I have been experimenting with this concept for a month or two and finally feel confident enough to offer an opinion on the subject. Let me begin by saying that there are many recipes for hair removal in the various cosmetics manuals. Here is just one example from the Trotula;
In order that a woman might become soft and smooth and without hairs from her head down, first of all let her go to the baths, …Afterward let her also anoint herself all over with this depilatory, which is made from well-sifted quicklime. Place three ounces of it in a potter’s vase and cook it in the manner of a porridge. Then take one ounce of orpiment and cook it again, and test it with a feather to see if it is sufficiently cooked. Take care, however, that it is not cooked too much and that it not stay too long on the skin, because it causes intense heat….
I have looked at dozens of these recipes and they all contain quicklime. Quicklime is the substance produced from heating limestone until it turns red hot. IT IS VERY CAUSTIC TO THE SKIN, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Because of this very dangerous ingredient, I was left with the problem of coming up with a plausible, safe recipe which one could use to remove body hair.
My solution led me to the concept of body sugaring. This is a home remedy borrowed from Eastern folk medicine which does effectively remove body hair. The ingredients existed in the Renaissance, so if you want to recreate this as part of your SCA beauty routine, you have to ask yourself if your persona could afford the ingredients and if your persona had contact with Eastern or Italian culture. Even the method for applying the recipe is mentioned in period sources. After trying about a dozen different combinations, here is the recipe which worked the best for me.
1 cup sugar (any kind of granulated sugar will work)
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar, orange juice, or lime juice)
You will also need cloth strips about 1 1/2 inches wide, (an old sheet works great)
Combine the ingredients in a sauce pan and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. You can also microwave this for 2-3 minutes if you don’t want to use the stove. When the mixture is cool enough you can use a Popsicle stick or spatula to spread a thin layer on the area in the direction of the hair growth. Then place strips of cloth on top of the area you spread the mixture on. Rub the strip a few times and remove it in a quick motion starting with the end opposite the hair growth.
You can store unused portions in an airtight container. To reuse, place the container in hot water to warm the product. If you find that the mixture is too hard to spread, you can add water and microwave to thin it out.
Of all the recipes I tried I like this one the best because it cools quickly and spreads nicely. It does a great job of effectively removing your hair (from any area you choose). Because body sugar is water soluble, you can throw the strips in the wash and reuse them. The sauce pan can be effectively cleaned (even if you burn it a little). It lasts about six to eight weeks, plus there is little risk of ingrown hairs. The main trick is to keep trying it. You are basically making a simple type of hard candy, and results can vary due to humidity and heat. I managed to find this one after a dozen tries, so my best advice is to keep at it. You can find several good videos and recipes on Youtube if you need extra help.
Despite the existence of recipes and the notes in the Trotula there is no written evidence of women using depilatories. What this means is that no one has found something in a journal or letter which says, “I used this recipe today and it worked” yet. Additionally, the only razors available are straight razors, which would not be effective on areas such as underarms, legs, or bikini zones. However, if you examine portraits or nudes from the period, you will find that most of them have little to no body hair. There are even examples of extreme facial hair removal. Lack of body hair is also healthier because it discourages fleas, bacteria, and other vermin. It also makes my previous recipe for antiperspirant/deodorant more effective. Armed with this evidence, I have come to the conclusion that women with the means to do so probably did remove their body hair. I will continue to explore a few other recipes I have come across, but for now I am offering this as a viable option.
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