Beauty Culture (Browning)/Chapter 7

A good complexion (like a good cook) must be born, not made, a very pretty woman one day told me smilingly. Her own complexion is perfect, so is her health, therefore she can afford to be sceptical now; but how long will she keep her loveliness? That is the main question. If we would only realise that a good complexion will not stand the wear and tear of life without a little ​hygienic help, a little daily care, we could retain our beauty so much longer.

Diane de Poictiers, who boasted to her life's end that she had never resorted to powder and paint, reigned as a beauty of the first rank for a far greater number of years than I should dare to mention, for fear of being associated ever after in the minds of my readers with "the honourable member," about whom I heard a political orator remark blandly, when questioned as to the veracity of some statement which had been made:

"Well, if I saw that gentleman walking down Piccadilly arm-in-arm with Ananias and Sapphira, I should consider him in the bosom of his family."

Whilst strongly deprecating the use of artificial means, I am undoubtedly an advocate for a common-sense form of treatment for preserving the complexion by means of simple washes, which are not only harmless, but beneficial to it. We do not expect our gowns or our boots to last for ever, why should we be so very unreasonable as to expect our complexions to do so? The great point to decide is not—Shall we use anything? ​but, What shall we use? Having already heard something about the nervous system, you will readily understand how easily the eyesight, the hearing, the taste, the smell, and even the brain, may be permanently injured by the constant use of powerful cosmetics. I could mention scores of largely advertised toilet articles, which, on analysis, have proved themselves to contain substances that are injurious alike to the skin and the nerves, yet foolish women will insist on using them under the mistaken notion that they are rendering themselves beautiful.

When shall we, as a sex, begin to understand that nothing which is palpably false can ever be intrinsically beautiful.

No "make-up" is tolerable from the beauty point of view, unless it be so perfect as to be imperceptible, and how very, very few women are cither skilful enough to do it to perfection, or artistic enough to be annoyed by its imperfections in their own cases, though ready enough to recognise and comment upon the deficiencies (or, more truly, superfluities) of their friends' complexions.

​"How very pretty that woman is over in the corner," I remarked to a man one day at a certain smart function.

"Yes; but it's all enamel and peroxide of hydrogen," he replied sententiously; and on closer inspection it proved to be so.

"Well, why shouldn't it be enamel and peroxide of hydrogen, so long as the effect is there?" inquired a leading lady journalist. "It's all decorative art, like our hats and gowns, our feathers and furbelows."

"Decorative art? Oh, yes; quite so, like a portrait in oils, or a panel in water colours; but, does anybody ever care to kiss enamel?"

"Ah! that's quite another thing," she answered laughingly. "Enamel isn't meant to be kissed; it might crack, you know."

The fashion of "making up" the face is a very old fashion, and one that never changes, except in the question of degree. Sometimes it is more fashionable, at other times it is less so; nowadays we are striving to drive it out of the field by substituting hygienic treatment that will render it unnecessary.

​The Chaldean women used to paint their faces and darken their eyes ages ago, so did Pharaoh's daughter and the women of ancient Egypt. Homer, poet and philosopher, recommended a face-wash to Penelope when she began to look faded and "washed out," and I hope she used it instead of resorting to rouge and enamel; but the stibium was commonly used in Greece to increase the apparent size of the eyes.

In Rome the statues of all the gods were painted to resemble life, and this custom spread first to the military conquerors in their "triumphs," and later on to the women who aspired to conquests of another nature. They used oxide of lead to whiten their skin (and no doubt many of the poor things had lead-palsy or died of lead-poisoning and wondered how they got it!); vermilion supplied their false roses; blue outlined their veins; and black "shadowed" their eyes and "pointed" their eyebrows. A rose-coloured salve tinted their lips, and odorous sweetmeats scented their breath. Poor dears! How tired they must have been before they got to the end of their painting processes!

​It is interesting, also, to hear that even in the present day the culture of beauty, according to various codes, is carried on both by men and women even amongst the most uncivilised tribes. No Tartar woman can be considered beautiful unless she has a broad ring of orange-yellow round her eyes, so she constantly uses a compound of goose-fat, alum, and various balsams to produce this effect. Some of the squaws in Western America use, I am told, the juices of various wild plants to paint themselves with designs in blue and yellow; whilst the Arabs of Algeria make themselves more beautiful (in their own particular style) by employing unguents, the chief constituents of which are oil, aromatic gum, burnt sugar, and pounded walnut shells; and Japanese ladies gild their cherry lips for the same purpose.

Those imbued with puritanical principles will naturally argue from this that sinful vanity is a vice inherent to human nature, wherever it may be found; but, looked at impartially and from a prosaic, practical point of view, one feels inclined to ask: Is a wholesome amount of vanity a vice, either in man or woman? At the risk of appear​ing hopelessly impious, I must honestly confess that it is in my opinion a much-to-be-admired virtue, except when carried to an abnormal extent.

Hermits of old thought themselves very holy because they lived in caves and didn't wash themselves. Many people to this day "account it righteousness" to mar the beauties that have been bestowed upon them; others (like the Pharisee in the New Testament) thank God that they are not as other women, who wear flowers and frills, chiffon and crêpe de chine, dainty hats, and the neatest of footgear. Personally, it puzzles me to find out wherein lies the piety of slovenliness, neglect of hygiene, hideous headgear, badly-made clothes, or boots square-toed and heel-less.

