Smart Novelties in Beauty Culture

Otago Witness, Issue 3842, 1 November 1927, Page 65

Smart Novelties in Beauty Culture

Sy

MIMOSA.

My advice to smart women who demand the very best results, is to leave most toilet preparations alone. When facial applications are necessary, get only the pure ingredients just as they come to the chemist himself. 1 will tell you,in this column from time to time just what to get and just how to use it.. Do not be persuaded into buying some cheap toilet preparations? instead. Any, chemist can supply you with genuine original concentrated ingredients, if hej will, and I know personally that most* firing make a speciality of selling, original packages of all kinds of pure ingredients neat, both direct and by post., l I can point out to you, however, many; useful hints, which involve no expense; at all. “To Acquire Plumpness.”—The very best thing I can recommend is to acquire the ‘‘milk; habit.” Drink at least a quart of creamy milk, every day, and you will soon fill out those, scraggy- lines. A few coconoids might help.' ' Chemists supply these. ! “ Care of the Hair.”—Your hair needs the i .right kind of shampoo to bring back that softness and lustre. Get about two ounces of j stallax from your chemist, and dissolve a tea- I spoonful only in a cup of hot water. This is. ' plenty for each shampoo. After the shampoo rub a little boranium lotion into the roots of ! the hair. It is a remarkable tonic and hair. stimulant. You can make it by mixing an ' ounce of boranium in a quarter pint of bay i rum. •’ 1 “ Excessive Perspiration.”—l sympathise with , you. Most people do not know how to avoid I the unpleasant odour arising from perspiration. ’ But if you use a little powdered pergol you will have no more trouble. It is much used by refined women. “ Superfluous Hair.”—There is nothing so un-. sightly. Get an ounce of powdered pbeminol and apply a little directly to the hair, which; will quickly shrivel up, fall away and leave no' trace behind. It has a wonderful devitalising: effect on the hair roots. “ Slaves to Powder.”—Face powders are not, very satisfactory. You will find a solution of,l eleminite all that you demand. Dissolve an : ounce in four ounces of water, and apply a, little of this to the face in the morning,, rubbing gently in till dry. There will be noj more “ greasy skin,” and the effect lasts fosn many hours, even in a hot room. Many ladies? have discarded face powders entirely, and usei this method only. It saves much trouble and; defies detection. < “ Don’t Use Rouge.”—lf you really must have? colour, just touch the cheeks with ordinary colliandum, and you will be delighted with the change. It is quite harmless. It produces the,' hue of perfect health exactly and is not obvious like a rouge. I “ Roughness of the Skin.” —Probably you artf using the wrong kind of soap. So many of the minor ailmentr of the skin—acne, pimples,' scaliness, blotches, etc. —are due to the caustic, action of the free alkali in the majority of; toilet soaps. But I do know of one perfect soap for delicate skins. It is called and costs a shilling a cake. Its action is bland and soothing, and it is very cleansing to the pores. • “ Face Peeling.”—You can do it yourself at home, if you wish. Get an ounce or two of Mercolized Wax and apply it nightly like coldi cream. Wash it off in the morning. The' action is quite harmless, and so gradual that no one can detect what you are doing; about - ten days is the average time. It works by.' - gently absorbing the worn-out scarf-skin that . gives the face its sallow look, but it does not. / affect the healthy active tissue beneath. It is; $ used to clear the skin also of freckles and; ! tan, and while some skins respond much more quickly than others to its action, I have never, heard of a failure. It cannot possibly grow; hair. “ Pale Lips.”—lf you are going to do that, prolactum is the best thing to use. Get a soft' stick of prolactum from your chemist and apply like lip salve. It is quite harmless and gives a most natural effect. “ Correcting Over-Stoutness.” —By taking! clynol berries for a few weeks you will not| only remove all traces of the fat with which! you are troubled now, but will eliminate froml your system the tendency to become fat.j Clynol berries is the only preparation knowni which strikes at the root of the evil, removing) not only the fat but the tendency towards! developing fatty tissue. “ Long, Curling Lashes.” —Mennaline is whati you are trying to think of. Get an ounce and' apply a little each night with the finger' tips to eyelashes and eyebrows. It actively, stimulates the hair roots. j “To Make Hair Grow.” —Boranium dissolved in bay rum is quite the best hair grower I know.

