Beauty Hints For Leisure Caused By Illness

Southland Times, Issue 23828, 27 May 1939, Page 17

Beauty Hints For Leisure Caused By Illness

When you are sick it is very often hard to look beautiful, but unless the illness is very serious and there is much pain there is not the slightest reason why the enforced holiday in bed canfiot be made' a time for beauty. Even if you do not feel inclined to try and improve your beauty, at least you should guard against some of the pitfalls of illness. Before discussing the pitfalls against which you must guard, let us first see how we can make you appear much more attractive than you really feel. Your cheeks will require a slight bloom and your hair should be glossy and full of life. Naturally you will be very careful with your make-up application, and avoid anything which does not appear natural. It is obvious that mascara and brilliant rouges should not be used. Liquid rouge only should be used. It will give a more natural blush, and, far more important, it will not wipe off on your pillow. The same, of course, applies to paste rouge, but powder or cake rouge should be avoided. The rouge should be applied very lightly and then dusted over with powder and lipstick, used very sparingly. It is far better to appear pale but interesting than heavily made-up. At night you should slightly dampen the hair with a spirit setting lotion and push it into shape, place in the waves, and then cover the head with an attractive net. In the morning it will only be necessary to brush and comb it and it will then remain attractive for the rest of the day. If you can sit up in bed you should be able to give your hair plenty of brisk, vigorous brushing, until it is shining and burnished far more than when you are in the best of health. ■This brushing business is really very necessary, because, being ill, shampooing is often out of the question, and it is only with brushing that we can keep the scalp clean and healthy. An occasional smear of brilliantine to the hair, a dab of perfume to the ears, and you should then be quite beautiful enough to welcome visitors. COMPLETE RELAXATION One advantage of being ill, providing, of course, that it is not a serious illness, is that we can completely relax.. And this relaxation is necessary to beauty. It will wipe many wrinkles from the face. But how few people know how to relax thoroughly! First lie flat on your back with the arms at the sides and the toes pointing away from the body. Then stretch every limb and muscle until they feel as if they are going to break. Then suddenly collapse and allow yourself to lie absolutely limp for about -five minutes with the mind absolutely calm and without a thought. Then gradually, one by one, work your limbs so that the muscles again become active. This relaxation will make you feel calm and ready for slumber. One of the pitfalls which you must guard against is a sagging and double chin. Most invalids will persist in having a pillow which is too high, and this will naturally cause the chin muscles to weaken and the skin to wrinkle. Therefore, use a low pillow, or, if you are forced to use a high one, you will then have to wear a chin-strap. Use one made of butter muslin, because you can easily discard this when visitors are expected. If you have complete freedom of movement there is no reason why you cannot indulge in a neck exercise. First pat a good cream into the skin under the chin, and then bend the head backwards until quite a strain is felt in the throat muscles. Keep the head well back while you count 15, and thrust out the lower jaw. Count 10 and gradually relax. Carry out this exercise for five minutes, and then after three days, when the jaw muscles, have become loosened, you can advance a further step. When you are at the stage of the exercise where the chin is thrust out you will slowly turn the head from side to side and then backwards and forwards. Although the woman who is ill is not to be envied, at least she has plenty of time on her hands in which to make herself beautiful and interesting.