Looking at things from this point of view causes one to smile and murmur almost sorrowfully:

"This is a mad world, my masters!" Some great philosopher has indeed informed us that each one of us is mad on some particular point; that being the case, beauty is evidently my weak point. Anyhow, it is a pleasant form of madness, taking ​it on the whole, which is more than can be said for all the "crazes" we come across.

But, before descending to the frivolities of face-washes and such like vanities, let me tell you how to wash yourselves properly. There is a right way and a wrong way to perform the facial ablutions, and most people choose the latter from pure ignorance.

Take a basin of tepid water (which you have previously softened), dip your face and hands into it; then cover your hands with soap, or whatever substitute you may be using, and thoroughly rub your face all over, taking care to get into every curve and crevice; after which rinse it thoroughly with your hands to rub out the soap again; finally sponge it in clean water, and dry it gently on a soft fluffy towel. Then apply your tonic or emollient lotion, and pass a piece of wash-leather over your face directly it has dried in, to take off any shiny appearance. Amongst women who are normally healthy, four different kinds of complexions are to be distinguished:

and each of these requires its own distinctive treatment.

A greasy skin is caused by an undue secretion of oily matter by the sebaceous glands; therefore this kind of skin cannot be washed too often, and some good pure soap should be used on it at least twice daily. But, before going further, let me say a few words with regard to soaps for the face. More complexions are marred by cheap soap than by anything else. Never use it under any circumstances whatever. Unless a soap is "super-fatted" it invariably harms the skin.

Soap, like many other things, is a question of taste, and any pure, uncoloured soap may be employed. The Pomeroy skin-soap is excellent; so are some of those manufactured by the Southern Drug Co. and the Vinolia Co., also many others. A greasy complexion always requires an astringent wash after washing, our ​object being to gradually render the texture finer by closing the pores, and reducing the over-activity of the sebaceous glands; where the greasiness is very pronounced it is a good plan to employ the Pomeroy astringent lotion regularly. This quality of complexion calls also for a careful diet and plenty of open-air exercise. Dry powder is a thing that must also be strenuously avoided, and nothing but liquid rouge is admissible either. The powder mixing with the exuding oil sinks into the pores, and not only fills them but causes them to gradually expand, thus making the evil grow worse; whilst on a hot day it often causes a general "streaky" appearance, that is not exactly beautiful or artistic. A bag of toilet oatmeal and a few slices of lemon kept in your water-jug is also beneficial; and glycerine must be carefully avoided or blackheads will be the result.

Long or flabby skins require soap every day, too. They easily become furrowed and wrinkled, so our object in treating these must be to tone them up. Instead of putting lemon or eau-de-​cologne into the washing water, we substitute slices of cucumber, or melon, and keep sachets of iris-root (not orris-root) in the toilet jug, and use June's Health Salt in the daily tub. Bathing it for ten minutes in tepid milk and water too is good, and above all things don't omit to use some good skin tonic, each time after washing. Take care to have a warm bath twice a week, and a tepid or sponge bath every morning. Let your food be nourishing and digestible; mind that you take enough exercise; and don't forget to give your skin plenty of oxygen, by living and sleeping in well-ventilated rooms. A good wrinkle-lotion may be applied twice or thrice a day with a tiny sponge; but dry powder is prohibited because it frequently hangs in the wrinkles, and looks inartistic.

Dry skins require, on the contrary, a different mode of treatment. Oatmeal should never be used for them, and soap only once a week, with warm water at bedtime. Instead of soap keep some yolk of egg on your washing-stand, put a little into the palm of your hand, and smear it over your face. If you beat up a fresh ​yolk with two teaspoons of water, and keep it in a well-stoppered bottle, it will last several days. Then rinse the face, dry it carefully, and apply the Dewperlia Wash, Lenthéric's Rosée Orkilia, or the Pomeroy liquid powder, as a safeguard against the drying influence of the sun and air. Whenever the least roughness or irritation is apparent, some Vinolia Cream may be rubbed in with good results, for there is nothing more soothing and healing.

Short skins generally look drawn and tight, which shows that they are deficient in elasticity and suppleness. For this kind of complexion, soap is not necessary more than once in ten days, but the face should be frequently steamed and massaged. It has usually a great tendency to cracking and roughness, but it seldom wrinkles. A very small quantity of some good cream should be thoroughly rubbed in, and then wiped off again with a bit of chamois leather, and a soupçon either of the best powder, or Rimmel's toilet oatmeal, dusted over it before going out into the air. People with dry skins or tight skins should avoid, as much as possible, any drying influence, such as east wind, the burning ​heat of the sun, or the scorching of a hot fire, and they should also be most careful never to wash the face either immediately before going out or after coming in. Indeed, this is bad for any kind of skin, and so are all sudden changes of temperature. When the face feels burnt or rough most people will find relief from bathing it for ten minutes in warm milk with a teaspoonful of rose-water in it.

