2026_02_cosmegram - Flipbook - Page 18
I talian Beauty
The month of February in the year 2026, celebrates the Olympic games in Cortina, Italy. I thought it
would be fun to explore the history of Italian beauty.
When one thinks of Italian beauty, the image of Sophia Loren and Rudolph Valentino comes to mind.
This nation has a very long history of being in the forefront of innovation going back to Roman days.
The Roman empire was known for its conquests, impressive plumbing and gladiator sweat! Yes, you
read that correctly. Elite women in Roman society would pay handsome amounts of ancient coin for
a small vial of gladiator sweat. They would use it as a ÒcreamÓ, believing that a man that survives a
bout with a lion, would have an essence that would impart a youthful glow.
The look of perfectly pale skin was also a status symbol. The romans used to apply powdered Lead
to their bodies to lighten their appearance, until their teeth started falling out and they died of Lead
poisoning!
The Unibrow look was also all the rage. If one did not have the right amount of facial hair, a tuft of
goat hair would be glued between the brows using tree resin.
The romans were also known for their famous baths and the use of essential oils. Olive oil is still
being used today for skin hydration.
Nothing much happened during the dark ages and the subsequent world wars.
The 1950Õs brought about La bella figura Ð where a bombshell like Sophia Loren was able to ride a
Vespa, wearing a very tight pencil skirt. This was known as the era of glamour. The Òcat eyeÓ black
eyeliner became a must have during that time. Olive oil also made a come back as the cure-all for
anything dry, such as hair and skin.
Today, Italian beauty is known as ÒSprezzaturaÓ. It is the art of making very difficult makeup
application, look like it was effortless. We know it in the US as the no makeup-makeup. Italian
women are known to spend a couple of hours in front of the mirror, just to go out shopping at a local
grocery store. They are also known to use copious amounts of perfume to attract local wildlife.
With Milan being the fashion capital of the world, we can expect many trends
to follow out of Italy. The cosmetic industry still uses the color forecasts that
come out of that country to set future trends.
Bellissimo!
Erica Herrel
