THE ART OF PERSONAL BEAUTIFICATION.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 46, 18 November 1893, Page 422

THE ART OF PERSONAL BEAUTIFICATION.

DISCLOSURES BY AN ARTIST. The Vienna correspondent of the Daily Telegraph has been interviewing Dr. Robert Fischer, of that citjr, who is a well-known expert in all that pertains to cosmetics, and has obtained from him some curious information :— BEAUTIFICATION BEFORE MARRIAGE. •When is your regular season, Doctor?’ the correspondent asked. • Well, you see, I have a two fold season—the social and the individual. The former is the ball and raoftt season, which is over now. The latter depends upon the betrothal or marriage of individuals, and may coincide with any period of the year.’ • Marriage ?’ the correspondent asked in some surprise. ‘Quite so—marriage. Numbers of mothers put their daughters through a whole course of beautification previous to launching them out in that sea of trouble. That’s the time when toe most elaborate reparations of the human frame are ordered and undertaken. I have a great deal more to do then than for the most fashionable balls of the year. RUBICUND NOSE-TIPS. Dr. Fischer went on to say ‘I am asked, say, to remove the rubicund tint from the tip of a Grecian nose where no amount of ex iberant fancy will explain its presence as the result of a modest habit of blushing. I perform the operation without pain or difficulty, insisting upon a term of eight days ; but then I do it thoroughly and once for all, and never again will the nose blush unless the rest of the

face first gives the example. Another time an islet of hairs on the face, an inconvenient tnft on the chin, cheek, or neck, or else an impertinent moustache (which outweighs a good half of the fair one’s dowry, and sometimes the whole round sum) has to be banished. We often have long engagements in Austria, with no breach of promise law to guarantee them, and during all that time a girl ought to be growing better looking.’ THE LIKING FOR BLONDE HAIR. ‘ The one taste (said Dr. Fischer) which may be said to be universal in Vienna is a liking for blonde hair, ft would seem to be innate, like mischief and coquetry. Viennese hair dyes are therefore mostly destined to impart a rich golden colour to the flowing tresses that are naturally brown or black, to give them the exact tint that you admire in the famous picture of “ Germania ” in the Leipzig Museum. Have I thus metamorphised many dark beauties into blondes? Countless bevies of them. And they have not a spark of practical gratitude, either—not a single one of them would ever recommend me to another as a friend who had been tried and not found wanting. But that, perhaps, is human nature.’ THE TEAR PUMP. • Look at that innocent looking white object, just like a waxlight,' said Dr. Fischer. ‘ Could you guess what that is for? No? Well, I’ll tell you. It is a tear-pump.’ ‘A what ?’ the correspondent asked, gaspingly. • A tear-pump. You seem overcome. Perhaps I have given it too drastic a name. Yes, people grow rapidly nervous in Vienna. Well, this innocent implement is used for the purpose of irritating the lachrymal glands and producing tears—probably on funeral days and such-like occasions.