IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 20056, 22 December 1928, Page 23

IN LONDON

BEAUTY HINTS FROM A HAREM [Written by Cynthia, for the ' Evening Star.’] November 9. I have been talking to a lady whose skin 1 maiyel at, for it is so young and beautiful, with uto lines or wrinkles. Now I know she cannot be as young as she looks, so I have been cautiously making inquiries, and 1 find that lots of her so-called secrets she simply gets from nature. She told mo she found that Mother Earth provides uU her beauty aids and ah those of the ladies of the harem in the Far East, where she visited. For instance, to keep the skin soft and free from blemishes a ripe banana was skinned and that white tannin that covers tho banana was rubbed over the face and left till morning. It dries and stiffens, so keeping the skin taut. This is washed off in the morning by rose water. Once a week they make a preparation of white of egg and lemon juice beaten up to a froth. This was applied to the face with a soft brush, and left on all night. It is stronger than the banana, and is good for wrinkles round the eyes. Strawberry juice was used as rouge, also the manza berry when strawberries were not in season (the manza does not grow in this country). For removing hair from the face they used the soil of the sulphur wells, a slimy, greenish soil. This was dried, and when required wotted and applied to the skin, left on five minutes, and then scraped off with an ivory knife. “The great secret of all,” said said, “is the life water, used to cleanse the skin For this you take twenty leaves of the bay tree, buy a 12in bottle of pure alcohol, put the leaves into it, and shake the bottle every day for five days By then it will be a delicate green colour, which, after a time, will turn yellowish. Strain this and add a quarter of the quantity of eau de Cologne, and it is ready for use. This should be used three times a week to cleanse the skin thoroughly. Tho process may smart at first, but after a few applications the skin will become accustomed to it, and it will keep you young, as it has done me!” HINTS ABOUT JEWELLERY.

Jewellery fashions are always changing. This year brilliants and pearls are not being used with the semi-pre-cious stones, but clouded crystal often provides the necessary contrast. One of the smartest necklaces—l counted it on the neck of no fewer than eight women at tea at the Berkley-—consists of balls of clouded crystal, with alternate beads of coral, blue chalcedony, green chalcedony, and black onyx uniting them. The trouble with this necklace is that it costs quite a lot of money—about £l2—and does not look in the least real. ' Indeed, it can be most adequately imitated. If you want to be in the front now, don’t forget green is one of the sweetest and leading colours in jewellery of the moment. There are ropes of emeraudes d’Afrique (real, but flawed, emeralds, that are no dearer than topaz); of green chrysoprase, which is clear; and green chalcedony, which is clouded. And there are two-colour notes, such as necklaces of alternate beads of light and dark green malachite. The smartest shape is a rope of medium length, the beads being rather large, and ' a pendant-shaped piece dangling at the end- Chokers are also smart again. The latter I think extremely becoming, and these are much worn by the Queen. WASHING SATIN. One of the fabrics which has returned to favour is washing satin, and you can get it in such lovely shades, too. Newest lingerie shows a marked preference for satin, and lace is everywhere. This used to appear only in insertions as a trimming, but now it sometimes forms the principal material of a garment. I have boon looking at some charming nighties made m very thick satin, in a deep apricot shade, with deep yokes, of tea-coloured lace. The yokes were cut irregularly so that they formed a broad shoulder strap on one side, and continued down the bodice nearly to the waist. The lace slanted across the bodico in front, so that the other shoulder was left bare, except for a satin ribbon strap which tied in a bow. Lace is also used very much for appliqued designs. ORIGINAL, You aeo lace flowers cut out and sewn on the lace yokes of nighties. They are afterwards embroidered over in coloured silks. I have never seen so many green and pinks introduced on lingerie. It used to be a firm rule that only subdued pastel shades were used, and those only for the material itself. Now it is quite good form to have dark pink roses, on pale pink undies, and even green leaves are added. This must be by means of a dyeing process, for the flowers and leaves are cut from lace. THE PRINCE’S AFFECTION. I think it is delightfully touching to read of the long vigil which the Prince of Wales is said to have kept in the heart of Africa by the bedside of his groom-in-waiting, General Trotter. It is an interesting example of the mutual* devotion which so frequently exists between members of the Royal Family and their personal staffs. Those who have once had the privilege of entering .the service of Royalty rarely find the silken thread that binds them broken by anything short of illness or death itself. We were all glad to hear that General Trotter was better; it would have been a calamity had his illness been a really serious one. WONDERFUL JEWELS OF GREAT ACTRESS. Ellen Terry’s personal belongings are being made ready for the sale room. She sold many things herself a few years ago, but she had accumulated more treasures in the last few ■ years. One of the most beautiful things to be sold at Christie’s is a jewellled , pendant, given her by Queen Alesan- j dra after a performance she and irv- j ing and their company gave at Wind-; sor. It has the Queen Mother’s initial set in rubies, and is surrounded by diamonds, and it was one of the possessions Dame Ellen valued more than any other. She always wore it, on her Empire Order. Unfortunately j it was not specifically mentioned in her will, and, as the estate is to be divided | for the benefit of six people, the executors have decreed that it must be sold LEAVING AN IMPRESSION. I went to a very smart musical party last night at Lady Beeoham’s house in Grosvenor square. There were rows of cane-seated gilt, and very smart chairs for the guests, who numbered amongst them some of the highest in die uind —for the party was given by the> Span ish Ambassador and Mrs Van Gelder. Nearly everyone wore the new ring velvet, and I noticed when we went down to supper that most of the ladies had the pattern of the cane-seated chairs on their dresses l it only shows how impressionable is ring velvet. THE DUKE’S HIGHLANDERS.

I love the ancient Scottish customs; there is no part of the British Isles more conservative than Scotland or more given to keeping up tradition. To maintain an army of his own is the privilege of the Duke of Atholl when in residence at his Perthshire castle, which he has rented to an American, Mr Payne Bingham. It is an old feudal right. I was told, and the only one of its kind now held by a subject of the King. When the Dukes of . Atholl reside at their Highland castle they always maintain a retinue of 500 stalwart Highlanders.

the white rose. I beard from a famous Scottish chieftain that the Dukes of Atholl hold part of their property conditional upon presenting a white rose to the Sovereign when honoured by such a visit. Imagine the dismay of the then holder of the title when unexpectedly Qu«n Victoria called upon His Grace. Almost at the same moment as this announcement came the knowledge that it was winter and no white roses were at hand. Messengers were sent belter skelter over the country to florists and private owners, and at last a white rose was produced and presented with due form ancl ceremony to Her Majesty. BRIDGE IN THE AIR.,, A, friend of mine who often flies from Croydon to Paris and back told me the following amusing story of his experiences the other day“ Two women in the plane were talking. ‘ How dull flying is,’ said one; ‘no thrills 1’ An American was sitting by. ‘.Care for a game of bridge?’ said he. All right,’ said they, and 1 was roped in for a fourth. I suppose we 'were about I,oooft up. yef these,, women played with all tlie keenness of 'a suburban party.' I know 1 won about eighteen bob, and then we descended on Paris. ‘ Well, that’s got rid. of the time and boredom,’ one of the women remarked. The American laughed. ‘You British beat the band, I guess,’ was all he said.”