man. After the bridal party had been subjected to the usual ordeal by 'the “camera man,” the guests, numbering about 130, were entertained at breakfast in the Benhar Hall. _ The usual toasts were honoured, and suitably responded io. - Shortly after the bridal pair left by motor car en route for the honeymoon. The happy couple carried with them the good wishes of all. Although for the present they are taking up their residence in Sydney, it is hoped that in the not too distant future, Mr Fraser’s business will bring him back to New Zealand. As cne speaker remarked at the breakfast-, “They are the type of citizens we can ill spare from cur land.” The very large display of presents, both useful and costly, to say nothing of the number of handsome cheques received, showed the high esteem in ■which Mr and Mrs Fraser were held. Mrs Parker M'Kinlay, the mother of the bride, wore a handsome frock of brown and gold chenille, with georgette front worked with gold, and beautiful hat to match. The bride’s travelling dress was an ensemble suit of sahara-colourcd cloth, and crepe de i chene, with hat to tone, and French suede bag to match. The gift of the bridegroom to the bride was a handsome rope of "pearls, to the first bridesmaid a signet ring, and to the second bridesmaid a dainty manicure set.

A very pretty evening wedding was solemnised at Knox Church; Dunedin, recently, when Mary, only daughter of Air and Mrs D. Wadsworth, of Woodlands, ' was married to Neil Roderick, youngest son of Mr and Mrs W. H. MacKinnon, of Palmerston North. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. G. H. Jupp, of Anderson’s Bay, while Mr Paget Gale presided at the organ. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a *" frock of cream georgette accordeon,pleated. and silver lace over .shell pink silk, with silver shoes and stockings to match, the orthodox veil of tulle was beautifully embroidered in silver tissue, with a coronet of orange blossom, and carried a bouquet of narcissi, freesias, cyclamen, and maidenhair fern. The bride was attended by Miss. Isabel MacKinnon, sister of the bridegroom, and Miss Lorna Howell, of Timaru, cousin of the bride. Both wore dainty frocks of ehell pink and powder blue respectively. Worn over silver tissue and lace, a baud silver leaves in the hair, silver shoes

and stockings, and pearls, the present of the bridegroom. They carried bouquets to match their frocks. The bridegroom was attended by Mr J. Wadsworth as best man, and Mr J. Bell as groomsman. Mrs Wadsworth, the bride’s mother, received the guests in the lounge at the Strand Salon, George street, wearing a frock of navy figured crepe-de-chine and tailored black repp coat, a smart black hat, and fur, and carried a posy of scarlet flowers. The bride's travelling dress was of grey repp tailored coat, grey ribbon hat to match, and handsome fur, the present of the bridegroom. The bride was entertained to a kitchen evening by the nursing staff at Sunnyside, and was also given a presentation of a set of stainless cutlery on the eve of her departure. The presents were numerous and costly, including a number-of handsome cheques. Mr and Mrs MacKinnon intend to permanently reside in Christchurch. « • • • A wedding of interest was celebrated recently in St. Peter’s Pyesbyterian Church, Lavender Bay, Sydney, when Jessie M.. second daughter of Mrs Campbell, of Warrender street, Dunedin, was maYried to Peter S. Reekie, second son of Mr and Mrs Peter Reekie, late of Dunedin. The bride’s ensemble frock was of champagne georgette and guipure lace, worn with a large picture hat. She carried a shower bouquet of pale pink carnations and sweet peas, with gold streamers. Miss Isabel Masters, the bride’s cousin, was bridesmaid; her frock was of shrimp pink crepe de chine, with picture hat and shower bouquet to tone. The duties of best man were carried out by the bridegroom’s brother, Mr Andew Reekie. Afterwards a reception was held at “ Ver- [ sailles,” the bride’s future home. Among those present were the Rev. Calder, Mr and Mrs Peter. Reekie, sen., Mr and Mrs J. C. M’Arthur (Dunedin), Mr and Airs F. Ross, Mrs Masters, Mr and Mrs G. Hoey. Miss Rita Parata (Rotorua), and others.

