How far should we go back to historically locate the origins of the act of shaving?
Prehistoric men used bivalve shells and flint to remove hair, with the same intention with which they used certain types of dye and ornaments to impress and antagonize.
The ability to work metal brought its application to shaving and waxing.
In ancient Greece and Rome, aesthetic concerns with the body and face were quite elaborate and a matter of social prestige. This was the case of Alexander the Great, obsessed with shaving perfection in the midst of wartime.
The origins of the modern portable razor blade can be traced back to Jean Jacques Perret (1747-1787). He is said to have been one of the first to produce and market a portable razor blade and to introduce the safety blade concept.
Perret's razor blade was embedded in a piece of wood to prevent deep cuts and could be closed for protection. The need to "educate" men regarding the safe use of this object led Perret to write this book.
PERRET, Jean Jacques, 1747-1787
La pogonotomie, ou l'art d'apprendre a se raser soi même... : suivi d'une observation importante sur la saignée / par J. J. Perret. - Paris: chez Dufour, 1769. - XXIV, [4], 197, [7] p., [2] f. il. desdobr. ; 19 cm. - It includes the author's professional activity card, in the back of the book
Library -IDC of FMUL No.: RES. 3055
André Rodrigues
Library and Information Area/Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Documentation Centre
