The history of Tatar beauty

Almost all researchers of Tatar people’s life note their cleanliness. The ethnic consciousness of the Tatar people has long ingrained the custom of maintaining neatness not only of the body and clothing but also of the home. In addition to the weekly bath and regular daily hygiene practices, Muslims perform ritual ablutions (təharət) before the five daily prayers.

The ideal Tatar beauty featured black shiny hair, white skin on the face and hands, and almond-shaped eyes. In the documents, it is often mentioned that the Tatar women wore heavy makeup, which was even heavier on wealthy women.

Karl Fuchs writes: “When a Tatar woman prepares to go visiting at 5 PM to a women’s gathering, she dresses as follows: first, she washes her entire body, then puts on a new, clean shirt, applies thick layers of white powder and the brightest Chinese rouge on her face, carefully darkens her eyebrows, especially her eyelashes, to make her eyes more striking; then she blackens her teeth and wraps her nails with a mixture made from Persian powder derived from dried balsam flowers, mixed with alum. This mixture turns her nails orange within a few hours. After this cosmetic preparation, she dresses in her festive attire and does not forget to apply a few drops of rose oil on her chest.”

Ryzhkov writes that Tatar women heavily applied Chinese white face paint mixed with water. The rouge was either a bought one or made of beet juice. He also mentions antimony (or kohl) as the main ingredient used for darkening the eyelids and eyelashes. Eyebrows were darkened with usma, which is a plant from the mustard family. The tradition of coloring the nails was adopted by Tatars from the Bukharans. The yellow color came from crushed cloves and the red one from balsam petals. 

The custom of blackening teeth was prevalent not only among the Tatars but also among many Asian cultures. You might have heard of the Japanese art of ohaguro. This practice was also adopted by Europeans and Russians as a beauty enhancement. However, while Russians had abandoned this trend, N.I. Vorobyov noted that the teeth blackening continued among Tatars until the early 20th century in certain regions. Teeth were blackened using an imported product called taş qalı (a mixture of iron oxide and a growth on pistachio trees ground into powder) or a homemade acorn tincture.

Tatar women used different styling products like sugar syrup or pomades made from a blend of vaseline, beeswax, and animal fat to maintain the traditional hairstyle of two braids with a center part. To effectively clean the hair while also promoting its strength and growth, the Tatar women washed their long hair using sour milk or qatıq, which was applied to the hair and then rinsed out with hot water.

Before the 19th century, Tatars used Eastern scents and oils, but by the 20th century, Russian and European perfumes became common. Exotic fragrances such as musk, basil juice, and especially rose oil were used as perfumes. 

The traditional set of toiletries included scissors, tweezers for shaping eyebrows into a thin, semi-circular line, a metal container for storing antimony (sörməlek) with an attached stick for application, soap, and a wooden comb.

Today, Tatar beauty practices have evolved, but many traditional elements remain. Modern Tatar men and women continue to maintain high standards of cleanliness and grooming, embracing contemporary skincare and other routines while still cherishing some of the rituals passed down through generations. Though the heavy makeup and teeth blackening of the past have faded, there remains a strong emphasis on maintaining radiant skin, healthy hair, and overall elegance.

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https://tatarica.org/tat/razdely/zdravoohranenie/kosmetika

K. Fuchs, “Kazan Tatars in Statistical and Ethnographic Perspectives”

S.I. Monastyrsky, “Illustrated Guide to the Volga”

N.O. Ryzhkov, “Geographic Sketch of the Syzran District”