Seeking Ideal Beauty
by Jeannine Schenewerk
There seems to me to be definite parallels between this era, and the Elizabethan
Age, when it comes to women, and their desperate struggle to either halt the
natural aging of their appearance, or, to discover a miracle age-reversal
method. During the sixteenth century, well-born women were obsessed with
achieving, and maintaining, 'ideal' beauty, as they perceived it, to the point
of what we would call 'madness'. What was this ideal they so longed to possess?
Youthful unlined alabaster skin, overly bright eyes, red cheeks and lips, and
the fairest of hair colors. Add to these attributes, a high, arched, pale
eyebrow, and high brow line. To achieve the 'look' of perfection, these women
made use of the period’s highly respected skin care techniques, and the finest
cosmetics available to them, at the time.
First, the hairline was plucked back, an inch or more. Next, the eyebrows had to
be plucked and arched, and the hair of the head and eyebrows was then bleached
out using a variety of the most up-to-date bleaching agents, including urine,
and sulfuric acid. Women, who could afford the high cost, purchased the top of
the line skin whitener, 'ceruse', a mixture of white lead, and vinegar. This was
used on the face, neck, bosom, and often the hands and arms as well. This
concoction was used in conjunction with the 'skin firmer' of choice, uncooked
egg white. This noxious mess was then spread on the face, neck and bosom, and
allowed to dry, to tighten, and hide wrinkles, and give the face a white,
unlined, mask-like finish.
To imitate a blush and pout of youthful beauty,
vermilion (mercuric sulfide) was THE choice for lips and cheeks. Faintly traced
veins were then added to the skin surface of the bosom, for that 'natural' look.
Drops of belladonna were then administered to the eyes, to achieve that desired
'sparkle', and the eyes were outlined in kohl. To care for their complexions,
the ladies made use of what was highly touted as the best cleanser. Mercury
mixed with alum, and honey. Of course, a common practice was the 'facial peel',
and the most widely used, and highly regarded peel agent, was mercury.
These were the commonly accepted 'beauty' practices, of women over four hundred
years ago, and yet, how 'in the moment', it all seems! We may not use mercury
for chemical peels, but glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or lactic acid;
trichloroacetic acid (TCA), or carbolic acid (phenol) - are used. We don't
spread raw egg white on our complexions as a temporary skin firmer, but modern
women may be surprised to learn, they could very well have used 'skin firmers'
containing formaldehyde. We may gasp in horror over sixteenth century women
applying poison to their faces; yet, Botox injections seem perfectly mundane,
and safe, to us. What were the long-term results of the use of their miracle
beauty and facial products, for the classy Elizabethan lady? Complexions more
rapidly aged, gray, shriveled, and mummified.
When I read of young women still in their twenties, opting for ‘beauty
treatments’ that require they have their complexions chemically treated, or
otherwise ravaged, I am appalled. I can only wonder at the long-term effects of
such drastic measures. Mature women, obsessed with seeking some elusive
anti-aging/age-reversal miracle, become nothing more than willing test-subjects
for any new facial product/procedure that hits the market. Often, they have no
idea as to the ingredients in the products they are smearing on their faces.
Nor, do they take into consideration future effects of certain procedures.
Perhaps, we modern women should consider the lessons of the past, and proceed
with caution, and common sense, when choosing our ‘beauty’ regimens.
About the author: Jeannine Schenewerk is a freelance writer residing in Atlanta,
Georgia. Her recent article, 'Self Image and the Mature Woman', has been
published on numerous sites. She maintains an informative, inspirational,
website, 'In Touch With Jeannine', for mature women.
http://www.intouchwithjeannine.com;
intouchwithjeannine@yahoo.com
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