' OUR GIRLS. ‘‘ What shall We do with our boys? ” used to be a catch phrase in Victorian days. The question related particularly to the sons of the less wealthy middle classes, in which promising openings for boys were suppbsed (with reason, no doubt) to be too few and too crowded. To-day many parents are asking similarly, “ What shall we do with our girls? ” and the more thoughtful and practical of the girls are themselves, considering for what vocation they may fit themselves so as to win economic independence. Till near the end of last century the question was little asked, even by individuals, and was not open to general debate. It was taken for granted that uirughiers of the upper and middle classes would remain at home until they married’ —if they should be fortunate enough to do so. Only sheer poverty induced parents of the “ genteel ” classes and inspired by its traditional feelings to consent to a daughter going out into the world to earn her living. For these unfortunate poor girls there were very few callings open, principally teaching in private schools or in homes, the position of companion to a wealthy or an invalided lady, and hospital nursing, which began to be regarded as a vocation for women of the educated classes in Die last third of the nineteenth century. Girls of the aristocratic and the wealthy classes generally did marry early in life; and whether they married or not they were well provided for financially. Father’s of the poorer genteel classes —the less wealthy' of professional and business callings—aimed at endowing their daughters with a competence that would place them above want should they fail to marry. Naturally many of the fathers were unable to do this; if the girls were left with any fortune after their father’s death, it provided only a pittance on which they could barely exist. So, unsuited for any line of work, and often w’ell on in middle life, they went to crowd the ranks of incompetent governesses and tyrannised over companions, or made themselves useful to relations who probably did not want them. The changes that have led to the present comparatively ample economic opportunities for middle class women declared themselves from the later ’eighties. By this time the great improvements in girls’ education was bearing its fruits. Then the great increase in wealth and commerce and the invention of the typewriter and other modern devices provided much clerical work easily within the capacities of average fairly-educated girls with just a little special instruction.

As time went on middle class nonwealthy parents became reconciled to the idea of their daughters taking up some definite work after leaving school, and more and more avenues of work were opened to women. The cost of living and the standard of living were both increasing, and girls grew less reconciled than formerly to leading humdrum lives and dressing shabbily now that they had opportunities of earning money. The Great War gave a marked impetus to the tendency for girls to enter the economic field instead of leading a quiet domestic life. During its course women and quite young girls filled all kinds ofpositions that had been regarded as essentially men’s, and though naturally many of the new fields for work were either closed to-women or restricted after the restoration of peace, the effect of the war in bringing women into the economic field remained. Women had tried their powers, had grown accustomed to activity and command of money, and public ideas as to what women might or might not profitably do had widened. So to-day there isc a vast difference in the prospects and ambitions of girls compared with those of 40 years back. Yet even to-day the range of callings generally favoured by girls and women is not so wide as it might be. The easier kinds of office work attract too manv girls, so that many applicants for work are disappointed. And girls show a tendency to be satisfied with work that is not overtaxing and that enables them to dress fairly well and enjoy a fair amount of amusement and pleasure while they still live in their parents’ homes. They do not look to the future and make.themselves economically secure. •• It was consideration of the conditions last stated that induced me to propose “ Careers for Women ” as a topic for the discussion of the Cosy Corner Circle. The response was disappointing, and I think%possibly one explanation for this may.be that to a good manv people the term “career” is associated with something ambitious and beyond tire scope of the average young womatj, such as the learned professions, the pursuits of literature, painting, sculpture, etc., or of anv branch of science, or devotion to politics. Nevertheless, my heading made it sufficiently plain that I was thinking of vocations open to women of average endowments. I used the term “ career ” because, in viefr of modern conditions, it is desirable that young women should fit themselves for some calling in which they may be useful and economically independent through life, and improve their qualifications and their position as their experience lengthens. Nursing is one such career; school teaching is another. So is business work of all kinds, if it be entered on with the intention of persevering in it and becoming skilled; so are many manual occupations and industries—millinery, dressmaking—all work, in short, which provides good conditions for workers who possess energy and initiative, and who can attain high ability in it. On the other hand, work taken up merely to

provide occupation and money enough for present personal needs is merely stop-gap work; the girl or woman so employed has no career before, her, though she may spend many years at her work. Some of the Cosy Corner correspondents spoke of the vital importance of the work women may do in the home as wives and mothers, and one spoke of the' opportunities offered by domestic science as a profession. Most certainly the oldfashioned career of wife and mother offers the highest opportunities of human usefulness. But for the girl to-day' the chances of entering on it are problematical—the more doubtful the higher her idea of what marriage should be. Then marrir gc by no means makes lier economically secure; she may find, herself with children and possibly an invalided husband to provide for by her own exertions.

