Why did we start removing our body hair
It starts as far back as the Stone Age - Hair removal was present, though not prominent, through ancient Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire.
Signifier of class -
Ancient Romans also associated smooth, hairless skin with class and purity. And it wasn’t just restricted to women!
Unibrows -
Unibrows were actually considered alluring for both sexes, and were even accentuated with early versions of eyeliner.
Adulthood and marriage -
In Persia, hair removal and brow-shaping signified that a woman was an adult who was about to be married.
Taking off your eyebrows was fashionable - Thanks to Elizabeth I, who came to power in 1558, eyebrow removal became fashionable.
A marker of class and femininity in America - By the early 1900s, hairless skin had gripped upper- and middle-class white America as a distinguishing look of femininity.
Then came second-wave feminism - Along with the spread of hippie culture, the second wave feminism of the ‘60s and ‘70s rejected hair removal.
The Brazilian -
In 1987, seven sisters from Brazil opened a salon in New York City offering the so-called "Brazilian" wax, which involves removing all genital hair.
Pubic hair removal wasn’t as popular in the East - In many parts of Asia, removing or trimming pubic hair still isn't as common as it is in the West.
In the West, hairlessness became “natural” - Hair removal started to become synonymous with being clean, and natural hair the opposite.
Celebrities and influencers are changing - Influencers and celebrities started posting more photos with body hair.
Body hair as a symbol for more - Women are realizing their power in small ways such as the rejection of hair removal become a tool for revolution and social change.