Regency Era Beauty Tips

Gettin' Gorgeous the Regency Way

By Sandra Scholes
QuailBellMagazine.com

Think of all the beauty products we have at our disposal these days, those professional make-up artists use and endorse, plus new, ingenious creams for keeping the modern woman looking younger despite the rigors of modern life. Back in the Regency era, beauty products were a little more basic and sometimes even dangerous to use. Just as we consider certain looks unfashionable, those of the Regency era had similar thoughts. They deemed freckles and heavy make-up unflattering. There were plenty of products available for those who did not wish to be regarded as unfashionable by polite society, but often ladies purchased raw ingredients and mixed them themselves.

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 Anti-Freckle Lotion

Since freckles were considered unattractive, ladies of the day used several products to temporarily bleach them. One such product was called Unction of Maintenon. It removed both light or dark colored freckles. Using Unction of Maintenon required covering the face completely with elderflower water at night and then applying unction oil. In the morning, the lady would cleanse her face with rose oil (or "oil of rose.")

How to make the Unction of Maintenon

• Venice soap (1 ounce)
• Lemon juice (1/2 ounce)
• Bitter almond oil (1/4 ounce)
• Oil of tartar (1/4 ounce)
• Oil of rhodium (3 drops)
  

After adding the lemon juice and twin oils to the Venice soap, place the entirety in the sun until its consistency becomes water-like, only then adding the rhodium.

Make-up tips

The emphasis on make-up during the Regency era much subtler than it is today. The overall “painted” look was considered vulgar. Instead they emphasized on skin care over using heavy make-up. Only the lips and cheeks were to show the merest hint of color. The face powder of the period was made of rice flour or talcum powder. White bismuth was used if a lady wanted a more pearlescent look.

• Cheeks: Pears Liquid Blooms of Roses was one of the more popular ways to rouge the cheeks during the Regency period. There were several shades of carmine to choose from, all made from cochineal in alum water. Such things as tin were used in the making of this product and that was far from healthy, though the high quantities of the carmine were lessened if mixed with talcum powder.
  
• Eyes: Burnt cork and lamp black soot were mixed to provide a form of mascara and eyebrow cosmetic (a technique derived from the Egyptians and Turkish.) The common drawback of using this tactic was its strong smell.
• Lips: Rose Lip Salve was the most used lip balm in Regency times, even when the use of color on the lips was considered slightly outrageous for a woman of means. It contained white wax, almond oil and alkanet for color, and rose oil to lend a pleasant smell. Vermillion was also a popular shade and was made from cochineal–this was also the closest in appearance to our lipsticks of today.
  

Day and Night Wash

Lastly, is how women of the day commonly cleaned their faces, giving them that extra glow of beauty.

• Add lemon juice and spoonful of white brandy to a half pint of milk before boiling it. 
• Scrape the scum from the surface, leaving it until cool.
  

It is amazing how much cosmetics and general beauty has changed over the years, yet if it hadn’t been for early make-up we might never have developed today's modern ways of making ourselves look that extra bit more beautiful than we already are.