From Ukraine to World War II, how women in warzones sought normalcy through beauty rituals

War and beauty rituals are rarely mentioned in the same breath. After all, what place does makeup or a blow dry have in the midst of death, violence, and loss? It sounds unthinkable. Yet, women in modern-day Ukraine, post-war Iraq, and even the U.S. --back in the days of World War II-- took to beauty rituals to bring themselves some joy.

But what is the reason beauty rituals are practiced even during war? Is it owing to societal pressure that women must always look a certain way? Is it prompted by a desire to carry on regardless of what is happening? Or is it because a few moments of self-care might serve as a break from the doom and gloom of reality?

Why war-torn Ukraine’s women are heading to beauty salons

Even amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian women are heading to beauty salons. According to AFP, one of these salons is less than 20 kilometres away from Russian troops advancing into the region. But people are still putting their fear aside and trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy amid extraordinary circumstances. One of the aestheticians providing beauty treatments to women in the region, Ganna Zemliak, told AFP, "At first, everyone was stressed, of course. No one had time for that. But then, gradually, people realised that life goes on, and that sitting around waiting for it all to end is pointless. So, despite everything, people want to live, they want to feel alive, and they want to be happy. And joy in life helps you survive."

Seeking a few minutes of self-care to maintain their sanity amid the chaos, these women are congregating to chat, have a cup of tea, and connect with their fellow salon-goers. Even if they don’t require beauty services, that time to themselves is sacred. Talking about how these women seem to want to live as they normally would, hairdresser Yevgenia Gotavtsova told AFP that these salons offer a safe space for many: "Girls come here to relax. They'll even have a centimetre cut off. We have a great atmosphere, we have coffee, tea, and good vibes. They leave here feeling inspired. Even the military girls, the medics. Are they not people? Of course they are. They come here and they forget about everything. We talk about our lives, about the planet, about nature, to really disconnect from everything. Of course, it's very important."

The most interesting part about all this is that it's something we have seen before in history.

Beauty rituals in Baghdad after the Iraq War

In 2011, right around the end of the Second Gulf War, women in Baghdad could finally indulge in beauty rituals again. So, when they started heading to beauty centres in the early 2010s, it made headlines. After 30 years of conflict, during which Iraqi women didn’t have the space to indulge, take care of themselves, or have fun for a long time, some of them could finally afford such luxuries.

That’s why it was a big deal when a beauty centre offering hair and make-up services, and yoga and aerobics facilities, opened in Baghdad in 2011. One of the clients, Hala Hassan, told AFP how it gave her a break from the troubles of her day-to-day life: "It's like I'm living a new life full of happiness. When I come here, I leave all my problems behind."

How World War II birthed creative beauty concepts

The emotional and mental impact of beauty rituals on morale during wartime aside, wars have also led to creativity in the world of beauty. If we go further back in time, World War II led to some major beauty trends.

Victory Rolls, a hairstyle synonymous with the early 1940s, came to be during the Second World War. It was worn by women in support of the Allied troops.

What's interesting is that war-time beauty practices led to a lot of innovations, because people had to get creative with their makeup due to lack of resources and lack of time. People mixed Vaseline and shoe polish to make mascara, which, despite being risky, still counts as a creative fix.

Even after the war, women had to go to work because men were injured or lost their lives, so they had less time to do their makeup, and brands innovated to accommodate that time crunch. For instance, Max Factor created a stick version of its Pan-Cake foundation in the late 40s, the Pan-Stik foundation, which was easier to apply on the go.

World War II and the rise of red lipsticks

The popularisation of red lipstick was partially thanks to brands like Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden launching specific red lip colours to lift spirits during World War II. Elizabeth Arden’s Victory Red and Montezuma Red, Helena Rubinstein’s Regimental Red, and Revlon’s Bright Forecast were just some of the many “patriotic” lip-colours that flooded the market at the time. Others, such as Crimson Glory by Dorothy Gray, Emblem Red from Du Barry, Patriot Red by Louis Philippe, Auxiliary Red by Cyclax, managed to bolster the trend more.

In fact, in addition to these lip shades promoting patriotism, there were even reports that Adolf Hitler allegedly didn't like red lipstick, making wearing it a political statement. Now, whether that was due to marketing gimmicks by brands trying to promote sales, is something that’s still a topic of debate.

Wartime beauty rituals: tone-deaf or much-needed breaks?

It is easy to dismiss beauty as frivolous in the context of war. But if we look at the lived experiences of people who were at the centre of these events, it doesn’t seem like a small thing.

Beauty has been both an outlet during trying times, and an example of how a lot of inventions are born out of necessity. Much like how we need art, music, and cinema to soothe our souls, beauty can also bring a tiny bit of joy when it’s nowhere to be found otherwise.