"Redheads are shameless": How women were judged by hair color
Although it has long been and unconditionally proven that hair color has nothing to do with temperament, does not affect it in any way, stereotypical perception of blondes, leads to the fact that employers offer them a salary lower than brunette brunettes with similar qualifications. Psychologist Brian Bates, who conducted this experiment, came to the conclusion that in many respects this happens unconsciously: judgment arises automatically, based on the programs prescribed in our psyche.
Blondes - "weak, not far away, sambissive". Brunettes - "independent, intellectually developed, modest." Redheads - "mysterious, windy, hot." It is necessary to emphasize the social marker - with the right color, of course. And I do not want to disappoint anyone, but in this sense we are not far from 2177 BC. It is this period that dates the first evidence of hair coloring.
The first records of hair color change were made by Assyrian herbalists in 2177 BC. They made up mixtures of roots and plants to dye their hair and beards to the people of Assyria and Persia. And even then the hair color was changed not for aesthetic reasons, but with a very specific class meaning: only people of noble origin could dye their hair. Of course, in contrast to the social course, the rituals were sacred, but it turned out that everyone passed by, except for the nobility. In general, the problems began even then.
A lot of things survived from 1500 BC - the times of the progressive civilization of the Egyptians. They used henna as a camouflage for gray hair - yes, the loss of hair pigment confused people already. The canonical shades of the hair were dark brown and black. Just like in those pictures in school history textbooks, where the ancient Egyptians go in single file. Again, hair color and hairstyle were a part of social status, as commoners simply could not afford such complex manipulations on their appearance. What to say, if even Cleopatra did not always succeed in achieving a noble color - she had to turn to a wig.
Years later, the Greeks and Romans also began to look for a composition that resembles modern permanent paint. There was little choice, so they mixed everything that came to hand, mostly they were plants. However, hair, including gray, was painted poorly. In the end, leech saved the situation. Based on them, a formula was prepared, and then fermented in a lead vessel for two months. With the help of such a paint, a burning black color was obtained. The result, apparently, so pleased the Greeks and Romans that they were stuck on it for several centuries.
But the ancient Rome and Ancient Greece after a few centuries, of course, are tired of black hair. And then they went from the opposite - blond hair began to be appreciated. And, of course, again, not without implication. Thus, in ancient Rome, blond hair became associated with purity and innocence. To lighten the hair used vegetable powders, as well as sour milk and lemon juice. For the process itself, a wide-brimmed hat was usually used, through a special hole in which hair was pulled out, laid out across the fields and generously watered with lemon juice. Then for a few hours you had to sit under the scorching sun to get a coloring that resembled its rays.
By the way, the image of an innocent blonde in ancient Rome gave up a few positions when they began to bring blond German slaves there en masse. However, blond hair did not become less desirable because of this, on the contrary, competition increased, and talc, lime, and beech ash were used. Now blond hair has become a symbol of youth and freshness, the Roman women decided that their natural dark color is old. Hello stereotypes of modernity.
Ancient Greece, too, did not lag behind. In the pursuit of blond hair, they used the ancient recipes of those Assyrian herbalists. The main components of the mixtures were leeks and Chinese cinnamon. Apparently, the formulas worked, as the women of Ancient Greece believed so much that they were blondes that even Aphrodite herself "fell blond curls from her shoulders."
In the Dark Ages, redheaded girls finally entered the business. Hair color is the result of a genetic mutation, and the first case of the birth of a red-haired girl is documented in Scotland. However, the centuries in Europe were still very dark, and the red hair began to be perceived as "witch marks", they were mystified so that the girls could be calm at the church fires, just in case. In modern society, probably the diabolical image of a red-haired girl has transformed into a "mysterious" one.
Years later, in the 15th century, the red-haired Elizabeth I ascended the throne, and the curse of fiery hair lifted like a hand. Moreover, red hair began to be perceived as a symbol of royal status. And, of course, all the women of Europe suddenly wanted to turn in red-haired, helped them in this good old henna. But the blondes in those days got hard. The law determined that light-haired girls wear light-bodied behavior, and self-respecting ladies should use special dyes to make their hair darker. Association "blonde - affordable", apparently, well caught on since then. The ensuing Renaissance, however, rehabilitated blondes a bit, singing their innocent, angelic faces. Then the wheel of history a couple of times turned the blondes, brunettes and red, and then - then there was hydrogen peroxide.
Lightening hair came into vogue in France in the 1860s, although there were other extraordinary trends. For example, the "victim" hairstyle during the Great French Revolution: the hair on the back of the head was cut short or shaved, imitating the haircut of a person sentenced to a guillotine. This fashion, however, was gone, but the blondes remained: while France was crazy about blond hair, the London chemist E. Telley came to the aid of the Parisian hairdresser. So in 1867, hydrogen peroxide appeared, the improved variations of which are still used in coloring.
The discovery of hydrogen peroxide gave women the freedom to drastically change their hair color without compromising with natural hair. Brunettes, who make up about 60% of the world's population (by the way, natural red hair with only 2%), are especially happy about this. In 1907, for the first time in history, Eugene Schuller decided to release hair dye for sale. At first it was called Aureole, and then it was renamed L'Oréal - his company was also named. The company has grown rapidly, and Schuller figured out how to use paint to sell more than hair color — youth. Thus, in the 20s of L'Oréal advertising campaigns it was said: "Forget about gray hair. With safe paints of L'Oréal you will never be more than thirty."
However, we will talk about the twentieth century separately in the following material: advertising and media were used with might and then even at that time outdated stereotypes about hair color, which originated in ancient times. At the same time, technology helped celebrities change their hair color like gloves, and they, by their own example, changed social settings about the personality of “typical” blondes, brunettes and redheads.
It would seem that blondes, brunettes, redheads - so what? On the color of the eyes there is no such obsession. But no, the process of the formation of stereotypes and the classification of women in accordance with the color of their hair began a long time ago and continues - it so neatly fit into the sociocultural fabric of society that until now women are endowed with certain qualities depending on the hair color. Sociologists, cultural scientists, and psychologists have already intelligibly explained how these stereotypes give rise to legs and why they are untenable, but it is impossible to completely root them out of public consciousness.
To this day, most of all suffer from stereotypes, perhaps, blondes. Foolish, accessible, naive, superficial, narcissistic - all because of the hair color. Speaking of stereotypes about blondes still trembling vividly in society, psychologist Brian Bates says that the whole thing went from the Stone Age and during evolution light hair was associated with youth and naivety. And all because children always have lighter skin and hair than adults. Plus, in the distant past, a healthy woman has always been a priority in the search for a man, as this meant healthy offspring - we’re going back to youth, which was synonymous with health at that time.
Blonde girls still have to defend themselves against men, who consider their hair color to be a green light for molestation, and persuade an employer who doubts their professional qualifications. Redhead and brunettes, of course, are also tiresome to fight with stereotypes that are not in a hurry to fade.
Photo: 1, 2, 3, 4 via Wikipedia Commons
