How Did Women's Hair Affect The Renaissance Movement

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that began in Florence, Italy. It inspired changes in art, literature, mathematics, science, and even beauty ideals. The Renaissance movement started in the 1400s and then spread throughout the majority of Europe; it lasted till the early years of the 16th century. Having a high hairline was an essential trait of beauty. Women would pluck their hairline, so that it was farther back. Blonde hair was an apotheosis of the ideal woman. Women with darker hair would often find ways to lighten their hair color. They used saffron, alum, sulfur, as well as onion skin as dyes. These products did not often work alone. To lighten their hair, women would stay in the hot sun for hours. This served as a heat source to activate the dyes in their hair. Women would do this in heavy clothing with hats to protect their faces and skin from the sun. The crowns of the hats had been cut out of them, so the sun could reach the hair and bleach it. The bleaching of women’s hair often led to odd colors, ranging from platinum blonde to bright orange. The bleaching severely damaged hair
Women wanted to look abnormally pale. This showed they did no manual labor thus resulting in an appearance of nobility. As previously stated, women would wear hats with the crowns cut out, when sun-dyeing their hair. This was to insure their skin didn’t receive any sort of tan during the process. Uncooked egg whites were used to help hide wrinkles and to create a wet-glow on the skin. It also hid scars and marks from smallpox. Women who didn’t have naturally pale skin would use white lead powder to give the appearance of lighter skin. They would do this by concocting ceruse. Ceruse was a mixture of white lead and vinegar. Women would rub mercury into their cheeks to give them a crimson glow. Some women would use white lead powder laced with mercury to accent their bust