All complexions, of whatever kind, need to be fed, moreover, not only with nerve force, good blood, and plenty of oxygen, but also with a fat of some kind. Either Pomeroy Skin Food, Mason's Wool-fat, Crême Orchidée, or something of this description should be used once or twice a week. But do not merely smear any one of these things on, and leave your face reeking with it. Take a small quantity, and rub it in for five or six minutes round and round with the palms of the hands. Of course, you must use the tips of your fingers round the eyes, and where there are wrinkles or furrows to be eradicated always rub across them. When the operation is finished, take a bit of soft linen or fine flannel ​and wipe off every particle of grease that has not been absorbed; and don't, upon any account, use powder when making your night toilet, which, by the way, is quite as important, from the beauty point of view, as your day toilet. Every woman who is wise will pay attention to the needs of her complexion at bed-time, because the night is the period when Nature is most able to repair the ravages of time and circumstance. Naturally, you will all understand that the face must be washed in tepid water before you apply your cream, otherwise the pores, being full of dirt and oily matter, will be unable to absorb it.

Let me, however, warn you to study your skin (and not to choose its "food" hastily or casually), bearing in mind a few general rules. Many of the cold creams sold turn fair skins yellow; preparations containing glycerine often produce blackheads, and are fatal to some complexions; creams containing bismuth whiten any skin, but are deleterious in the long run; vaseline is too drying for most people; moreover, it and lanoline, being specifics to make hair grow, are not exactly suited ​to feminine faces. Don't be persuaded to use either ammonia, borax, or toilette vinegars as water-softeners for constant facial use. They are not good for the skin, no matter how much they may be advertised; and never use any preparation of any sort merely because someone else recommends it to you. It may be just the right thing for that particular person, but just the wrong thing for you. There is no universal panacea for the complexion, since each complexion has its own idiosyncrasies, its own special "points," and its own particular deficiencies. The simpler the preparation the more likely it is to be efficacious, if used rationally. There is no advantage gained by using a toilet article that is merely "harmless." We want something that is beneficial. We want unguents that are feeding, toning, stimulating, soothing, as the case may be, but unless we choose carefully we may get hold of just the wrong kind of thing, and make matters worse. A course of facial massage now and again is a capital treatment for most complexions; but you must be very careful in choosing your masseuse, for should it be performed in an un​skilled, perfunctory style, it causes the skin to become baggy and wrinkled, instead of rendering it. firm and fresh.

At this end-of-a-century most of us, no matter what our position in life may be, are "working women," in the most literal sense of the term. This means that we often find ourselves fagged out by night-fall, and are yet due at some dinner or evening function that demands our looking and feeling at our very best. Now, I can tell you of a "refresher" that is not by any means to be despised under these trying circumstances.

Get a basin of boiling water, and put a teaspoonful of June's Health Salt into it, hold your jaded features over the basin, and throw a towel over your head to keep in the steam. Close your eyes, and never mind if you feel like suffocating. At the end of five minutes take some clean tepid water, wash your face in your usual manner, and rinse it finally in clean cold water with a little eau-de-cologne or eau-de-Ninon in it, for three or four minutes. Then dry it, tie a silk handkerchief across your eyes, and lie down on your back for ​twenty minutes or half-an-hour to rest the spine and the nervous system generally. After you are dressed, apply an astringent lotion, and smooth the face over with your chamois leather. By that time you will feel and look a different woman—ten years younger, in fact; it is surprising how this simple process smooths out the tired lines from the brain as well as from the face, and restores the vitality to the mind as well as the body. But remember that the cold rinsing and the astringent application afterwards are a necessary part of the process, because the hot water relaxes the skin and makes it look more wrinkled unless you do something to brace it up again. By the way, never use a loofah or any kind of washing glove for your face; the hands are far better for this purpose, though a loofah or a rubber flesh-brush are splendid for "tubbing" purposes.

Hockey, cycling, golfing, boating, mountaineering, and other forms of open-air exercise are all conducive to beauty, if taken in moderation; but you must be careful to look after your complexion a little. In countries where the sun is very burning, the women of all classes adopt various ​expedients for obviating its disfiguring effects. In Naples, everybody goes about with a thick coating of powdered starch on the face. In Hungary, women of the upper classes smear themselves with white of egg beaten to a stiff froth, and covered by a slight dusting of powder, before they venture on a long ride or drive. In Roumania, where melons and cucumbers are as plentiful as blackberries, they use the fresh juice of these fruits with great effect. I know Englishwomen who find fresh cream one of the best preventives against sunburn; but fresh cream is not always handy.

In any sort of violent exercise there is also another thing to contend with, and that is perspiration. The particles of dust and dirt in the atmosphere are caught by the perspiration and block the pores of the skin unless it is removed. Blackheads are often induced by this as well as by inefficient ablutions. However, women with dry or tight skins cannot be constantly washing themselves with water. Let me advise them, therefore, to get the following recipe made up, and dab the face with it ​both before and after taking exercise of an energetic nature:

For those who are already afflicted with blackheads, the best plan is to bathe the face for ten minutes in hot water with sub-carbonate of soda in it. This opens the pores and softens the scarf-skin. Then squeeze out the objectionable little black points, and apply an astringent lotion afterwards to close the pores. A little emollient cream is excellent to heal and soothe any symptom of inflammation attending the operation. By the way, no tonic or astringent remedy should ever be applied to a face that is full of acne or blackheads, because it only tightens the pores and renders it more difficult to get rid of them.

