Did Queen Victoria Ever Where Makeup

Women's Victorian makeup was a paradox. It was considered inappropriate for a lady to wearable makeup – nevertheless women constitute discrete and covert ways to wear it. Makeup appeared to exist non-existent, but plenty of homemade recipes and shop-bought cosmetics tell another story! Here's our look at women's Victorian makeup in Uk.

The Victorian Era

In British history, the Victorian era is when Victoria was the Queen of the U.k. of Britain and Ireland. She ruled from 1837 to 1901. Her reign of 63 years and seven months made her the longest-serving monarch of Britain at the fourth dimension.

The Victorian era was a time of modify, discovery and advancement. Political movements, technological inventions, and scientific breakthroughs were the mark of the Victorian age. There was besides a bully desire to reform and amend social problems. This drive to brand life better for the masses lead to better working conditions, sanitation and educational activity.

The Victorian era is also well-known for its moralistic arroyo to life. Queen Victoria was the very model of strict morals and conduct – and British club, on the whole, lived by this ideal.

Influences on Women's Victorian Makeup

Queen Victoria

The Queen had dignity, decorum and a strict code of conduct. She declared that makeup was impolite – and this gear up the tone for the Victorian era. Merely actresses and ladies of depression morals would vesture obvious makeup.

Despite her disdain for makeup, Victoria's daily routine involved washing, skincare and dental hygiene. Cleanliness was perfectly acceptable, if non desirable, in Victorian guild. Poor hygiene and disease were now linked, so using lather and being clean was encouraged. After all, a good Victorian was clean of torso and mind.

Society's Attitude

Victorian Britain was about conformity, etiquette and following the rules of society. To be part of polite club was not to stand out but to blend in and exist the same as anybody else.

The privileges and rights of Victorian women were limited. Attitudes towards makeup (specially from men) were notably negative during the Victorian era. Wearing it was not the done matter – it was not role of a woman'southward pure and angelic image. It was quite the paradox. A adult female had to be naturally beautiful only not immune to use anything to raise that beauty.

Makeup was also considered deceptive and fraudulent. Additionally, information technology was linked to disease and criminal action, like prostitution. Just someone of low morals would openly utilise makeup.

To exist seen wearing or fifty-fifty ownership makeup would tarnish one's reputation. Additionally, the gossip fallout would be hard to come up dorsum from. However, for all the risks, women did employ makeup. They only had to use it advisedly and covertly.

Attitudes started to alter towards the end of the Victorian era. For example, way was changing from restrictive clothing to items allowing more freedom of motion. Additionally, feminists were standing up and making their mark.

The attitude towards makeup was slowly irresolute aslope this. It was becoming more adequate for a lady to own and use lip salve, pulverisation and rouge.

Magazines & Advertisement

A dvancements in newspaper production and press engineering led to a dramatic increase in printed publications. In improver, the development of the railways meant that distribution was easier. It enabled Victorians of all social classes to enjoy a wealth of monthly magazines and papers.

Literacy was also increasing. Therefore, more women could embrace the articles on mode, health and leisure pursuits. Manufactures often suggested that a lady should never allow herself become. Beauty was the mark of good grapheme and a woman's duty was to notice – and keep – a husband.

Advertising started with the advent of mass consumerism in the Georgian era. Now, publications had more advertisements, including those for cosmetic products. Makeup advertisements were often cunningly disguised equally wellness aids or supplements. It was brazen, considering the overall negative attitude towards makeup.

A wealth of publications meant that cosmetic companies could now marketplace themselves to a bigger audition. It led to brands becoming household names, similar Pears and Rimmel.

Developments in Scientific discipline & Applied science

Mass product became possible due to farther developments in technology. Factories could churn out products like lather by the dozens. Information technology also spurred the production of cosmetic products. And Victorian ladies could purchase items through mail society or at the local chemists.

This rising in like shooting fish in a barrel production leads to a autumn in costs, meaning that many corrective items were affordable and attainable.

Actresses

Gild considered actresses to exist women of loose morals and akin to prostitutes. They used the deception of makeup and their sexual power, rather than talent, to get ahead. Of class, actresses wore makeup as role of their stage work and for publicity photographs. It was simply part of the task.

