The Global Influence of Male Grooming
Male grooming has become a massive global industry, with countless styles, techniques, and preferences emerging from different parts of the world. When looking for inspiration, men often turn to media—whether it’s the latest fashion trends worn by athletes, musicians, or actors. It’s a natural instinct to look outward for style cues.
Grooming in Ancient Egypt
This instinct isn’t new. In Ancient Egypt, both men and women looked to their gods and kings for grooming inspiration. Across all social classes, people followed grooming rituals to emulate their favorite deity or ruler. Take Osiris, the Egyptian god of death and the afterlife, for example—he was often depicted with a long, pointed beard. To honor this, Egyptian kings would wear fake beards, especially in death, to align themselves with Osiris and gain favor in the afterlife.
Hair as a Symbol of Power
In early Egyptian society, long hair and thick beards were prized not just for their divine associations, but also for what they symbolized: masculinity, maturity, fertility, and strength. The more impressive the hair, the better. High-status individuals often went a step further by adorning their hair with gold dust, jewels, and other decorations—especially during ceremonies and burials.
The Rise of the Clean-Shaven Look
Over time, grooming trends shifted. The aristocracy began to prefer a clean, smooth appearance. Kings and priests led this trend, often removing all body hair. As a result, barbers became increasingly sought after.
The motivations behind this shift included vanity, hygiene, and practicality. High priests even underwent full-body shaves. At first, hair was plucked with tweezers or removed through waxing and sugaring. Eventually, the invention of razors made the process much easier. So valued were these tools that some kings were buried with razors made of gold or encrusted with jewels, ensuring they remained well-groomed in the afterlife.
Barbers and Social Class
While the wealthy could afford live-in barbers, the everyday man relied on the trusted street barber—an essential figure who’s been around for centuries. Of course, regular clean-shaving was a luxury most couldn’t afford, so the clean-cut look remained mostly an elite practice.
Wigs, Worship, and Social Status
Even as smooth skin became fashionable, the elite still loved the thick beard and long hair aesthetic—especially during religious ceremonies or displays of power. This led to the widespread use of wigs, often made from animal or human hair and styled with oils and perfumes. These wigs were elaborate and clearly indicated one’s wealth and rank.
Hair—or the lack of it—became a strong marker of social status and cultural identity. Just like today, styles varied across regions, making it easy to tell where someone was from. For instance, a wealthy Egyptian would look quite different from a rich man in Mesopotamia or Greece, where thick, full beards never went out of fashion.
Everyday Grooming for the Average Man
For the average man, daily grooming was less about luxury and more about practicality. Most went about their day with natural hair and beards, often messy and sweaty, occasionally cleaned up by the local street barber—perhaps for a celebration, a religious event, or a rare night out with friends.