An excellent lotion for acne in this stage has been given to me by a doctor:

Before applying this, you must bathe the face thoroughly in hot water; then rub it round the blackheads. After they are gone, use an astringent lotion several times daily to close the pores completely, and thus prevent their re-appearance.

A celebrated German skin-doctor recommends for acne a salve made from:

This is to be rubbed in at night only.

Heat-lumps or gnat-bites on the face often itch intolerably. For this there is nothing better than a lotion of—

Pimples on the face, too, are very troublesome, and most unsightly. These are, of course, generally due either to constipation, indigestion, poorness of blood, or some other constitutional cause, and cannot therefore be cured by any local application. The skin is really making an effort by this means to throw off impurities. Sometimes pimples are induced by want of scrupulous cleanliness either of the face or the other parts of the body; sometimes it is want of pure air, or neglect of regular exercise, or unwholesome diet; and in these cases strict attention to these points will eradicate the cause, and the effect will then naturally vanish. If a functional derangement of any other organ is the cause, then it is best to consult a doctor. ​Sometimes a tonic will cure them; at other times a tonic will bring them out. In fact, pimples arc most bewildering, and horribly annoying. Still, you can cover them up to a great extent by using the Pomeroy Liquid Powder, which instantly imparts an undetectable natural whiteness to the skin, that does not rub off, is absolutely harmless under any circumstances, and has been proved to be most beneficial to that eruptive condition, resulting from a gouty or eczematous tendency, which shows itself by pimples under the skin. Scars may also be rendered almost, or quite, imperceptible by several applications; but it must be allowed to dry in thoroughly each time before another coating is put on, or it will be sticky.

Sallowness of complexion, a defect which so many of us find most "trying" to our personal and particular style of beauty, is generally the result of a sluggish liver, which may be either constitutional or merely the result of hot weather or overheated and badly-ventilated living and sleeping rooms. In these cases, diet and active exercise are the first requisites. Indeed, no good ​can be done by any external application until these two points have been attended to. Sallow complexions and constipation usually go together, so the great thing is to remove the former by relieving the latter. Avoid rich foods, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and take a cascara sagrada tablet every other day until the constipation is entirely removed. Fresh strawberry juice is a delicious and most effectual remedy for sallowness; failing this, however, there is lemon-juice, elder-flower water or lime-water, with a few drops of eau-de-cologne in it, and rose-water or orange-flower water, with a few spots of simple tincture of benzoin. Prepared oatmeal rubbed carefully on to the face and then "rolled" off is excellent. Tomato juice, or lemon-juice and rose-water are also beneficial for beautifying a sallow complexion. Many of the toilet preparations sold for this purpose contain bismuth, or other ingredients of a similar kind, which effect their purpose very rapidly, but do not help in preserving beauty of complexion, because they are injurious to the skin in the long run.

Freckles are of two kinds:

​

1. Constitutional (arising from "liverishness").
2. Occasional (arising from the action of the sun).

The latter are absolutely prevented by using a skin food at night and a lotion by day. The former will require medical aid to disperse them.

is a good lotion. You will also find that the Pomeroy skin-purifier is an excellent remedy against these "sun-kisses."

is another good old recipe; but this does not suit skins of an inflammatory or eruptive nature.

​Eau de Lis, made from the genuine recipe used by the lovely Ninon de L'Enclos, the beautiful Lola Montez, and the beauties of the court of Charles II. of England, is a soothing wash which prevents wrinkles and crow's-feet, obviates undue flushing, keeps the skin fresh and smooth, and is invaluable in hot climates. Lenthéric's Lait Tintoret is equally to be recommended for those who pin their faith on Parisian articles de toilette. These things are, after all, rather a matter of individual taste, and it is just as well to let our little prejudices on these points govern our choice of any particular article.

But in treating our complexions let us all bear in mind a few general ideas with regard to the effects of various remedies, so as to guard against treating them on wrong lines.

Milk, bran, oatmeal, cream, starch, melon or cucumber juice, and all emollient lotions, are skin-softeners, and should therefore only be used for dry or tight skins, except in cases of sunburn, roughness, etc.

Salt, tomato, or strawberry juice, wine, alcohol, toilet vinegars, eau-de-cologne, and all washes of ​an astringent nature are tonics suitable only to greasy or loose skins.

Lemon, benzoin (the simple tincture and very much diluted) may be used in moderation for most kinds of skins, and a Turkish bath, either by means of the Pomeroy apparatus or the Parisian Vaporiser, is undoubtedly beneficial to every face, both from the health and beauty point of view. We must choose our toilet requisites as we choose our gowns, viz., to suit our own individualities, if they are to be successful.

The eyes have been poetically styled, "The windows of the soul." This expression is often a literal truth; sometimes, however, it is an obvious lie. We all have eyes, but some of us are unfortunately devoid of soul, therefore the windows are merely blanks; they may be beautiful in shape and colour, large in size, yet if the latent fire of soulful expression be wanting they lose half their effect, and even the loveliest and most expressionful of eyes lose half their fascination when they are red, tired, or inflamed. Here, again, strawberry-juice, lemon-juice, and eau-de-cologne diluted with water, come in usefully; so does salt and ​water, tepid milk, and camomile tea; but never be persuaded into brightening your eyes by dropping belladonna or eau-de-cologne into them. It is a most dangerous practice, and blindness is almost certain to be the result if this becomes a frequent habit.

