the bizarre history of beauty marks

PODCAST
for extra content every Wednesday 😈

Selected Sources:

Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe [4 Volumes]: American Fashion from Head to Toe
The XVIIIth Century: Its Institutions, Customs, and Costumes. France, 1700-1789 translated by P.L. Jacob
Selling Beauty: Cosmetics, Commerce, and French Society, 1750-1830 by Morag Martin

[incrediblybananary]

"Is it beauty or is it syphilis?"

Maybe it's maybelline

[millierock]

the fact we draw hearts & crescents & freckles just like they wore those patches is incredible ! we love trends repeating ;)

[shireenroy]

Mina, honestly I could listen to you talk for hours on any topic, historical or modern 😭 your channel is so entertaining and well researched, a new video from you just makes my day!

[fyshwick]

Would you ever cover "the beautiful death?" It's in sort of a similar vein, but a bit later, where the conditions of dying from tuberculosis -- getting very thin and pale -- were emulated as a beauty standard. I don't know very much about it but I found it very creepy and morbid and would love to hear you discuss it if you're interested

[DanasGoneCrazy]

The way men would write about women wearing patches and the whole "A Harlot's Progress" reminds me of how some men STILL talk about women today. Honestly, history just keeps repeating itself 😂

[graskok]

i had like 3 beauty marks on my face till age 17, and i was teased about them so much to the point where i had to get them removed by laser treatment. This just in kids, PLEASE PLEASE don't give under peer pressure or bullying and embrace yourself how you are! <3

[skatelouis]

When you talked about them putting heart shapes on their cheaks, all I could think of was egirls /pos
Sometimes old trends don't die, they evolve

[s.b.schandel]

In Indian culture, it is consideded that a black dot on the temple or behind the ear using kajal (or khol) would not allow people to jinx the beauty of a baby or a woman getting married.
I am sorry if there are grammatical errors. English is not my first language.

[Thebear]

i showed my mom this and she told me her grandmother used the wear the temple patch all the time for headache curing! she was born in the year 1900 in mexico for reference
also i love this mix of new and old topics!

[skyworm]

'Threescore and ten' = 70, if anyone's wondering.
-score means 20.

[chynabarbieeeeee]

Mina Le doesn't realize this, but she is making everyone's day better.

[sapphic.flower]

I'll never get judging people for having blemishes when they're perfectly natural but then also make fun of them for trying to cover them up (with patches in this instance). Like what do you want from them??? I get this is an ancient example but it still happens (like wearing wigs to hide being bald or heavy makeup/plastic surgery to fit the beauty standard)

[Jaderoselima]

“English woman wore less makeup than French woman” lol if you live in the UK you’ll know that that’s definitely a thing of the past

[terradisco]

during the salem witch trials, beauty marks and moles were used as “”signs”” or to indicate the “”mark of the devil””

[ohwormc]

I was about to say that we should bring mouches back, since the heart shaped ones in particular seemed cute to me, but then I remembered people already draw black hearts on their faces with makeup :0 it's really nice how we're connected to the past

[LennyCartwright]

Actually, "mouche" is pronounced "moosh", not "mootch". And as a plural noun, we don't pronounce the "s" (go figure), so "mouches" is still pronounced "moosh" (I know, don't ask). The more you know! 🌹

[keziaflorence]

Love your videos so so much Mina!!! I'd love a video about the origins of really popular prints or motifs in textiles and fashion! Like paisley, camo, plaid, gingham/checker prints, damask, fleur de lis, etc! I think learning about the origins/influences/associated cultures would be fascinating

[julissa-]

hi mina, just wanted to add that the example of the “mexican woman” with the patch wouldn’t be considered mexican because of the caste system/ colonialism. she more likely would be Spanish in the caste system even if born in the land we now call mexico. colonialism is one hell of a drug and we shouldn’t conflate colonizers with “representation” of the colonized

[libby]

“Put a feather in your cap and call it macaroni” girl I have never understood that line of Yankee Doodle until today 😂

[Jo-dhhx]

I have a natural beauty mark on my upper lip which I hated until I was like 10 and my mom told me about Marilyn Monroe (whose beauty mark is pretty much the same as mine) and how she was considered very beautiful. 18th century fashion also makes me feel pretty good about my beauty mark, despite it still being a bit of an insecurity.
Also, it's pretty interesting that having little black shapes on your face is coming back into style huh