GROUPON GUIDE

An Illustrated History of Beauty

Jul 1, 2014

Modern beauty rituals go way back—as far back as ancient Egypt, where people used powdered lead to define their eyes (and, you know, ward off curses). The illustrated timelines below share the backstory behind today's beauty trends.

Something Old, Something New, Something to Mask Your Body Odor | The History of Weddings Why do we celebrate the way we do? Because people feared evil spirits, kidnappers liked to crash weddings, and brides smelled bad.

Makeup Has Come a Long Way Since Black Tooth Dye Was a Thing | The History of Cosmetics The 100,000-year history of cosmetics proves there’s nothing more timeless than smearing stuff on your face to look pretty.

People with Tattoos Are Just Copying Ötzi the Iceman | The History of Body Modification A look at the history of body modification, from flattening babies’ heads with boards to dilating your pupils with poison that makes you go blind.

Hairstyling Woes? At Least You Don't Have to Wear a Fake Beard | The History of Hair We illustrate some of the strangest (and largest) hair trends throughout history and wonder—will live birds ever make a comeback?