Tired eyes may be relieved greatly by bathing them in warm water containing a few drops of boracic acid and rose water. Styes on the eye may sometimes be dispersed by using a lotion of:

If the eyes water on exposure to a strong light, severe cold, or a sharp wind, they should be bathed with a lotion of boracic acid, or a weak decoction of poppy-heads. The following prescription, given to me by an old French lady, is also considered very soothing and strengthening for the eyes when they have this tendency.

​Mix a dessertspoonful of this lotion with an equal amount of warm water, and bathe the eyes with a bit of fine sponge three or four times daily.

If the eyes are in a chronic condition of wateriness, they require a more astringent lotion, and I append a prescription; but it is always wiser to let an oculist see them. The eye is such a delicate organ, and good sight is so precious to all of us, that self-treatment is always to be deprecated.

After the inflammation has subsided, or when the eyes are weak, bathing them night and morning with a tonic lotion of:

will be found very strengthening.

​Be most careful what you use on the eyebrows and eyelashes to make them grow or get thicker. Lanoline is excellent for this purpose, and quite innocuous. Do not "make up" your eyes, except for stage purposes. It is bad form, and requires a thick veil to make them look even passable by daylight; by the electric light the effect is ghastly, and its artificiality is not to be concealed. There are occasions when just the merest soupçon of rouge is permissible, if very skilfully applied; but most women make a fatal mistake when using powder and paints. They overdo it by putting on too much; they omit to put it on just where Nature intended them to have those particular tints of rose and lily, because, instead of studying the natural tints of their own faces, they put it on wherever they fancy it will "look well." Now this is a foolish plan, because it "gives them away" at once. A tinge of rouge just near the checkbone enhances the beauty of the eyes marvellously without giving them that unnatural expression which charcoal lends to the face. It is only Irishwomen who can boast that "Nature put in their eyes with a smutty finger."

​The most restful colours for the eyes are blue and green; violet is also very soothing to the nerves. Red is blinding, and white is most trying. On this account it is very bad for the beauty of the eye to read in bed, or to write by the light of an unshaded lamp. Staring at the fire, or doing a great deal of fine needlework is also most fatiguing to the optic nerves. Strawberry juice, or lemon juice, mixed with equal parts of water, is excellent as a tonic lotion for the eye. A few drops of eau-de-cologne drunk in a tumbler of water is a splendid beauty potion, so far as the eye is concerned; but if it be repeated too often it loses all its efficacy.

There is, however, nothing more destructive to the beauty of the eye, or clearness of vision, than dyspepsia and chronic diseases, or derangements of those nerves and organs that appertain specially to the feminine organisation, and no local treatment of any kind can possibly be efficacious in removing defects that arise from these causes, You must go to the root of the matter, and remove the cause before you can get rid of the effect. A red nose is frequently the result of similar de​rangements, too, and must, of course, be dealt with in a similar manner. The nose, being one of the most prominent features of the face, has necessarily a good deal to do with its general character; therefore, a nose that is chronically red detracts greatly from the beauty of the loveliest face.

But redness of nose may be due to other causes than those mentioned, and a form of treatment that would permanently cure this blemish in one case, might be perfectly useless in another. If it be due merely to dryness of the nasal duct, or abnormal sensitiveness of the capillary vessels, it is not difficult to effect a cure; indeed, it may be set permanently right by using the following lotion for it night and morning, allowing it to dry on to the skin. Dissolve:

When a red nose is produced by chronic congestion, nasal catarrh, or any other unhealthy condition of the nostril, the best remedy is ​frequent bathing with hot water, and a subsequent application of lemon-juice or eau-de-cologne to close the pores afterwards.

An impaired circulation, as the result of tight corsets, tight boots or gloves, heavy clothing hanging from the hips, and headgear that is heavy or tight, may produce redness of the nose, the hands, and the arms; or it may be the result of a weak or diseased heart. A constitutional tendency to scrofula, any of the various forms of indigestion, or even moderate indulgence in wine (where the constitution does not properly assimilate alcohol), are also productive of purplish tints on the nose and cheeks. Sometimes coffee will produce the same results, whilst a want of stimulants may, in other cases, be the producing agent of this unpleasant symptom. Here, of course, the mode of treatment is obvious. Eradicate the cause, and you will necessarily eradicate its very "unbeautiful" effects.

Rest after meals, wholesome diet, and judicious exercise, will do a great deal for most red noses, more especially if you add to these a cheerful disposition and a determination to take life as ​it comes, and not "worry" over anything. Liquid Powder will be found invaluable for hiding redness of nose or undue flushing of the complexion, either at night or during the daytime, since it is quite imperceptible, if properly applied, and not only harmless but actually beneficial to the skin.

Next to beautiful eyes and beautiful hair, the most important feature, perhaps, in a woman's face is her mouth.

