CULT OF BEAUTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 279, 24 November 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

CULT OF BEAUTY.

EXERCISE AND MASSAGE,

REDUCING WRINKLES.

(By A PARIS BEAUTX SPECIALIST.)

3 That condition of one's face and neck, wherein there seems to be too much i skin for the amount of material under it, f is about the most discouraging defect ) that a beauty-seeker ever has to face, i Faults in smoothness or colour, while • sometimes serious enough are very I trivial compared .to the "empty "bags" ' appearance —deep wrinkles, folds and , furrows. The curative measures are so :' heroic, and progress of improvement ' usually so gradual, that a large percent- ' age of the victims of baggy skins give ! up hope. ! There is always a chance, though I ' sin not so enthusiastic as to say that ' all baggy faces. can be completely restored. I do believe, though, that some improvement can be made in all cases— 'iow much depends upon the circum- ■ tanccs of the case and the individual ipplication" and perseverance. An imiortant quality of the skin is elasticity. iVith power- to contract it remains smooth and lineless, in spite of some •auses that would leave the stiff, dead <kin, flaccid afld pouchy. The greatest nodifier of elasticity is age, the woman if forty cannot do the same things as ier daughter of twenty carf do—not safely. The older a woman gets, the nore care she must take of her skin. : f she wishes to remain young, and this lifl'erence in elasticity is the biggest reason. ' Daily care of the skin according to its type, exercise and massage, astringents, ind ice-rubs, etc., aided by the cultivation of mental poise and serenity, will keep the face young and smooth, even ivhile the body is growing old. Emotional Causes. Next to age, and emotional causes, such as worry, anger and envy, loss of weight is the most common explanation for a baggy skin. ' Age must be considered, here, too. Take two women. >ach standing five feet, weighing 1501b; one twenty years old and the other fifty. Reduce each of them 301b, and the result will surprise you, the younger woman will be much more improved, much more attractive in every way, but the older woman's face will look haggard, at least a bit baggy, and much older than it did. At her age. the skin, unless it has been well cared for, has lost very materially in .elasticity.

TJiis loss of elasticity can be prevented if the woman is exceedingly careful to use the proper cream for massaging the muscles of the neck and face during the reducing process. Massaging is the best means we knosr of, for exercising these little used muscles, but it must be done every day with regularity and persistency if the best results are to be obtained.

There are exceptional cases, but, as a rule, the skin cannot accommodate itself to a loss of weight greater than fifteen or twenty per cent, unless the person is under twenty-five years of age. I have seen women above thirty-five, weighing 2001b, take off 20 per* cent, even more, but in most of the cases the results were not satisfactory. They looked better in their clothes, that is, the figure's contour was decidedly more pleasing, but the face, in nearly every case, was bagged more or less, and looked older. Reflect Before you Make up your Mind to Reduce. I am not talking against reduction of weight, but suggesting that a woman deliberates on the proposition before she decides to reduce. Reduce gradually— that is my advice. Especially if you have gained the excess slowly. The longer you have been too heavy, the more apt the skin to remain "stretched"

when you remove the "filling." Take all these things into consideration before you determine to become slim, and r lon't become too islim. A woman's face remains fresh and youthful, much longer Mian a man's. With study and care she can make of it almost what she will. Tho wrinkles of neglect and ill-health are no longer excusable; only age, real ige, is a legitimate reason for a bagoy skin in this day of health and beauty education. And when I see the achievement of woirpn in this wonderful work I am amazed. Exercise and Massage. Exercise that comes with massage, is as_ important for overcoming the baggy =;kin condition as preventing it. Special nream, combined with massage and moulding of the muscles, form a° perfect treatment for the flabbiest skin.

Since the muscles just below the skin are the first to break down, they are the ones to receive-first attention. The muscles should be moulded with the fingers and the palm of the hand. Then the propoer cream should be patted in with the finger tips which are placed closely together The same moulding and patting movement must be applied to the muscles of the face, wherever skin exists, if you wish to smooth out wrinkles.

Here is an exercise Tor contour under chin and in front of throat which is helpful to reduce or develop: Place =hands on forehead just above brows; to <*et pressure at this point, the lower part of the hands should cover the eyes Now bend head back. Draw up under lip, teeth apart, and thrust out chin until muscles under chin are tense. Now bring head forward and downward resisting strongly against the movement with both arms every instant. Do not drop elbows. Be sure to keep forearms on level with hands.

Repeat three times. Count fifteen to twenty-five. Relax between repetitions Be sure to keep chin thrust out so as to keep muscles tense under chin and in front of throat, as head bends forward Unless forward movement is resisted with both arms, the muscles under chin and front of throat will not be exercised. The head must be lowered until chin almost touches chest, but chin is always kept forward.

| When making garments where it is hard to get at the seams with the iron roll an old magazine, and wrap it with a cloth. This can be* inserted in. the sleeve and other small places. The pressing can be done easily. r ,