TIDBITS AND TRIVIA-REGENCY ERA COSMETICS

The natural look with just a hint of color on the cheeks and lips

Gosh, two weeks in a row I had other things going on, but this Thursday, I’m back on track.

Today, I’m chatting about Regency Era cosmetics. What, you didn’t know women painted their faces waaaay back then? Women having been enhancing their features since the Egyptians built the pyramids.

Regency cosmetics were all about natural beauty, not the garish white paint, red lips, and heavily powdered hair of just a few years prior. Rosy cheeks and a healthy glow were desired, and a bit of tastily applied, hard to discern, cosmetics was just the thing to achieve the la natural look. Only the merest hint of color should be apparent on a lady’s cheeks and lips. 

After all, painted ladies were harlots and doxies, not ladies of quality. 

Vintage cosmetic case

So what exactly did those Regency damsels use for make-up? 

Face powder, frequently a fine rice or talcum powder was common. Lightly applied rouge in varying shades of pink and plum was applied to the cheeks, while tinted lip rouge or salve was rubbed onto the lips. 

And let’s not forget the eyes. Burnt cork or lamp black and oil were mixed and used to darken lashes and eyebrows. Applying make-up to the eyes was the least acceptable enhancement.

I imagine it was quite messy, too. 

And lest the Regency gentleman feel left out, it was not uncommon for dandies to engage in a bit of feature enhancement as well. 

Dandies

http://hibiscus-sinensis.com/regency/cosmetics.htm
http://www.literarydetectives.com/1221/regency-cosmetics-jane-austen-history-literary-detectives-2/
http://www.quailbellmagazine.com/the-real/regency-era-beauty-tips
http://www.historyundressed.com/2008/07/history-of-makeup-jewelry-and-gloves.html