Now, a truly beautiful mouth can only belong to a woman possessing a certain beauty of disposition, because, apart from the shape and colour of the mouth, so much of its beauty depends upon its habitual expression.

are the outcome of good health, good blood, and a good disposition. Wrinkles and dimples are the result of the habitual exercise of certain sets of muscles. Whether sweetness, sourness or sulkiness is the salient point of any temperament may be ​easily gleaned merely by observing the lines round the mouth. The various passions, too, have an enormous influence upon these, and upon the colour of the lips. Anger, envy, indignation, love, admiration, pleasure, will pale or redden them, and each carves its own special lines upon the features. Never have recourse to lip-salves or toilet vinegars for reddening the lips. Lips that are painted lose all their sweetness, all their suppleness, and most of their fascination. Endeavour to keep them fresh and smooth by gentle massage with some emollient cream, and take care of your digestion. Dry, parched lips, that "chap" and crack on the smallest provocation, may generally be attributed to some derangement of the digestive system.

Sweetness and purity of breath, a great consideration in everybody, depends upon two things: a good digestion and undecayed teeth. A few drops of lemon-juice on the tooth-brush occasionally is very good for the teeth and gums of most people; but there are just a few to whom it cannot be recommended. Soap may be used with advantage once or twice a week (being both ​alkaline and antiseptic), but not every day, since it tends to render the teeth a bad colour. One of the best and most poetical of dentifrices is the strawberry, which also cleans the tongue most effectually—for the time being; but a normally clean tongue can, of course, only result from a normally clean stomach. Salt, charcoal, camphorated chalk, are all useful for cleaning the teeth. The great point to observe in choosing a toothpowder is to get one that is finely-ground and free from gritty particles. Many of them contain ground cuttle-fish, which is apt to rub off the enamel. This spoils the colour, and renders them brittle in time.

Tooth-powder is naturally one of those articles that must be chosen to suit each individual taste; but, personally, I always use the Dewperlia Dentifrice, for several reasons. To begin with, I know that it is made most carefully, and that each ingredient is of the best quality; it has, moreover, a toning effect upon the gums, leaves a most comfortable feeling in the mouth, allays inflammation, and cures gum-boils, besides giving a delicate fragrance to the breath.

​Dr. A. B. Griffiths—a well-known analyst, and the author of several works on bacteriology—wrote of it as follows, when it first came out:

"I hereby certify that I have examined the new Dewperlia Dentifrice, and find that it is an invaluable preparation. It contains nothing that is injurious to the teeth and gums, and it has the property of destroying the microbes of dental caries, and thereby preventing the acid fermentation in the mouth, and the formation of lactic acid. I have no hesitation in saying that this new dentifrice is excellent—in fact, it is well-nigh perfect for the teeth."

On seeing this, I got a box to try it, and found it so superior that I now use it continually, and have recommended it to all my friends and acquaintances, most of whom are equally satisfied with it. A few, who suffered from spongy gums, assure me that it has rendered them firm, and consequently tightened their teeth again in an astonishing manner. This demonstrates its antiseptic and tonic qualities. But, of course, the beauty of the teeth depends ​largely on the healthfulness of the stomach, and no dentifrice in the world is capable of working miracles, or of keeping the mouth and teeth in good condition, when the stomach is chronically in a very bad condition. In using a tooth-brush, you should always remember to brush up and down, not lengthways, and to clean the inside portion of the teeth as well as the outside.

In speaking of "complexion," you must understand that I mean thereby all those parts of the body that are generally exposed to view, therefore we must not omit to discuss arms, hands, neck, and feet also, though the latter cannot be said to belong exactly to this category.

A beautiful arm should be rounded in its curves, devoid of angles, soft, smooth, white, and full of vitality. An arm that is fat, skinny, lumpy, or angular, will never possess the delicious little curve at the wrist, or the dainty dimples in the elbow that are so very full of beauty and fascination to a connoisseur on these points.

There is, by the way, an immense deal of character in hands and arms.

​Nowadays we have learned to reverence much which it has hitherto been the fashion to despise, and "the human hand that looks all darkened with life and beset with accidents" no longer arouses in us either aversion or contempt; still, this does not prevent us doing our best to gain and retain as much beauty as lies in our power.

The hand of a sensitive woman is a great index to her feelings, and often betrays them inadvertently. She may keep a mask on her features, but not on her bared hand. It will become hot or cold, fresh, tired, pale or languid, according to the varying state of her physical and mental condition. The old painters, like the eighteenth-century love-lyrists, failed utterly to recognise this fact. Nothing that is flat, broad, square, strong, pallid, red, dark or rough, is ever to be found in any of their portraits or any of their poetry. Of all the infinite variety and all the characteristic aspects which must have existed in those hands that reigned and ruled, fought and fled, loved and lied, painted and sang, killed and coveted, disdained and died, gloried and suffered, tortured and terrorised, nothing has been handed down to us in their work. ​These were "not artistic" in the eyes of the Old Masters, and consequently not worthy of perpetuation. We walk through the big galleries of world-renowned portraits all over Europe, and simply wonder. The heads and faces are all there, stamped with their own special individuality of rugged strength, feminine beauty, manly nobility, low cunning, shameless vice, iron tyranny, effeminate weakness, bold recklessness, or shrinking cowardice, just as the case may be, but the hands do not match or complete the character; they are all more or less alike, and they are most of them nothing more than conventional lies. They are all long and narrow, with slender tapering fingers and oval nails. They are all delicately pink and white, and daintily devoid of character. To some few of the faces this hand doubtless belonged by right; but to the great majority it is palpably "a false quantity" in their portraiture, and one that would no longer be tolerated in this age of pre-Raphaelitism. Of course, the size, shape, and colour of the hand will always depend a good deal on race, health, and mode of life; but it is a mistake to think that a small white hand is a sign of high ​descent. We have only to observe the hands of those around us to discover very quickly the fallacy of this notion. Women of the best blood and noblest birth often possess hands that are coarse, square, and red, whilst many a humble "shop-girl" or city typist has hands so ideally beautiful that they might serve to inspire both poet and painter. Inherited tendencies are to be seen in baby hands, too, which after-life may either modify or develop.