They had also chosen a career, income and self-sufficiency over devoting their time to existence a homemaker. An extra also worked at night in public places – further "evidence" that linked them to prostitutes.

Despite this, going to the theatre was a pop pastime and actresses had a fan base. They were often the subject of media and public interest, especially if it involved a scandal. Withal, they had little influence on makeup for much of the Victorian period.

It slowly started to change towards the finish of the era.For example, French actress Sarah Bernhardt was a global sensation who routinely wore makeup in public. She caused a massive scandal when applying red lip rouge in public. While many were appalled, events like this turned the tide towards makeup being more accepted. In the end, fifty-fifty respectable women wanted to mimic their favourite actresses.

The Victorian Dazzler Ideal

The beauty ideal for Victorian women was the aforementioned as in previous generations – namely, a bright and smooth complexion, untanned peel without blemish, and a natural rosy glow.

A proficient form – an upright posture and feminine shape – was besides considered beautiful. It, in some means, made upwards for someone thought to be lacking in looks.

Victorians had a passion for physiognomy – the practice of assessing a person'south character by their outward advent, particularly the confront. Therefore, the beauty platonic often fell into line with this way of thinking. Brows, lips, cheeks and optics all had desired colours and shapes, representing the best personality traits.

Victorian Makeup Elements

Complexion

The clarity of the complexion was one of the most important aspects of a Victorian woman'south beauty. Information technology was considered to exist a representation of her temperament, lifestyle and state of mind.

To have skin that was gratuitous from blemishes, a tan, freckles or any other such things was the virtually cute. Such was Victorian thinking, any mark or blotch on the peel was likely downwards to the woman'southward ill-temperament, living to excess or some sinful criminality.

Luckily, there were lots of products on the market to proceed the skin apple-pie and moisturised, as well as tackle a whole diverseness of skin issues. Some products were harmless; nonetheless, others contained harmful ingredients such as arsenic or mercury.

Cold cream was the biggest skin product of the Victoria period, as it had been for generations earlier. It was easily fabricated at habitation from oil, water and wax. The mixture created a rich emollient that helped to cleanse, attend and protect the skin.

Flower essences were used to cleanse and wash the skin. In particular, rose-water and elderflower-h2o were popular washes.

Powder

Using powder very discretely was adequate to Victorian women. Even Queen Victoria used a little powder later her skincare regime. However, it had to be subtle and not detectable to anyone's eye – specially a homo's. Too much powder was subject to equally much criticism equally too much rouge or lip color.

Powders were made from various pulverized ingredients, including starch, oatmeal flour, zinc oxide, rice, French chalk and white dirt. They could be left white or subtly tintedwith pinkish or violet pigments, used to counteract the xanthous lighting of the era.

One interesting side effect of using metallic substances (such every bit bismuth) in pulverization was they turned an cadaverous grey color on exposure to sulphurous gases. These gases were produced in the home by called-for fossil fuels – for example, in a coal burn down.

Powder was applied to the confront, neck and arms with a puff (made from things like swan'south-down), chamois or rabbit'southward foot.

Rouge

Rouge was considered particularly vulgar by many. And it didn't matter whether a adult female was young or old – rouge was not to be applied.

Rouge came in iii forms – liquid, cream and dry. Specialist products were available for actresses (and actors) who wore it for theatre productions.

Interestingly, beauty and housekeeping books ever had a recipe or two for making cream and liquid rouges at home. The authors ofttimes emphasised that their recipes were "not easily detected on the skin" – perfect for the Victorian ethos.

Carmine was a pop red colourant in recipes. Additionally, at that place were countless not-cosmetic means to stain the cheeks. For example, strawberry juice, beetroot juice or crushed geranium leaves. Red crepe paper from the stationers could be dampened (as the colour would bleed) and patted on the cheeks.

Eyebrows

Using any colour on the brows was not the done thing. Notwithstanding, there were exceptions to this rule. For example, information technology was OK to add together a little color should a adult female have pale or patchy eyebrows.

Any application was, of form, to be done in keeping with the natural brow shape. Also, the colour must complement the hair and complexion. In brusque, it had to exist detached and not noticeable.

All shapes and thicknesses of eyebrow seem to exist acceptable. Nonetheless, hair growing between the brows was non particularly admired, so it was OK to remove it.

