THE CHANGING WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 11, 12 July 1930, Page 19

THE CHANGING WORLD

COSMETICS BY THE TON

The-world has ehanged:.in its attitude1 to many things since the war, but in hardly anything sc as its point of view about the use of cosmetics, says a London' writer.

The fact that they were considered an attribute of evil was probably a reaction against the excesses of eighteenth century fashions,' with their powdered wigs as high as bushes,, their enormous patches, and the heavy layers of paint and pomade.

In any case, the. reaction itself went to the extreme, as many social mover ments do, and in the early part of this century any aid to Nature in the way of personal adornment was widely regarded either as sinful or in bad taste.

To the ordinary woman of the present day the use of beauty preparations and cosmetics is as natural as bathing and dressing. . . , /

No secret is made of it, 'there is no pretence, no dishonesty, no guile. It is simply one of the conventions of the age that skin, hair; teeth, hands, and

nails should be taken car.c of and made to look as fresh> aid charming as Nature and art combined can make them. Some interesting -figures were presented at. the recent, annual convention of cosmeticians .in' Chicago.'

Last year there, were used in America 52,000 tons ■of -cleansing cream, 26,000 tons of skin 'lotion; 19,109 tons of complexion soap,. 17j500"tons of nourishing cream, 8750. tons o£ foundation cream, 65C2 tons of bath powder, and 2375 tons of rouge. Enough' lipsticks were used

"to reach from.Chicago,to Los Angeles by the way-of San- Francisco." ■

As'it was pointed out, tho interesting and significant, thing about all1 this is

that, as. the use of, cosmetics has be-, eoinc accepted, their standard has improved out of all recognition. The greatcosmetic factories of America have established research, laboratories—sometimes costing R9 much as :£50,000 —in which trained "chemists and skin specialists are. .scientifically working out the problems .of ■ their profession. We are approaching a time when the science of cosmetics ' may' rank with.that of hygiene and medicine. ■' .

"The bright child in the London elementary schools had now all forms of higher education up' to' the University open to him," said Sir' John Gilbert, chairman of the London Education Committee, recently. ''-.;': .