POWDER AND PAINT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

POWDER AND PAINT

COSMETICS IN THE PAST CELEBRATED BEAUTY SECRETS In the middle-ages, France and England were in the throes of cosmetics, and the use of them. In Queen Anne's days, one historian says that the paint of Miladi's cheek was considered one means ol : keeping her lover at a distance. The untimely death of mere than one famous beauty of long ago has been attributed to the paint with which she covered her face. Lady Coventry, the celebrated English beauty, died from such effect. In centuries past, history tells us, men were also addicted the use of rouge and powder. Each beauty of every age has had her favourite recipe for the preservation of her beauty. The orange diet of the famous Marquise Crespv has become part of the beauty creed of all who have studied the art of preservation of beauty. Chroniclers of the charms of women of her time assert that when she lacked but two years of being 100 years old her complexion resembled an apple blossom. For the secret of this marvellous preservation, we are informed that for the last 40 years of her life, she ate as many as eight oranges a day. Oranges act powerfully upon the liver, hence those who eat many oranges have very

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clear complexions. The Princess Davout ! at 85 years, bore her slight, graceful j figure with the upright grace of a girl. Never was a complexion more beautiful. She attributed this to the fact that she always washed her face in rain water. Mme. *La Pompadour,, who was celebrated for having one of the finest skins of the day, used to wipe her face every morning with a soft, cloth dipped in the juice of cucumbers, it is said. A well-known French actress whose skin is very, clear, washes her face with the froth of beer, and a well-known beauty has always used, as a toilet astringent, a mixture of lemon-juice and milk, made up in the following proportions: Juice of half a lemon to 250 grammes of milk. This mixture is applied to the face at night and the following morning washed oif with tepid water.

Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, bathed her face solely and often in water distilled from rosemary, the recipe which she obtained from a hermit. This is said to have preserved her beauty to an old age. The celebrated Duchess of Marlborough, called the " Queen .of Society," under the reign of Queen Anne, was captivating as a wit, rather,, than as a beauty. Yet, her loveliness in middle-age remained still. Her hair., preserved by the use of honey-water, was abundant and untouched by time. The beauties of the -Royal Court of Louis XIV. and Louis XV. used to brighten their complexions by sprinkling their faces with a vinegar composed of honey, vinegar and shredded sandal-wood. Marie Antionette's contribution to beauty laws was her discovery that as the feet, so, the face. " Dainty feet are an index to a dainty face," said she. " Care of the feet preserves beauty of the face." The lemon cure was taken by royalty and beauties who desired the extremely slender figure demanded by fashion. Copious draughts of hot lemon were taken without sugar upon arising in the morning, and the last thing at night. It is said that this not only acts as a. tonic, but makes one delightfully slim.