cultures as a sign of prosperity. There is an African group who deliberately fatten young teen girls in order to make them more attractive. It's considered a sign of fertility and wealth. Many European artists from the medieval, Renaissance, and later periods depict women who we would consider overweight but they considered to be the epitome of female attractiveness - again because being thin was a sign of poverty and famine. As far back as the Paleolithic - more than 20,000 years ago - people in Europe were producing figurine of obese women. We don't know for sure why they did this, but some archaeologists think they were symbols of abundance and fertility. People with an abundance of resources can get enough calories to become obese; people who are suffering famine and starvation are skinny. The associations are obvious, and people who were able to carry some fat were probably envied.

[@Hansgame]

not sure how much of your content is accurate, but i still love it for the information delivered. so many things arent that far away from todays habits, and i wonder what video the people in 200 years from now, will watch and laugh about what we did today :)

[@zero_bs_tolerance8646]

Thank you.

[@RubyBlueUwU]

Kind of amusing that just as you were speaking about plucking eyelashes, I got a mascara ad

[@annavafeiadou4420]

I wonder what people 400 years from now will say about our beauty habits and routines

[@drac124]

Nothing, since just like today, they still do same things. A lot of cosmetics from the market is bad for skin but they still use because its cheaper or don't care. What about drinking alcohol or using drugs or smoking? Use aluminium deodorant? What about eating ultra processed food. We all know the things that are bad for us, still use it. We are no different. There are just laws in place that doesn't allow us to be even more dumb. But the mentality of ppl are the same.

[@annavafeiadou4420]

@@drac124 well not really back then they really thought that mercury treats syphillis and if you wash you open your pores and this leads to you might get the plague which comes from the miasma and from earth they also believed that if you get infected with syphillis you don't get the plague and numerous other things that are plain false the stuidity of today you say is either voluntary stupidity of the people or the system making p.e. raw food too expensive and inaccessible but still they know very well it's a crime and it will lead to sickness ... back then they didn't know !! For the things they did know it was harmful and still did it yes you are right. And also I was more interested in how we critiscise their perception of beauty not so much of the healthiness of the ways they used to look like it and how the culture in 400 years from now will be different and people will see what we view as beautiful and say they don't like it while something we might not think as beautiful today might be seen as such in 400years.

[@drac124]

@@annavafeiadou4420 Well I don't know much about that but maybe they will criticize the "starving" models we consider pretty or the heavy makeup that basically hides all the natural skin or maybe the excessive teeth whitening that can cause cancer or the huge increase in bariatric surgery that can have health complications for life or the shaving (hairs have a reason to exist). And things we find pretty in the past and not now is most of the things in the video and also being fat was considered more good looking than skinny.

[@annavafeiadou4420]

@@drac124 maybe that could be very interesting lol (for the record I only consider pretty a good heart and kindness for other humans)

[@bushmonster1702]

They will laugh at us.

[@createa.googleaccount713]

Outrageous! Very good production, thank you. Did Midevil Men Contort themselves for the attraction of women?

[@angr3819]

Thank you

[@SquirrelASMR]

I guess the toes of the bound foot kinda look like the flower petals, with the scrunched overlapping toes? Edit: a gross stinky deformed flower

[@GroovlyDo]

No he got it wrong, they were bound to look like the lotus root, not flower (there were also regional differences in binding.) It gets grosser, men used to drink the water the stinking sometimes pussy feet were washed in as an aphrodisiac 🤢

[@novaste1238]

Ah yes, the ever-present requirement for women needing to suffer in all areas of life to be acceptable or tolerated. I bet in 100 years there'll be a video like this about the dangers of the skincare products we're taught we NEED. And implants, lipo, waxing... makeup... probably even acrylic nails!

[@louisafeliza]

Don’t forget the BBL’s😭

[@spigney4623]

My husband was HORRIFIED when i told him that snagging an acrylic can sometimes rip off your whole nail underneath. A perfect fact to include in that video

[@novaste1238]

@@spigney4623 exactly!

[@karenl5114]

Acrylic nails harbor fungus. That's why nurses are prohibited from wearing them in many facilites.

[@karenl5114]

And aluminum containing deodorant increases your risk of breast cancer.

[@glauvie]

I love it when a topic refers to “medieval” times and discusses regions other than Europe. Refreshing.

