Medieval Hygiene: Health, Beauty and Personal Care in the Middle Ages

Many people assume that ancient society lived in harsh conditions without basic personal care. Historical evidence, however, shows that hygiene in the Middle Ages was structured around complex rituals intended to maintain everyday health.

What were medieval baths like?

People living in the countryside generally washed in flowing rivers during the warmer seasons. Once winter arrived, they carried out the process indoors, using heated water and cloths to ensure effective bodily cleanliness.

Urban areas had facilities inherited from the former Roman Empire, widely known as public bathhouses. Leading medieval theologians supported regular bathing, recognising that its cleansing effects encouraged wellbeing and helped ward off various diseases of the body.

These establishments offered citizens several distinctive features:

• Herbs: Warm water blended with aromatic plants to scent and treat the skin.
• Steam: Heated stones and fabric coverings designed to encourage therapeutic sweating.
• Massages: Special creams made with egg white and henna were applied.
• Hair removal: Men used tweezers, while women used plant-based depilatory creams.
• Soap: Mild olive-oil products were made for use on the face.

What rules applied to women?

Women’s attendance at public facilities prompted intense moral debate among civil authorities. To prevent difficulties in shared spaces, dedicated rooms or set times were established so that women could follow their care routines in complete privacy.

These sessions were usually held in the afternoon, allowing noblewomen to prepare properly for their night-time rest. This detailed organisation challenges the modern popular myth that medieval people had little interest in cleanliness, instead revealing a rich culture of protecting human wellbeing.

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How did Salernitan cosmetic medicine work?

The renowned Italian city of Salerno emerged as the foremost centre for medical research throughout ancient Europe. Important cultural traditions converged there, driving the creation of manuals devoted specifically to the health and aesthetics of women.

The Salerno Treatise

Aesthetics and Cosmetics

The classic manual De Ornatu Mulierum brought together sophisticated recipes for treating skin problems and preserving beauty.

Different cultures shared practical knowledge that helped protect the body from everyday weather conditions.

Medieval hair care involved elaborate procedures that extended well beyond simply washing with clean water. Women used mixtures made with plant ash and barley to enhance shine, illustrating their strong interest in their appearance and the upkeep of their long locks.

The main hair-beautifying techniques included:

• Powders made from flowers and aromatic spices, which worked rather like dry shampoo.
• Special washes containing liquorice shavings and fresh petals to deeply nourish the hair structure.
• White wine lees applied to lighten the hair, or imported henna used to darken the locks.

What were the secrets of medieval skincare?

The desire for healthy facial skin free from imperfections encouraged the daily use of specific protective recipes. Mild French soaps combined with oat infusions were regularly applied to soften the face and achieve the desired texture for women.

Aesthetic standards inherited from antiquity regarded pale skin as the ultimate sign of high social status. To attain this effect, complex lightening substances were carefully spread across the skin, forming effective barriers against marks caused by the sun and the weather.

The principal recorded facial and dental treatments included:

• A blend of cream of tartar and olive oil used as a moisturiser for acne marks.
• Whitish pastes containing lead mixed with perfumed oils and chicken fat for facial lightening.
• Regularly washing the lips with hot water to prevent dryness and maintain firmness.

How was oral hygiene carried out?

The care of teeth and gums received particular attention through methods that were remarkably effective for the period. Bad breath and tooth decay were treated with medicinal herbal solutions, thoroughly challenging the notion that oral cleanliness practices had been completely abandoned.

After everyday meals, cleaning was completed with wine rinses and rubbing with clean woollen cloths. Daily chewing of fennel leaves or parsley finished the purifying routine, helping to ensure white teeth and a pleasantly refreshing aroma.

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