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Learning About Beauty from the Women of 1562

January 3, 2024

What: The New York Times reviews a book that chronicles the beauty tricks of the trade from 16^th century Italy, including a book from 1562 that had 1,400 recipes for face, hair, and body. Despite that, no-makeup makeup was “all the rage in Renaissance Italy.”

Why it matters: Because it was one of the few parts of their life they had agency over, “participating in rituals of bathing (which, in that era, was less about rinsing the body than rubbing it with cloths), cosmetics, skin care regimens — the whole of beauty culture — created a place for women to bond, and was a key part of their social lives.”

Source: New York Times

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