The fashion for out-door sports and amusements has largely stimulated the muscular development of the modern woman's hand. We all use our hands and arms energetically and healthfully in cycling, golfing, rowing, riding, tennis, hockey, and other games; but they are apt to become rough and red unless we take a little care. It is a good plan to rub in some skin-food at night or after any violent exercise to prevent the palms from hardening or blistering, whilst an application of Liquid Powder, each time after washing, will be found an excellent means of whitening them naturally and imperceptibly.

For evolving a beautiful arm from a skinny or ​bony article, there is nothing like physical culture. Dumb bells, Indian clubs, fencing, rowing, or any sort of exercise that will develop the muscles of the arm. The word calisthenics is made up of two Greek words meaning beauty and strength, therefore it should be the keynote to all physical culture. Women who are dowered by Dame Nature with beautiful arms and hands must never wear tight gloves, tight boots, tight corsets, tight sleeves, or anything else tight, if they wish to preserve their beauty and whiteness. When you impede the circulation in any way, the hands and arms are almost the first parts to show it. An important portion of the hands are the nails, yet very few people take the trouble to care for these properly. The first point, of course, is to keep them scrupulously clean and well-polished. They should never be cut, but merely filed down (not too short) with the emery boards sold for that purpose in small boxes. A bundle of orange-sticks for pushing back the skin at the base of the nail are also necessary, and some polishing powder; or, if you have neither time nor inclination to perform these little operations for your​self, a visit once a fortnight to a good manicurist will keep your nails in capital order, without much trouble on your own part during the interval.

Some women find that intense heat or intense cold renders their finger-nails brittle. This condition may often be cured or obviated by rubbing almond oil thoroughly into them at night. Nails of this character should be cut with sharp scissors, not filed, and they ought always to be soaked in hot water beforehand, but should never be exposed to great fire-heat in an ungloved state.

The hands are indicators, not only of character, but also of health. In certain diseases (for instance, some forms of consumption), the nails often exhibit this tendency by their shape and colour long before the disease manifests itself otherwise.

I have occasionally been called upon to decide what seems rather a knotty point to some women: Ought the nails to be cut square or rounded? In my opinion there is only one reply to this question. It is this: Don't cut them at all, but ​file them off according to the shape of your fingertips.

The prettiest hand or foot must inevitably become distorted by being forced into boots or gloves that are either too short or too narrow for them; therefore beauty, as well as health and elegance, prompt us to take care that the coverings of the feet, as well as of the hands, should merely follow their natural curves without compressing them. If you try to take from the length by wearing short boots, you only add to the breadth, and cause your footgear to tread out of shape, besides giving you discomfort, impairing the circulation, and often reddening the nose, too. That we, who seek to gain and retain beauty, cannot afford to wear tight clothing of any description is a fact which cannot be too strongly impressed on our minds. The law of comfort in dress is undoubtedly one of the laws of beauty, too. The results of footgear that is either too tight or too loose may not be immediately apparent; but it is only a question of time. Corns, bunions, nails growing inwards, and other painful results, are certain to make their appearance in ​due course, and are then most difficult to get rid of.

The feet should be daily washed with soap, and any callosities or indurations ought to be carefully rubbed down with pumice stone. The best and simplest cure for corns is to soak the feet in hot water, scrape the corn, and then apply a bit of ordinary soap plaster to it, changing this frequently. A great secret in keeping the feet comfortable and healthy is to wash them night and morning, and to change the stockings often, because the largest pores in the body are on the soles of the feet, and the perspiration is therefore more profuse. Those who suffer from excessive or malodorous perspiration must be most careful upon these points. In the chapter called "Practical Hints for Personal Beauty," I shall give remedies against this, also for hot hands, and excessive perspiration under the armpits.

Many women suffer greatly from tired, sore, or swelled feet after walking or shopping. When this is a symptom of rheumatism or gout, they must naturally look to their diet first of all, and carefully avoid wines, malt liquor, and rich foods; ​but if it be merely a local evidence of over-fatigue, they will find great relief from a tepid foot-bath, in which a dessertspoonful of June's Health Bath Salt has been dissolved. Dr. Arabella Kenealy, speaking on this subject, says: "The 'Salt' is aromatic and refreshing, relieving fatigue, and bracing the system." I entirely concur in her opinion; it is, in fact, quite a godsend to people with tender feet, because it gradually hardens and strengthens them. One point to be impressed upon everybody is the necessity for keeping the feet dry and warm. Some women are very careless about damp feet, and if the indiscretion of not changing their footgear be borne in upon them, they designate it as "fussiness," little realising that they are sowing in themselves not only the seeds of dyspepsia and nervous or feminine ailments, but often also of deafness and rheumatism. This leads me on, too, to saying a few words about the ear itself, which, like the hand, is a great indicator of character in many ways. A small, well-shaped ear is said to be an evidence of refinement and good breeding; but here, again, general observation proves to us that ​ears of the most beautiful form, and of the very ugliest proportions, are constantly to be seen in every rank and amongst every class. One thing is, however, certain; big ears have always been attributed to those who are prone to stubborness and slow of wit. Yet an anecdote told me a short time ago seems to contradict the latter idea.

