King Camp Gillette

King Camp Gillette
(5 Ιανουαρίου 1855-1932)
Ο εφευρέτης του Safety Razor.
Ο άνθρωπος που έγινε βαθύπλουτος
κατοχυρώνοντας , το 1901, την πατέντα US775134,
μια μικροσκοπική δηλαδή συσκευή με την οποία απάλλαξε
τους ανθρώπους από τον εφιάλτη του "κομμένου λαιμού"
κατά τη διάρκεια του ξυρίσματος με τα συνηθισμένα
έως τότε "δολοφονικά"... ξουράφια.

Η ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΞΥΡΙΣΜΑΤΟΣ

Ever wonder why we started shaving our faces? Our heads?
Why women are supposed to be hairless all over in order to attract men?
Read on to get the scoop about hair removal.

Disclaimer: Quik Shave, Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy of this timeline
PREHISTORIC TIMES, B.C. -

The history of shaving takes us back into the STONE AGE, around 100,000 B.C. when Neanderthal man first started pulling hair from, painting, and tattooing his body. He also enjoyed filing down his teeth for some reason, too. Ancient cave paintings inspected today will indicate that early man discovered other ways to remove hair from his face; in the beginning, he simply plucked them out using two seashells as tweezers. In fact, tweezers have remained throughout history as the most popular grooming tool ever invented, used by both "civilized" men and women to painfully remove body and facial hair. It's too bad they didn’t have Quik Shave Razors back then.

The earliest shaving razors discovered were flint blades made possibly as far back as 30,000 B.C. Flint could provide an extremely sharp edge for shaving; these were, of course, the first disposable shavers because flint becomes dull rather quickly. Not only did early man cut and/or shave off body hair with flint; he also seemed to enjoy carving unusual artistic designs into his skin. If he added natural dyes and colors to these cuts, he ended up with a tattoo. Other stone shaving tools found were made during the Neolithic Period, or Late Stone Age.

4000 - 3000 B.C. -

Women are removing body hair by making their own depilatory creams that contain bizarre combinations of scary ingredients, such as arsenic, quicklime and starch.

3000 B.C. -

Permanent shaving razors are developed, thanks to the invention of metalworking. Copper razors are found available now in both India and Egypt.

1500 - 1200 B.C. -

Some of the most elaborate razors of ancient times are produced during this period in Scandinavia. Excavated from the Danish Mound Graves, razors were found inside their own leather carrying cases with mythological scenes etched or embossed into their bronze blades; the handles were carved into horse head-shapes.

500 B.C. -

In GREECE, it is popular for men to crop hair very short and shave the face. ALEXANDER THE GREAT is pretty much the guy responsible for this trend because he is obsessed with shaving. He even shaves during wartime, and will not allow himself to be seen going into battle with a five o’clock shadow. Greeks back then considered it an aesthetic approach to personal hygiene, like the Middle Eastern cultures.

500 B.C. -

Around this time, ROMAN WOMEN remove hair with razors, pumice stones and make homemade depilatory creams made from medicinal drugs, such as bryonia. They also use tweezers to pluck their eyebrows. ROMAN MEN have a skilled live-in servant to shave them; otherwise they start their day with a trip to the tonsor, or barber, who will shave a face with an iron novacila, or Roman razor. This type of shaver corrodes quickly and becomes blunt; so most customers usually, or eventually, get cut. But don’t worry- the tonsor can fix this by applying to the face a soothing plaster made from special perfumed ointment and spider webs soaked in oil and vinegar. Despite the dangers of going to the barbershop, Roman men continue to flock in daily because they are also great centers for gossip and news.

400 B.C. -

The typical man of INDIA is found sporting a neatly trimmed, well-groomed beard; yet he shaves off all hair on his chest and pubic area; the average woman is removing hair from her legs with razors and tweezers.

400 B.C. -

Meanwhile in GREECE, the average woman is removing hair from her legs by singeing it off with a lamp. Most Greek men are shaving their faces on a regular basis, following the example of the bold shaver ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

300 B.C. -

One day, PUBLICUS TICINIUS MAENAS, a wealthy Greek businessman, brings professional barbers from Sicily to Rome, which introduces a whole new craze for shaving. Barbers use thin-bladed iron razors, which are sharpened with water and a whetstone. They don’t always use soap or oil, which is probably why it takes so long to shave a patron's face. The shaving trend endures until the days of EMPEROR HADRIAN (76-138 A.D.); who would revive the fad for beards. Hadrian actually grew a beard because he wanted to hide the lousy complexion he had on his face.

300 B.C. -

During this same time in ROME, young men about age twenty-one are required to have their first shave. They kick this off by celebrating their official entry into manhood with an elaborate party-like ritual. Other guy friends are invited to watch and give the novice shavee a bunch of nice gifts. Only soldiers and those training to become philosophers are excused from participating in this cultural ordeal.

292 B.C. -

The renowned SCIPIO AFRICANUS MAJOR (236-183 B.C.), conqueror of Hannibal in 202 B.C. also affirms the mode for being clean-shaven. He is admired and copied by men throughout Rome and by neighbors.

