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Episode 104

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Published on:

15th May 2025

EP - 104 - Plucked to Perfection: Medieval Beauty Gone Wild!

Ever wondered why medieval women were out there plucking their hairlines like their lives depended on it?

Join me as we dig into the bizarre beauty trend that left brows bald and foreheads freakishly high. Turns out, looking like a pious, pale ghost was peak hotness in the Middle Ages. We're talking virtue, control, and erasing yourself to fit an impossible ideal. Strap in—it’s about to get weird.

Are. You. Ready?

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Sources & References:

  • The Trotula: A Medieval Compendium of Women’s Medicine, ed. and trans. Monica H. Green (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001).
  • Karras, Ruth Mazo. Unmarriages: Women, Men, and Sexual Unions in the Middle Ages. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012.
  • Heller, Sarah-Grace. Fashion in Medieval France. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
  • Phillips, Kim M. Medieval Maidens: Young Women and Gender in England, 1270–1540. Manchester University Press, 2003.
  • Classen, Albrecht. “Beauty and Cosmetics in the Middle Ages.” In Handbook of Medieval Culture, 2015.
  • Green, Monica H. “Women’s Medical Practice and Health Care in Medieval Europe.” Signs, Vol. 14, No. 2 (1989).
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: “Fashion in Fifteenth-Century Europe.”
  • Images referenced: Rogier van der Weyden, Portrait of a Lady (c. 1460).

Quotes from Dr. Eleanor Janega in this episode are paraphrased based on ideas discussed in her book The Once and Future Sex, her blog Going Medieval, and various interviews and media appearances.

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Apple Podcast:

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Intro/Outro Music:

Music by Savvier from Fugue FAME INC

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About the Podcast

Beauty Unlocked the podcast
Buckle up and get ready as I delve into a variety of topics regarding physical beauty.

We'll take a look at our society's obsession with physical beauty and the consequences these impossible beauty standards have had on us.
Let's face it; this fascination regarding physical beauty and body image isn't a recent phenomenon; it has been around for centuries, crossing borders, and has affected men and women alike.
The realization of this podcast has come about by my own experiences having to deal with society's perverse notion of physical "perfection" and researching an array of topics that have intrigued me over the years.
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About your host

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Carissa Vikis

Hey there!
I'm Carissa, host, content creator, and producer of the indie podcast Beauty Unlocked.
Growing up, I was frequently compared and criticized for my looks and weight. This started the vicious cycle of being self-critical and loathing my body. I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from society's ridiculous notion of what "we should look like." I started digging deeper and researching various topics, and the rest is h(er)story!
Beauty Unlocked The Podcast aims to educate and bring awareness of our society's obsession with physical beauty and the emotional consequences these impossible beauty standards have. Beauty Unlocked's social media platform showcases not only my work but that of other artists, illustrators, and fellow podcasters that I admire and that share a similar message of inspiration, empowerment, positivity, and raising awareness on a variety of social issues.