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popular facial paste, Crème Céleste, it was a wonderful aid to conceal and smooth complexion. The ingredients included spermaceti (a waxy substance found in the head cavities of the sperm whale), white wax, sweet almond oil, and rosewater (rosewater was a constant ingredient for skin care, along with egg yolks, honey, and oatmeal). Zinc oxide was used to lighten skin--an essential bleaching method--so was lemon juice, as a pale appearance gave a sense of notoriety, wealth and good health. Tanned faces were associated with outside labor; therefore, bonnets were a big trend to keep the skin shielded from the sun.
It was a tradition for men to wear makeup in the courts, but they finally strayed away from the heavy face paints, and used makeup mostly for concealing purposes such as with blemishes and duel/war scars--once again, typically among the wealthy. Thus, men started embracing a more masculine appearance, and sought a more “rugged” look.
Rouge was the favorite, and still is an accepted beauty trend, carrying over from the French Revolution. Carmine, crushed flowers and red beet
juice were familiar concoctions that were rubbed on
the apples of the cheeks. Belladonna (Italian for “pretty woman” because of its seductive use), sometimes mixed with opium, was mostly used as an eye drop to dilate the pupil, giving a glossy or sparkly effect. Doctors prescribed it for cataracts and as an anesthetic for surgery, but it was a highly poisonous hallucinogen, and though not necessarily linked to suicide, women were found dead, probably having overdosed, purposely or not. Lemon juice or orange juice was an alternate means to achieve this dreamy, seductive look, as well as a cleansing method.
Eyeshadows were red and black, but used subtly or even as smudged eyeliners. Lead and mercury mixed with pigment from flowers created red eye “paints,” whereas Castor Oil and soot or crushed stone was used for black paint. Even though women played with these colors, they would be insulted if you pointed them out, and denied wearing such trends. Heavy makeup was associated with prostitutes and actresses--one and the same at that time. Lips were moistened with beeswax, and a delicate touch of red or pink.
This era played on natural beauty, natural thought and natural talent. It was a time of romance, value, appreciation and self-worth. Though some methods were ill practiced, it was a stepping stone for women and the beginning of Individualism.
The Romantic Era ~ A Brief Makeup History
29 | Ceres Magazine | Spring 2016