[@turtlejeepjen314]

I know about creeps, but an ENTIRE era of creeps is even more terrifying!! (‘Women plucking out forehead hair to look MORE like CHILDREN’- I never knew about this!!! So gross!!)

[@TheJollyJokerDancer]

Literally all of our fashion industry revolves about looking as young as possible, as teen-agerish and childlike as possible too... Or go the other way to very ageing "sophisticated" looks... On actual teens, over sexualising them. And the Middle Ages where not and "entire era" they where a thousand years of wildly different eras and customs conflated together only by our own modern ignorance of history. (Or rather the illustrated stereotype of it. This video wouldn't pass the test of a contemporarily educated medievalist. Source: University.)

[@strawberrymilksamurai]

The Japanese word for tooth blackening is not "hagoru" or "haguru" like you pronounce in your video, but it's "haguro" (歯黒) "Ha" (歯) means tooth or teeth, and "kuro" (黒) means black. In a grammatical conjugation, these two words become "haguro" to describe tooth blackening. Haguro was already banned in Japan by the Meiji era, but was still practised by a few old-fashioned women from noble families since it used to be a symbol of nobility and status, and also as an indication of being a married woman, especially in a noble family (they did it more for the status than for beauty.) In a short story by the Meiji era author Kunikida Doppo called "Haru no Tori" (春の鳥/ Spring Bird), the protagonist is surprised to meet a woman who still paints her teeth black despite the government having banned it, as a way of emotionally clinging on to her noble heritage. It is possible that this woman was actually based on a real woman who practiced haguro in the Meiji period whom Kunikida Doppo met IRL, since his stories often featured characters and settings that he met and experienced IRL; and in "Spring Bird", the son of the woman with haguro, Rokuzou, was also based on a real boy Kunikida Sensei knew.

[@finosuilleabhain7781]

Very interesting, thanks. So it wasn't done to make you more attractive at all then?

[@strawberrymilksamurai]

@@finosuilleabhain7781 beauty can be perceived in a lot of ways, and that perception changes from place to place, from time period to time period, and from culture to culture. Ohaguro was primarily an indication of fidelity and was practised by married women or to indicate a girl had come of age (especially by nobility.) That was considered beautiful, and therefore, ohaguro was also considered beautiful. (Ohaguro is basically "haguro" preceded by the prefix "O", which is common in the Japanese language and indicates respect towards specific people and objects.) It's the same way having pale skin was considered beautiful in the medieval and later periods in many cultures, and still is considered so in many Asian countries, not initially because of the concept of purely physical beauty like it is today in some cultures, but because it was associated with wealth, and since wealth was desirable, so was pale skin. Or how being obese was also considered attractive back in the day because it indicated wealth, but is not considered so today because we put more importance on health in the modern world. And not only women, but ohaguro was also practised by some men. Also, I wasn't paying too much attention to this video and may be wrong about this, but I remember the video mentioning a kind of liquid concoction was drunk to achieve ohaguro (if I misheard it or I'm misremembering it, I'm sorry.) But no liquid was drunk to achieve it. Instead, a mixture of powdered iron fillings, water and vinegar was applied on the teeth directly with a brush. It wasn't permanent and needed to be applied everyday. Since it stained the lips, lip colour was also applied

[@finosuilleabhain7781]

@@strawberrymilksamurai Ah, so it was a beauty thing -- just not as we'd normally think of it today. Yes, the video did mention a liquid, but I suppose it amounts to the same thing. Again, thanks for the insights.

[@moonw5814]

I always thought the practice of painting the face a stark white, as done by Heian courtiers and geisha, was largely responsible for the fad for blackened teeth. If your face is painted a dead white, even white teeth will appear yellow

[@strawberrymilksamurai]

@@moonw5814 yes, that's one of the reasons, yellowing of the teeth. White teeth will eventually turn yellow, but black teeth would be forever black and beautiful. Moreover, the colour black (especially pretty lacquered black things) were considered beautiful. But I've never read about ohaguro being a consequence of painting the face white. Thank you for the information. One of the main initial reasons was dental health, though, as ohaguro kept the teeth from decaying. But afaik, historians have still not determined any specific reasons for the origins of ohaguro and there are likely multiple reasons why it was practised