Ohaguro, the ancient Japanese tradition is taking over TikTok
This trend is being rediscovered by the boldest content creators
G-Club
December 17th, 2024
December 17th, 2024
We already know that, on TikTok, anything is possible. We've talked about many trends inspired by past styles, such as frosty make-up and blue eyeshadow, but we never expected a trend to rediscover ancient traditions like Ohaguro. In a world where there seems to be little that's truly new, this Japanese practice has captured the hearts of the boldest beauty creators.
What is Ohaguro?
Ohaguro is an ancient Japanese tradition that involves darkening the teeth with a black pigment, a practice that dates back to the Heian period (794-1185) and remained popular in Japan until the Meiji period (1868-1912). Originally, Ohaguro was a tradition mainly used by Japanese women, particularly those from high social classes, as a symbol of beauty and status. The reason behind this practice was linked to aesthetic and cultural values: black teeth were seen as elegant and refined, and the darkening was also believed to protect the teeth from aging and disease. The pigment used for Ohaguro was a mixture of iron and tannic acid, which was applied with a brush. In addition to being an aesthetic practice, Ohaguro had a symbolic meaning related to maturity, marriage, and protection, as it represented the acceptance of the traditional female role in Japanese society.
What Was It Used For?
Some Western scholars have interpreted the practice of Ohaguro as an attempt to make women less attractive, aiming to discourage extramarital relationships and promote chastity in a male-dominated society. However, this view is not shared by Japanese sociologists, who see Ohaguro as a rite of passage, symbolizing a woman's transition to adulthood. The practice wasn't so much about aesthetics, but rather a means to avoid male attention, as it, along with other customs like hikimayu (painted eyebrows) and oshiroi (white face powder), made it more difficult to read a woman's emotions. Many women disliked the appearance of their blackened teeth, and this led them to cover their mouths while laughing or eating. This habit has remained in Japanese culture, and many women still unconsciously cover their mouths when they smile or eat, even though the practice of Ohaguro has long disappeared.
The Comeback
@myfavoritesmell I found this beautiful image of Japanese singer, Ringo Sheena, when I was looking into the cultural significance of teeth dying. I wanted to recreate the beautiful look. I had the urge to buy black teeth paint for the longest time because I wanted to black out one tooth for fun everyday wear. I fell into a wormhole of information about the long history of applying color to the teeth after I had bought the bottle. Dianfen is an ancient Chinese practice that dates back to the Tang Dynasty that lasted until the Ming and Qing dynasties. Primarily practiced by women of upper classes as a sign of beauty and social status. In Japanese culture the practice of painting the teeth black was called “Oharguro”. It’s purpose for women was to signify maturity and marital status. For men, black teeth was seen as a sign of maturity and wisdom. The Fulani people of West Africa were documented partaking in this practice. “Laali” or “Hannan Laali” involves a past made of locally sourced materials such as indigo/ground up cola nuts to the teeth leaving a blackened look that indicated social status, wealth and marital status. Many forms of painting the teeth were also to have been believed to protect the teeth from decay, serving a medicinal use along with its cosmetic enhancement. From “Răng Mực” in Vietnamese culture to “Dovata” from the Solomon Islands and “Ts’unu’un” in Mayan culture, the practice of darkening the teeth compared to today’s teeth whitening really fascinated me. I’m sure there is a lot I’m missing in the researching of this topic but I’m ready to learn more about teeth decorating in general. This is just all I have learned so far condensed into a super super short summary and bad edit for tik tok :,3
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There has been a surge of TikTok videos where various beauty creators use a kind of colored tooth polish to complete their look. They don't just use black; red and silver are also very popular. What we can say is that it's not a look for everyone, but it is definitely grabbing the attention of those who love to experiment and push the boundaries with their style.