Beauty Marks, Birthmarks, and Moles in History

For Romans, fair and unblemished skin was the sine qua non of beauty. Moles, freckles, and other marks were considered problematic, and Roman women attempted to remove or fade them with ashes made from snails.

However, moles or birthmarks were considered better than blemishes or branding marks left over from having been a slave, so many people used soft leather patches made to look like moles to cover up their "defects."