Since I’ve been enjoying our group’s reports in theatre class about Elizabethan Theatre for the whole semester now, I am very much inspired with so many things I’ve learned that I cannot resist but write. Upon learning one piece of history just recently, my jaw literally dropped as though a deepest, darkest secret of a Hollywood star has just been exposed. And what’s just been placed in the spotlight is…..*drumroll*…..Make-Up!
400 years ago, trademarks of the ideal Elizabethan beauty were extremely pale skin contrasted by rosy cheeks, red lips and bright eyes. What’s shocking is that the ingredients they used as make-up on their faces were extremely poisonous to the skin!
To achieve a pure, pale white face, they used what was called ceruse. It was a mixture of white lead and vinegar. It was applied in a heavy layer and you can imagine how toxic it was! Flawless skin was a rarity since skin problems and pox increased. To make matters worse, sunscreens were unheard of and skin creams and ointments could only be of access to those who were well-off. Fyi, societal status was a big deal in Elizabethan Times. And oh, pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth and delicacy that is why women would be willing die just to have the look!
To attain rosy cheeks and red lips, they used a certain kind of make-up that was made of mercuric sulfide (vermilion). It was also an ingredient in their facial treatments. We know that Mercury is just another toxic substance you can name!
I read in a beauty site that:
‘The first record of skin-whitener was found in 1519 in Horman's "Vulgaria puerorum", and by the time of Elizabeth's reign was well-established as an essential item for the fashionable woman. Naturally, spreading lead upon one's skin caused a variety of skin problems; some authors of the time warned against it, describing how it made the skin "grey and shrivelled", and suggesting other popular mixtures such a paste of alum and tin ash, sulpher, and a variety of foundations made using boiled egg white, talc, and other white materials as a base. Egg white, uncooked, could also be used to "glaze" the complexion, creating a smooth shell and helping to hide wrinkles.’
For the sparkling eyes they wanted to create, they outlined their eyes with black kohl and used drops of belladonna (deadly nightshade) to dilate their pupils. They did this for the very reason that a small, rosy mouth, a straight and narrow nose and wide-set bright eyes were the standard of beauty.
It cannot be denied that even hundreds of years ago, women already had the passion for beauty and perfection. Imagine how they were willing to pay the price of being poisoned just to look beautiful! Some theatre actors at the time even died of lead poisoning.
I think it’s a great advantage for women in contemporary age that today’s make-up is really improved compared to that of Elizabethan era. We can achieve the look we want to create using safe modern cosmetics. Still, we must limit the use of these make-ups. I’ve just realized that a woman can be as beautiful without make-up on!
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