A "smart" tourist said one day to an Irish peasant, whom he was quizzing: "You should get your ears lopped, Pat; they're too large for a man."

"An' bedad," replied he, "I was just thinkin' you ought to get yours made larger; shure, they're far too small for an ass."

The readiness of this repartee scarcely justifies the popular aphorism to my mind; but then, though donkeys possess the longest of ears, they are not really stupid, except when it suits their purposes to be so. I've had the pleasure of being on intimate and friendly terms with many who proved themselves to be not only of the most intelligent character, but also blessed with a very keen sense of humour, and a great aptitude for ​practical joking. Therefore, it appears to me that, though a superabundance of ear may be the salient characteristic of an ass, it does not always follow that the ass is a fool. Nevertheless, we must all admit that a dainty, pink, shell-like little ear, is a great beauty in a woman.

The size of the ears is difficult to reduce; but the shape may, to a certain extent, be modified during childhood and early youth. If they have a tendency to protrude, a cap or bandage worn round them regularly during the night, so as to keep them back flat against the head, will remedy this, and the purplish or parchment tint of the ears may be changed by gentle massage with any good skin-food. But the beautiful effect of many lovely ears is often completely spoiled by a lack of scrupulous cleanliness, even in women who are fastidious on other points of the toilet. It is so difficult to see into one's own ears, and the dirt of the atmosphere catches in the curves and accumulates there so easily. The wax that collects in the external auditory duct of the ear is a necessary secretion, which ought, however, to be cleared away daily, in order to prevent its collection ​in quantities that are unpleasant and inimical to perfect hearing.

Sometimes partial deafness is induced by the pressure of hardened wax upon the aural nerves. or against the drum of the ear, and it may be completely cured by steaming the ear over a jug of hot water for ten minutes, and then sponging the interior with warm lathery water to bring out the softened wax; but you must be careful not to get into a draught or go out in a cold wind after this little process, or you may catch cold in your ear, and be deafer than ever. It is not a good plan to syringe the ears indiscriminately, as you may injure your hearing by using the water too hot or in too great a volume, or with too much force. A fan is a great aid in conversation to those who suffer from nervous deafness, and it is infinitely more artistic in appearance than a "trumpet" of any kind.

Perhaps some of you will argue that appearances count for very little where deafness is concerned; yet many people who are really "hard of hearing" would not confess this infirmity for the world. It is just these cases who may help themselves by ​using a fan, without in any way calling attention to the defect they fain would hide as long as possible. Deafness, by the way, may be induced either by the frequent "sniffing" of smelling-salts, or by the constant use of strong perfumes, especially in the case of a woman with a sensitive nervous organisation. Some natural odours, as, for instance, the breath of fresh violets, roses, mignonette, lilies-of-the-valley, pine-trees, cyclamen, and others, are both soothing and invigorating to the nerves; but, it is very difficult to get an artificial extract of any of them that has the same delicious delicacy or the same beneficial effects, consequently I strongly advocate a very sparing use of any perfume. A woman who is absolutely clean and absolutely healthy needs nothing of that kind to enhance her own personal charm.

Before leaving the subject of complexion altogether, I may suggest to those who insist on employing rouge, that there are a few little "wrinkles" to be observed in its use that detract greatly from its artificiality and inartisticness.

To begin with, choose the tint of your rouge with due consideration for the colour Nature in​tended you to have. Peach-bloom does not suit a fair complexion, nor bright carmine a dark one; whilst the lilac tints affected by many women are too unnatural for anybody, and ruin the beauty of an otherwise pretty face.

Women inclined to a perspiring, greasy skin should never use grease-paint or rouge-powder, because it will assume a streaky appearance directly they get hot.

In putting on liquid rouge, apply a basis of liquid powder first, then dip a bit of fine sponge into hot water, put an infinitesimal amount of rouge on to it, and lightly place it just where it ought to be and nowhere else. The great art of a skilful "make-up" is to deceive beholders into the belief that there is no art. In order to do this effectually, you should never "touch up" your eyes, your lips, or your ears. When the rest of the face is left palpably au naturel, a suspicion of rouge, if skilfully put on, is undetectable, even by your bitterest enemy; but the majority of women make the fatal mistake of putting on too much, and putting it in the wrong places. After many experiments with various "brands" of rouge, I have ​come to the conclusion that the liquid article manufactured by Mrs. Pomeroy is the best for most fair people, both from the point of colour and hygiene. When properly put on, it does not get into the pores of the skin, and has the advantage of not coming off for two or three days, even during ordinary ablutions; it is gradually rubbed off with the scarf-skin, without penetrating to, or harming, the derma in any way. For dark people June's Rose-dew is perhaps better in tint, or the rouge cream of the French Hygienic Society.