It would be well if skilled domestic work attracted more young women. High pay' is now attainable by skilled workers in all branches of domestic work; and any idea of social inferiority connected with the performance of such work for wages will speedily wear away when domestic workers form a skilled class. It is desirable that women in general should attain fair competence in household duties early’ in life, irrespective of the career they design-to enter on. Such knowledge will be useful to them in many emergencies of life, though they’ may not have households of their own.

It is well that both men and women should be prepared for common emergencies of life, and not be absolutely dependent for a livelihood on one skilled calling, which may’ fail them. A man’s ability to use tools, a woman’s to take charge of an ordinary’ household, and to tend a child or an invalid, makes them safer against sudden changes of fortune and enables them to be useful to others where those without such knowledge are at a loss and useless. The Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides movements have been of immense service in fitting boys and girls for common emergencies of life, and making them happier and more effective members of the communitv.

One of the Cosy Corner contributors begins her letter by saying that the employment of women is no new thing; women have done their full half of the world s work since the world began. This is partially’ true; but its truth does not affect our argument. Women, indeed, as mothers and homemakers, have performed service of inestimable importance, and in earlier times marriage was the common lot .of women, as it still is in primitive societies.

Then, under earlier conditions a great proportion of women assisted their bushands in their callings; this is true particularly of peasant women and th e wives of yeoman farmers, who, 150 vears ago, formed a far larger body compared with the whole population than they do to-day. Poor women, of course, have alwavs worked.

But from the beginning of the eigthteenth century there grew up a larger and larger class of unoccupied women. The daughters of middle class people had nothing definite to do; often, with the plentiful domestic help of those days, the mistress of a house was insufficiently occupied. If means were ample,, girls without much force of character might be satisfied with a round of social functions and diversions, and perhaps a little teaching in Sunday schools and visiting sick people. If we read one of Jane Austen’s novels or one by an author of mid-Victorian days we are impressed with the triviality and monotony of the lives led by women of the genteel classes. The younger ones were waiting to be married ; they had no odier essential object in life. Marriage alone would give them status and satisfying interest. And what of the daughters of poor genteel families whose prospects of marriage were small?

For rich and poor alike life was empty and void compared with the lives of corresponding women to-day. I am not speaking of exceptional women who developed some talent or entered systematically on some useful social work. In discussions such as this it is the rank and fib that we must consider.

I am old enough to know from personal experience and the experience of friends of my girlhood something of the waste and the unhappiness resulting from the old idea that careers are for man only and woman’s place the home—the resulting starved lives and undeveloped capacities; the restrictions, the pinching and saving; later, often, the forced resort to uncongenial and miserably’ paid work as nursery governess or “lady help”— the latter undertaking all the duties of a general servant with many more thrown in for less than half of a servant’s wage. The girl who goes out into th<>. world to earn her own living has a better prospect of marriage than the girl who leads a restricted homo life; and the former mav really lie better equipped for the duties of married life. Her intelligence has been developed; she has learned to plan and work systematically, and she need not be ignorant of household matters. Very many young women engaged in business or professional work give substantial help in their parents’ home, while others share a house or flat and. do most of their «'”n houseivork.

Aid is now offered to young people towards finding a suitable occupation by' schemes of “vocational guidance” which have taken shape in the old world and are being promoted in our country. The parents of bovs and girls about to leave school and the young people themselves are consulted as to their wishes, and teachers report on the eapacifies of

the pupils. Tests of intelligence and of special ability now form a ' recognised feature of school procedure. Then the vocational guides advise the young people as to tlfo kinds of employment i .ost suitable to them, and the best way of entering on it. Up to the present time many boys and girls leaving primary schools have taken the readiest work offering, and thus often missed opportunities of entering on the vocation best suited to them.

