First Cosmetics Kit For School-Leavers

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29718, 11 January 1962, Page 2

First Cosmetics Kit For School-Leavers

January is a busy month for recent school-leavers. For girls going into a job, or entering university or Teachers’ College, there is not only a new wardrobe to get together, but also a basic beauty kit Although most girls now understand the art of make-up long before they leave secondary school, many are inclined to overlook items that become necessary when cosmetics are used daily.

Beauty experts say that cleanlines is the basis of all good grooming, and that cleaning aids are more important than glamorous eye cosmetics in any beauty kit. For a young skin, a light cleansing cream for nightly use is required. This should not be massaged (massaging facial tissues causes the skin to stretch), but spread on, left a short time, and removed gently with a tissue. Soap must not be used on the face unless it is unperfumed and quite bland. For a foundation lotion, choose one that will blend with summer tans and not make the skin look pasty. This should be a light liquid type, used very sparingly. Apply in tiny dots on the chin, nose, forehead and cheeks and blend over the face. Never apply powder unless there is a thin layer of foundation underneath, to avoid clogging the pores. Powder should be the same colour tone as the foundation, and for a young skin, loose powder is best. Use a lot, patting it well into the skin (not merely rubbing it over the face), whisk off the excess. If your skin is very dry, cake make-up is better. Unless powder puffs are kept meticulously clean by washing each day, cotton wool is much more hygenic for applying powder. To give a dewy look to the skin, moisten a pad of cotton wool with water or skin freshener, squeeze out the excess, and pat over the face after the application of foundation and powder. Eye make-up goes on next, sparingly for day-time use unless you wear glasses. A trick that models use is not to brush powder from their eye-lashes before applying mascara—it makes them look thicker. Mascara brushes need to be washed every day to keep them fresh if these are used instead of the new roll-on bascaras. Eyebrow

pencil and eye-shadows complete the eye make-up kit, with some tweezers for tidying the brows (but not plucking them to a thin, ugly line). A least two lipsticks are required, one a clear coral, another tending to pink-blue tones, to work in with the wardrobe. Dark lipsticks are not suitable for young persons, experts say. A very cheap manicure set can be put together by purchasing a packet of orange sticks for cuticule removing, and one of emery boards, which are easier on the nails than a file. A bottle of cuticle remover and one of polish remover are also necessary and inexpensive. Nail polishes for day use should be kept pastel, or clear, with bright reds and corals for beach or evening wear. Finally, two essential additions to the beauty kit are a box of tissues nad some cotton wool. Tissues are needed for removing make-up, and blotting lipstick to make it stay where intended. Most beauty experts agree that the final touch of good grooming is achieved with perfume. Matching talc and skin perfume are part of the daily bath routine, with concentrates kept for special occasions.