Makeup in the 19^th Century

Recommended Movies/Videos:

• Gone with the Wind (1939)
• Hysteria (2011)
• The Age of Innocence (1993)
• The Prestige (2006)
• Gangs of New York (2002)

The use of cosmetics, once widely accepted by all classes, became viewed as vulgar, improper, and acceptable only for actors and prostitutes.  This was a view brought into public opinion by Queen Victoria of England.  Even Adolf Hitler made it clear that the use of cosmetics was not something a proper woman should do.  It was his opinion that face painting was for clowns, not for the women of the Master Race.  This rigid attitude was brought over the Atlantic to North America and women very rarely used cosmetics, at least not so that others would know.  Makeup became light, deceptive, cheek pinching and lip biting were ‘in’ to achieve color where once uses of lipsticks and rouge would have been.

Beauty was supposed to be the reflection of inner goodness, innocence, not artifice.  In America there was a definite distinction made between ‘paint’ and ‘cosmetics’ though the products in these two groups frequently were used to accomplish the same goals.  Cosmetics were used to ‘improve skin’ whereas Paint was to ‘mask’ skin.  Paints were associated with social climbers, prostitutes or those women who would trick a man into marriage.  The upper and middle classes in America also began to associate ‘paint’ with the working or lower class.  The use of paint was an artifice to hide one’s social standing.  In spite of this attitude, women were still quite familiar and adept at a wide variety of home recipes for paints and cosmetics.   Early cosmetics were usually made from home made recipes; some used lead, mercury or arsenic.  Unfortunately the uses of these toxic ingredients lead to illness, and in some cases, death. France developed and manufactured new chemical processes, replacing the natural methods. Zinc oxide became widely used as a facial powder, and is still in use today. Zinc oxide took the place of the deadly arsenic mixture. Zinc oxide becomes widely used as a facial powder, replacing the previously used deadly mixtures of lead and copper. One such mixture, Ceruse, made from white lead, was later discovered to be toxic and blamed for physical problems including facial tremors, muscle paralysis. Eye shadows and lip reddeners contained poisonous substances such as lead, antimony sulfide, and mercuric sulfide.

Belladonna, or deadly nightshade, was used to make one’s eyes sparkle. It was a deadly poison when used in large amounts. Women still used cosmetics, though they hid their uses carefully.  They used beeswax on their lashes to make them appear thicker, used kohl on their lashes to darken them.  For eyeliner women used burnt matches, when they cooled, they applied the ash to their lids.

Personify Bridal, Sacramento’s On Location Bridal & Wedding Hair and Makeup Artists Since 2004