I have left myself no space to review the openings offered to women by special callings, but I will enumerate a few callings that seem suited to women and that at present absorb few:— Photography, pharmacy’, watchmaking and jewellers’ work, cabinet work, house. ' furnishing and upholstery work, dentistry, engraving, architecture (houseplanning particularly), book-binding, land work (including fruit, vegetable, and flower growing), and poultry farming and bee-keeping, book-selling and stationery business, and many industries anil businesses entered on with a view to rising to the higher departments or achieving proprietorship. HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS. Spring cleaning is easy if you have a well-planned time table and keep to it chance of muddle. People who begin at the top of the house and work downwards run less cliance of muddle. Remember that if you want to feel equal to your work you must eat. Plan your menus well ahead.. If you are going to paint a wall, give it a coat of size first, especially if it is a newly plastered one. You will in this way use much less paint, and vou will get a better surface.

/ seve . r us ® soda or soap for paintwork, wash it with a cloth wrung out of clean warm water.

Give your woodwork, especially window frames, a wash with water with some disinfectant in it. This helps to keep away the flies.

Cane chairs should be washed on a windy day and allowed to dry outside, lhe wind helps .them to dry quicklv. Tney should, of course, be kept out of tiie sun.

Linoleum which looks old and faded can be made to look like new if it is given a coat of clear varnish. Be sure that nobody walks on it till it i s dry.

Potatoes will cook mor e quickly if left to Stand in hot water for about a quarter of an hour before being baked in the oven.

Apply a poultice made of white bread soaked in vinegar to a corn, and cover with a piece of lint or oiled rilk. Leave on for 12 hours. Renew if necessary. 10. prevent moths from getting into carpets, go over the latter once a" week with a broom dipped in hot water to which a little turpentine has been added. Lobster which is not to be eaten the same day as it has been split open should be kept closely covered in a moist linen napkin to prevent it becoming dry and tasteless.

HOME INTERESTS. SAVOURY HERB OMELET. For a savoury herb omelet for three persons you will nee<l four large eggs. One ounce of butter, one dessertspoonful of milk one dessertspoonful of chopped parslev’ one teaepoonful of dried herbs, one teaspoonful of minced onion, four eggs, salt and pepper. Wash the parsley, squeeze it dry in a cloth and chop finely. Remove all stalks from the herbs and mince a small pieco of onion. Melt the butter in an oval frying pan, and cook the onion slowly for five minutes. Separate the whites of eggs from the yolks, putting them in two basins Add to the yolks a very little milk, the herbs, Parsley, and pepper. Beat the whites very stiffly, mix quickly with the yolks, and pour at, once into the hot frying-pan. Stir quickly round with a wooden spoon till it begins to set. The gas should be fairly high, as omelets are best made quickly. Make the gas griller red hot, and, as soon as bottom of the omelet is cooked, put the frying-pan under Hie griller for two or .three minutes in order to cook the top. When it is spongy and light loosen it round the edge with a knife and fold it in half lengthways. Turn on to a hot dish, and garnish with two sprigs of parsley. PINEAPPLE CUPS. Small tin of pineapple, quarter of a pint of milk, quarter of a pint of hot water, one pint packet of piheapple jelly. Drain the syrup from the pineapple, and put the fruit through the mincer. Dissolve the jelly in the hot water, and when cold stir in the milk. Add also the minced pineapple and the syrup. Leave until beginning to set, then stir it up, and heap in custard glasses. RHUBARB SPONGE CUSTARD. Some stewed rhubarb, six sponge cakes, half a pint of custard, sugar and flavouring. Prepar® some rhubarb and stew it, adding sugar to taste, but no water. Measure half a pint of it, mash it to a pulp, then crumble the sponge cakes and stir in. Turn into a dish and leave until cold. Make the custard, either a powder or an egg custard will do. Sweeten and flavour it to taste, cool a little, and pour over the rhubarb sponge. Serve when cold. COCONUT PUDDING. Take a-quartcr pound of desiccated coconut, and put it on at the side of the fire in half a pint of milk for 10 minutes. Beat 2oz of butter with 2oz of sugar to a cream, sparate the whites from the yolks of three eggs, and drop in the yolks, one at a time, to beaten cream. Add the coconut with the milk, also two tablespoonfuls of cake crumbs, a few drops of vanilla, a gill of cream, and the stiffly-beaten white of one egg. Put the mixture into a pyrex, and bake in the oven until it sets. Beat the other two whites stiffly, adding to these a tablespoonful offine sugar. Pile on top of the sweet, and put into a alow oven to firm the meringue.