What are the oldest shaving rituals?

It is no secret at all that today, men take care of themselves much more than in the past. A trend that has reappeared these days is the longer beard, which is why the men's facial care product industry has also started to develop significantly.  

Without a doubt, the more beards there are, the more well-groomed gentlemen there are around us. However, what was the situation in the past, when men did not have the opportunity to choose from the numerous models of razors or beard and mustache products available on the market today? Men's grooming has always occupied a special place in the history of humanity. In fact, some methods have become real religious ceremonies or symbols of power in various ancient cultures. 

How did men take care of themselves in Ancient Greece? 

If we refer to the statues that date back to that period, we can conclude that Greek philosophers wouldn't have developed so many theories without their famous beards.  

In fact, for them, the beard was a true symbol of wisdom and masculinity. According to legends, the first beard hairs of Greek men were dedicated to Apollo (the sun god) through an elaborate religious ritual. Moreover, in Ancient Greece, men were forbidden to cut their hair before their beard grew, and cutting the beard was considered a sign of mourning. 

What grooming techniques existed in Ancient Egypt? 

In the early phase of Egyptian civilization, men wore both beards and long hair. However, this practice ended at the beginning of the Dynastic Period, a time when facial hair represented a symbol of male animal tendency. As a result, ancient Egyptians began shaving not only their hair, but also their body hair.  

According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Egyptian priests had the habit of completely depilating their bodies extremely frequently (once every two days), completely eliminating any trace of hair. 

However, over time, the beard began to be considered a sign of power, which is why kings were depicted with beards. Naturally, this was made exclusively of precious metals and was called osird (divine beard), used during religious rituals. 

With what methods did the Romans maintain their impeccable appearance? 

Unlike other peoples, the Romans had the habit of completely shaving their beards, leaving the face as clean as possible. 

The first beard-cutting ritual represented a particularly important moment in the lives of young Romans, especially because they let their facial hair grow until the day of coming of age, a day on which it was shaved during a religious ceremony attended by friends and family. Furthermore, the cut beard was rigorously preserved to be later donated to the Roman gods. 

As we can deduce from the previous lines, the habit of sporting a beard has experienced many ups and downs over time. However, today, the beard is a particularly popular trend among modern gentlemen, and in this regard, techniques and products for beard care are essential in every barber shop. Discover the new offers we have prepared on the site to offer your customers high-quality services in shaving and facial care.