The Green Cure

Southland Times, Issue 21729, 15 June 1932, Page 5

The Green Cure

for Red Noses Cosmetics mean better health for women and ever so much more happiness. This answer to years of criticism of women for “making up” was provided by Mr H. Stanley Redgrove, the skin specialist, when he recently addressed delegates at a Health Conference in London. He told his delighted audience: Why Cosmetics Give Health. It is generally agreed that health tends to manifest itself in beauty and disease in ugliness. There are no factors more important from the aesthetic point of view than the complexion and the expression; and it is well known what ravages ill-health play with these. A woman, let us say, is afflicted with a red nose or pallid cheeks as the result of some disorder of the digestive system. Obviously the correct method of theatment is dietetic. But this takes time and while the treatment is proceeding the redness of the nose can be completely masked by the skilful use of green face powder, and the colour restored to the cheeks by the aid of careful rouging. From the hygienic point of view, the important factor is the effect on the mind of the patient herself. She looks well. Auto-suggestion of the most powerful kind comes into play. She feels well. The effect of the dietetic treatment is reinforced and the recovery to good health is all the more rapidly made. It would be. absurd to deny that there are cosmetics whose use is highly injurious. On the other hand, it is equally absurd to deny the existence of cosmetics whose use is quite innocuous and by means of which in certain cases a practically perfect stimulation of the beauty of good health can be obtained.

And then Mr Redgrove explained: Why Cosmetics Give Charm. The desire to appear beautiful is deep-seated in the soul of every normal womap, and from the earliest times she has restored to the use of cosmetics to increase her charms. Woman has been laughed at; for using cosmetics; attempts have been made to frighten her by telling her that cosmetics in the long run will destroy not only her beauty but her health; and more especially during the Victorian era the terrible ban of “not respectable” was erected against their use. The net result of these criticisms has been nil. Speaking as a mere man I prefer to live in a world of pretty women than in a world of ugly ones; and I do not suppose I am unique in this prediction. Florid complexions can be toned down by green face powder; roses put into cheeks by means of rouge, and the colour of pallip lips heightened by the judicious use of lip stick. But beauty is elusive, so Mr Redgrove told his “pupils”: How Cosmetics Should Be Used. The true art of making up consists in creating a perfectly natural looking effect under specific conditions of lighting. No person not made up looks perfectly natural under gas or electric lighting. Only the skilfully made up actress or actor looks natural on the boards and the same principle should be adopted in making up for the street, the restaurant or the ballroom. The effect of naturalness should be aimed at. and the woman who after making up looks made up has failed to master the art. Two common faults in the use of cosmetics are over use of rouge, and especially lipstick, and the unwise choice of shade.'