According to etiquette books of the day, smoothly arched brows were considered to convey a cheerful and amiable disposition. As well, straight (or level) brows were thought to convey nothing sinister.

Eyelashes

Information technology was thought that trimming the lashes would help them abound back thicker and longer. A tiny pair of scissors would practice the job.

There was no mascara – so if you are recreating a Victorian wait, mascara is a big no! Even so, in that location were ways to darken lashes. For example, mixing burnt cloves or lamp-blackness (soot) with foam, oil, or ointment was a simple way to darken lashes. Chloride of aureate could also dye eyelashes (and brows) brownish.

To condition, a piddling brush oil or similar could be rubbed into the hair.

Lip Salve

Lip salve was perfectly adequate for dealing with chapped lips, which were considered cruddy. It was also easy for a lady (or her maid) to make at dwelling.

Wearing coloured lipstick was in the same campsite as rouge – it was non acceptable in Victorian U.k.. Being unacceptable meant women had to find ingenious ways to tint their lips. For example, the innocent lip salve became a lip tint with the addition of cherry-red or another red pigment.

There were also not-cosmetic ways to add together tint to lips. For example, damp red crepe paper dabbed on the lips added a rosy hue.

Enamelling - The Painted Await

Quite controversially, in that location was a corrective procedure that a small minority of women chose to prefer. It was known equally enamelling and became more prevalent in the late 1800s.

Enamelling involved applying a layer of white paste or cream to the face, neck and bosom – similar to what the Georgians would have done. It was a stark contrast to the detached makeup called by the many.

White pigments such equally bismuth or zinc oxide were used to brand the paint. It could also incorporate harmful ingredients similar arsenic or pb – a perennial favourite to create a bright white colour. However, no cosmetic regulations were in place to stop such ingredients from being used.

Some women would also paint veins onto their skin using blue-coloured liquid and a fine brush. The aim was to brand their pare look more translucent.

Professional Enamellers

Aprofessional enamellerwould remove all pilus, dirt and imperfections from the customer'southward face before smoothing on a layer of white paint. It filled creases and wrinkles to get out a polish and youthful appearance – or so claimed! Later this, rouge would be applied – even veins were painted on using bluish-tinted products.

Information technology was claimed to concluding for days, even weeks – provided you were OK with not washing your face up! Those against enamelling pointed out how it blocked the pores and looked very unnatural.

One infamous enameller wasMadame Rachel, who had female customers flocking to her salon in Bond Street (oft by carriage under a veil) for various dazzler treatments and procedures. Charging overly high prices, she made even bigger claims promising to make a woman "beautiful for always".

However, it was all a con. Eventually, Rachel was arrested and imprisoned for blackmailing and swindling her clients.

Other Cultures

While Victorians establish makeup improper, they did recognise that other countries and cultures used makeup co-ordinate to their dazzler ideals. For example, Victorians acknowledged that Turkish and Eastern women used dark pencils to line their eyes. And it was perfectly acceptable for them. However, a British woman must not re-create this mode by any ways!

Lip colouring may accept hit an all-fourth dimension low in Britain, simply information technology was not necessarily the example elsewhere. For case, red lips were pop with Chinese women, who happily rouged their lips and tongues with scarlet. American women as well wore lip products more openly. It didn't take the same stigma there as in Great britain.

Find Out More

Read more about the Victorian era (Wikipedia).
Read well-nigh Madame Rachel, Virginie Gautreau or Sarah Bernhardt (Wikipedia).
Significant women of the Victorian era (Wikipedia).

Sources:
Begy. J. A. (1889). Applied Hand-volume of Toilet Preparations and Their Uses. Allison. New York.

Hartley. F. (1882). The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Transmission of Politeness. Lee & Sheperd. New York.

Montez. L (1858). The Arts of Beauty, Or, Secrets of a Lady's Toilet With Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascinating. Dick & Fitzgerald. New York.

Sozinskey. T. South. (1877). Personal Appearance and the Civilisation of Beauty. Allen, Lane & Scott.

Sylvia (pseudonym). (1881). Sylvia's volume of the toilet: a ladies' guide to dress and beauty. Ward, Lock & Co. London.

Source: https://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-victorian-makeup/

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