BEAUTY NOTES FROM PARIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 130, 2 June 1923, Page 22

BEAUTY NOTES FROM PARIS.

("Star" Soeclal.) PARIS, March 15. The human eye is a conventional organ. If a stranger enters your door <iueerly attired, carelessly groomed, your eye feels a momentary shock. You are conscious of a certain recoil —a sensation that puts you on your guard. This is because the eye is conventional, and is startled by sights to which it has not been accustomed. There are men of wealth and position who buy cheap, ready-made clothing—and cling to an old hat, closer than to an old friend. There was a woman of great wealth in Paris, who prided herself upon her unfashionable and homely dressing—upon the fact that she never bought or used cosmetics in any form. There is no reason why a man, whose heart is overflowing with sympathy for down-trodden humanity should not trim his nails j cut his hair, brush his shoes, and take an interest in the fit of his coat or trousers. There is no reason why a busineas or professional man should neglect these things—yet he often does. There is no reason why a business woman, a housewife, or a suffragette who lectures ajid writes for her "cause" should wear an ill-fitting or disorderly gown, an unbecoming hat, or appear with untidy hair and dingy skin. A man or woman will achieve tenfold more in his or her chosen field, if they please the eye of the beholder. There is beauty in all good causes, and in all art; then let all who represent such a cause, endeavour to express beauty in all ways. We -are all known by the company we keep. Ugly women seem to flock together, just as beautiful women do. You hardly ever see a poorly-gowned woman in a group that is well-groomed and well-dressed. Likewise, when all of a group are poorly dressed, it would surprise you greatly to see a well-gowned woman join them. Choose your friends carefully. You will grow to look more like them than you imagine. Beauty and youth do not cost money. Remember that, you who complain of a lack of wealth: To lie sure, expensive clothes enhance beauty, expensive beauty preparations sometraies help a bit. But other things, baths,, fresh air, healthful foods, are not expensive. An inexpensive cold-crenm can do all that a fancy-wrapped, expensive cream can do. A cultivated mind that is open to the beauties of art and music—money does not enter in there. "I want a new gown—l want a new hat. . . ."—Do thoughts like these run through your mind? Count the things you have, instead. Have you health? — Youth ?—Energy?—Ambition? You need a little more. The new gown and new 1 hat will be found easily enough, but a real energy, a will to achieve, tbat is | too valuable to be bought with money J though anything may spring from it. Is your hair straight? Don't curl it! Let it remain the way Nature wanted it to be. Every day I see thousands of I artificial frizzes on heads that were | meant for straight hair. Straight hair, • immaculately clean and ta»tefuliy arranged is usually more attractive, far more attractive, than "made" waves. Faces meant for waved hair are usually accompanied by features meant for straight hair. Give your natural beauty a chance, he fore applying the curling iron. Cold creams, powders, lotions and rouges are godsends to women, but they cannot do everything. But give them the 'benefit of scrupulous cleanliness of skin, and perfect health, and -what wonders they will work! There is nothing in the world that works more swiftly towards a clear, glowing, fine-textured complexion than a, simple, wholesome diet, at least three pints of water, regular exercise, deep breathing, a daily bath, and eight hours of sleep every night in a well-ventilated room. Count your blessings then. We don't make life what it is. We are like guests invited to a dinner. It would be ungrateful to criticise our fare. I notice many of my friends have a small dark moustache, which is very unsightly. I also was bothered with one until I was IS years old, and much fun was made of mc. So I looked around for some remedy, and here is what I found. First, I procured a good pair of tweezers, with which I plucked every hair I could get hold of. Then I got a bottle of peroxide, and religiously every night dabbed it generously on the skin. The result is truly wonderful, the tweezers remove all hair, and the peroxide bleaches the fine ones. I have been told that plucking tbe hairs causes them to spread, but I have proved this false. Distilled water is without doubt fitted beyond any other to render the skin, clean, soft and transparent. Diane de Poitiers, a famous beauty at the courts of three successive French kings, remained charming, fresh and lovely to the clay of her death. And though it l was said that clever chemists prepared for her daily use a portion of soluble gold, her apothecary-in-chief declared that the only thing sbe did to preserve so wonderfully her youth and beauty until her death, was to bath in rain water every day of her life. Unfortunately, soft water is not always to be had. Those who live where hard water only is available, have three remedies: First, boiling the water; second, adding to it a little borax or ammonia; third, and best of all, distilling it. A small still can be purchased at a moderate sum, or one can make one's own distiUing outfit. Take a large tea-kettle having a closely-litting lid, attach to the spout a long piece of lead, or gutta-percha pipe, to a jar or large bottle which is to contain the distilled water. As the stream from the tea-kettle passes through the cold, it condenses, and becomes distilled water when it reaches to jar or bottle. Distilled water is practically the only water that is absolutely pure. The safest plan then is to use only distilled water on the face, if one is to be sure of not doing harm to a fine complexion.