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Image of an Ancient Roman cosmetic bone applicator on display in DePauw University’s Classics Department. (Photo: K. Gaines)

This is a cosmetic applicator from Ancient Rome. The Applicator was made from carved bone, although it is incredibly smooth. The applicator is 7.5 cm long and nearly 0.6 cm wide. Similar objects also have been identified as “pins”, although they were likely used for cosmetics (Burke 2018, 524 -525).

A cosmetic bone applicator isn’t only a tool used for applying makeup, but a magnifying agent that allows us to take a closer look at life in Ancient Rome. For the women of Ancient Rome, makeup, or rather cosmetics, played a large role in day-to-day life. Roman women applied white lead to make themselves paler, brightened their cheeks with rouge, and darkened their eyebrows, eyelashes, and eyes with kohl to frame them and make them look more prominent (Falk 2022, 8)(Phillips 2020, 201-218). These practices weren’t only used to lure men into love or lust, but were a wider expression of societal pressures and norms. Romans loved youth and natural beauty, placing a considerable toll on naturally aging women (Falk 2013, 115). Getting old was feared, not for the idea of death, but the idea of looking like it. “Beauty culture flourished in Rome as much as it flourishes today” (Hammer 1940,18-20).

From the ever-unachievable cover of Vogue or Victoria’s Secret’s Angels to the women with “A beautifully developed body, giving a sense of power and freedom,” of Ancient Rome women were and are held to widely unattainable concepts of beauty (Hammer 1940, 18-20). The women of Rome used cosmetics to try to obtain these high standards, placing the burden on these individuals to conform to a specific standard of beauty. What’s more, keeping up with these guidelines was seen as taboo. Women were in fact not encouraged to alter their appearance, and cosmetic products were not advertised. Many Roman writers (all men) criticized women and young girls who altered their natural state, mainly writing arguments for women to not use cosmetics and warning men to stay away from those that do (Falk 2022, 10). When women ignored this advice and performed cosmetic alterations, like applying their makeup using a cosmetic applicator made of metal or bone, they did this in secret; husbands and sons were not to know, much like the 1950s housewives who hid hair rollers and night cream. This practice exemplifies a tension between the want to be beautiful and the want to be seen as virtuous and modest, all caused by the pressures of societal norms. Relying on cosmetic tools and concoctions that were oftentimes dangerous, although that wasn’t known at the time, is representative of the unattainable standards women were held to, not only in appearance but also virtue. White lead was applied to the skin to lighten it, but wasn’t known was that lead can effect all aspects of health including: reduced cognitive ability, impaired nervous system function, miscarriages, reduce fertility, and more (Falk 2022, 8)(Wani 2015). Many other substances were used that had similar effects and also were not known to cause harm in antiquity. Putting the body at risk is a standard not unique to ancient times, but is reflected in modernity; specifically in plastic surgery, disordered eating, and more.

Social pressures to keep up with achievable beauty practices and standards aren’t confined to Ancient Rome. Societal pressures to maintain unachievable beauty standards are still very real today. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are filled with advertisements for products of all kinds, especially those marketed towards women, or female-identifying people, like makeup and skincare items. These ads offer an idealized image of what a woman should look like, which is typically impossible to achieve naturally. This is reflective of the pressures that plagued Roman women, in a different form. They faced these pressures in person, through literature, and word of mouth, while modern women receive criticism through a screen in the privacy of their own homes.

Examining the use of cosmetic tools and cosmetics themselves found in antiquity while looking at the societal implications and pressures that forced women to seek out cosmetic aides. We can gain insights into the daily life of Ancient Rome, their beauty ideals and application methods, and how they have evolved through time. Exploring the items that seem so minuscule, can bring forward major questions about modern society, and force the reconsideration of the institutions and practices that burden the modern era – hopefully leading to a more inclusive society in the next 2000 years.