50 B.C. -

In ROME, many men are following the grooming example of JULIUS CAESAR (101-44 B.C.), who has his facial hairs individually plucked out with tweezers every day. He also writes this same year that "the Britons shave every part of their body except their head and upper lip."

54 - 68 A.D. -

In early Rome, POPPAEA, wife of the notorious EMPEROR NERO, uses depilatory creams to remove unwanted body hair on a daily basis. Depilatories are used as an alternative to the bloody mess that results from shaving with a blade. The latest available creams include some pretty wild ingredients, like resin, pitch, white vine or ivy gum extract, ass's fat, she-goat's gall, bat's blood, and powdered viper.

AROUND 100 A.D. -

In ROME, shaving the male face starts to become old hat, thanks to EMPEROR HADRIAN (76-138 A.D.), who is now reviving the desire for beards. Actually, Hadrian grows a beard to hide the lousy complexion he has on his face.

476 A.D. -

The ROMAN EMPIRE folds.

THE MIDDLE AGES: 476 - 1270 A.D. -

Because women in Europe wear very large and outrageous headdresses, the bizarre beauty secret of removing all hair from the eyebrows, eyelashes, temples, and necks becomes tress chic. This is masochistically accomplished by plucking and shaving every day, but a real lady who wants to represent herself in the ideal image of contemporary female beauty, knows this is a must. Sure, this makes a woman seem practically bald and somewhat extraterrestrial looking, but it is The Look to die for!

840 A.D. -

In southern Spain, a famous musician and singer from Baghdad known as BLACKBIRD opens the world’s first beauty institute. Here, students learn the secrets of hair removal, as well as how to apply cosmetics, manufacture deodorants, use toothpowder, and the basics of hairdressing.

1066 A.D. -

Shaving and haircuts help WILLIAM OF NORMANDY invade England to overcome HAROLD THE SAXON, King of Hastings. Before the attack, Harold’s spies venture out to gather intelligence; they return with the report of a very large group of "priests" seen nearby, but no enemy soldiers. Those "priests" were actually William’s army, mistaken for Holy Men due to the clean-shaven appearance on their faces and exaggerated pageboy haircuts. They shaved off the hair on the back of their heads but kept a short back and sides look, which gave them all a monk-like appearance.

THE CRUSADES: 1096 - 1270 -

Europe is introduced to the luxuries of Middle Eastern life, which make a profound impact on dress, toiletries and customs in the Middle Ages.

1100 - 1199 -

The Twelfth Century radically changes the way many societies dress and groom. In the beginning, FRENCH MEN are wearing non-stop beards, but by the close of the century, almost all chins were clean-shaven.

1500 -

The AZTEC INDIANS of North and Central America are shaving with razors made from the volcanic glass obsidian.

1558 - 1603 -

The medieval habit for women to maintain super-white skin and remove all hair from their eyebrow and forehead areas continues, as QUEEN ELIZABETH practices this action I (1533-1603) during her reign.

LATE 1600s -

Aristocratic women everywhere still pluck or shave their foreheads, and wear add-on hairpieces.

MID to LATE 1700s -

Both men and women remove all hair from the forehead to wear artificial press-on mouseskin eyebrows.

1770 -

French barber JEAN-JACQUES PERRET writes a treatise called The Art of Learning to Shave Oneself (La Pogonotomie), which gives men advice for using various shaving products and equipment. His book is also the first to originally propose the idea of a "safety razor."

1770s -

FRENCH WOMEN shave their heads completely bald so they can wear those huge, wonderful, to-die-for decorative powdered wigs fashioned in the latest hairstyles of the day.

LATE 1700s -

The PERRET RAZOR is actually manufactured, which is an L-shaped wooden guard that holds a razor blade in place. This will prevent one from cutting too deeply into their skin. Still, it lacks the real "safety" capabilities that everyone wants and needs, and therefore is not considered to be the first true safety razor. This is, however, the beginning of the safety razor’s evolution.

EARLY 1800s -

Shaving and proper grooming for men is now a self-indulging and overly narcissistic pastime, thanks to fancy London resident GEORGE BRYAN "BEAU" BRUMMELL (1778-1840), who is somewhat of a dandy. Known for his impeccable grooming, manners and style of dress, Brummell is said to shave his face several times a day and plucks out leftover hairs with tweezers. After inheriting a reasonably sized family fortune, Brummell is dedicated to maintain the lifestyle of a "gentleman of fashion." Other men are following in his footsteps so they can become like him, too.

EARLY 1800s -

European women are still concocting homemade depilatories in the kitchen. A typical formula now is one that contains chopped oak and white French wine; it is to be digested in a hot water or vapor bath for 24 hours. Another recipe calls for distilled water and celandine roots, and walnut oil is a popular hair-removing ingredient.

18th - 19th CENTURY -

In Sheffield, England, STRAIGHT STEEL RAZORS are produced, and remain in demand until the mid 1800s. The bad news is these razors become dull quickly, so they have to be honed and stropped frequently in order to use over and over.