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Seções: Índice Geral Seção Atual: Índice Obra: Índice Anterior: 4. Sobre a Complexão – I Seguinte: 6. Sobre a Complexão – III
(p. 33) 5. SOBRE A COMPLEXÃO – II
MY DEAR LAURA, – You will, of course, understand that although I believe science can do much in regard to the creation and preservation of beauty, I do not for a moment suppose that it can in any way supersede nature. Some happy people are born beautiful, with skins like milk, and cheeks like china roses, and scarcely any aid is needed from science to keep this natural loveliness in repair. But the majority of women are not so blessed; and some, even if they enjoy a tolerable endowment of good looks during youth, begin to get actually plain when mature age sets in. It is, therefore, in the interests of the majority, and not of the exceptionally fortunate, that chemistry and medicine are taxed to furnish the feminine world with the means of sovereignty. As for you and me, my dear Laura, we both belong to this honourable majority, and neither of us is strong-minded enough to dispense with scientific assistance in regard to our toilette. I wish, you see, to be quite frank; and, moreover, in order to inspire you with the greater confidence, and to add weight to the suggestions made in these letters, I will justify my good faith by assuring you that I shall not recommend the use of any wash or unguent which I have not either personally tried myself, or which is not for sound reasons entitled to confidence. And here let me say, parenthetically, that, in my opinion, one of the (p. 34) raisons d’etre of the medically educated woman lies in the direction of the valuable service which her special knowledge enables her to render to the cultus of beauty. No male physician can be expected to sympathise, as does a woman, with the ardent desire which all of our sex have to be lovely, and to arouse love in others. Even though his science may be equal to the task of supervising the toilette of his fair patients, he is always prone to dismiss the topic of cosmetics and complexion lotions with a professional and somewhat disdainful “Pooh-pooh, my dear Madam, what do you want with such things? Take my advice, and leave them alone!” Wherefore, anticipating some such response, ladies do not care to consult the family doctor on these very delicate subjects: and thus, wanting instructed guidance, they follow their own fancy in regard to the choice of “fards” or powders, often, thereby, unwittingly ruining or defacing the natural charms which it is their aim to enhance.
All the masculine sex are amenable to the effects of beauty, but they would rather not know its secrets. Instinctively they feel that the fascination of a trick is gone for them when once they learn “how it’s done.” What if the slaves of the drawing-room nymph should be initiated into the mysteries of her morning and evening devotions to Queen Venus, – should behold the jugs of distilled and perfumed waters, the pots of cold cream, the rose vinegar, the preparations for the vapour bath, and all the other insignia and adjuncts of the sacred rites made ready by the attendant priestess? No, we do not show these secrets of the “Bona Dea” to men; we do not even talk about them, but for the greater number of us they are, nevertheless, necessities, if we mean to reign, and to hold in the world a power and place that shall sustain our moral influence upon it. For if a bad (p. 35) woman, endowed with beauty, can yet command the hearts of men, what may not a good and noble woman do, possessing the same inestimable gift? Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland, the wildest and wickedest of Charles the Second’s favourites, was once – at a time when her rapacity and lavish expenditure were creating disturbances at Court, and disaffection in the whole country – stopped in her carriage by a furious mob, and assailed with maledictions, hootings, and hisses. The people loudly charged her with the burden of the excessive taxation which the nation then had to bear, and threatened her with personal violence. But Barbara was no coward, and she knew the power of beauty. Opening her coach door, she stepped out into the midst of the exasperated crowd, and looked proudly round on the sea of malignant faces. Instantly the mood of her assailants changed. Her beauty conquered and disarmed them. “Blessings on your handsome face!” they cried; and bursts of cheers rang out from throats outstretched to curse and revile. Could a beautiful woman have a greater triumph than that – to paralyse the wrath of the howling mob, wither the imprecations on the lips of desperate men, and convert foes into friends by the magic of a single glance?
That is what beauty has done for bad women. But beauty and goodness together – ah! that is the power of the angels. What a pity it is, however, that to mortals it is only permitted to be fair for so brief a span! Few women retain the fulness of their charms long after thirty. As a rule, Time is kinder to blondes than to brunes, but he is gallant to none, and forty finds all of us conjugating our past tenses with a touch of sadness.” It was, it has been, it might have been!” Alack, why cannot we, like the story-book princesses, who had (p. 36) fairy godmothers, remain young and handsome for a hundred years?
You are not yet forty, my Laura, nor even thirty-five, but it may perhaps “advantage” you, as the old English writers would say, to know beforehand what you should do to defend yourself against the encroachments of the enemy. For instance, if you would prevent the formation of wrinkles, and keep the skin of your face from falling into furrows and crows’ feet, I advise you to make a practice of rubbing the forehead and cheeks with the hand, using rosewater and glycerine, or some other simple lubricant to facilitate friction. Rub in a direction contrary to that which the wrinkles threaten to take; vertically if the lines are forming horizontally, and vice versâ. Continue this operation for fully five minutes at a time, changing hands in case of fatigue, and using an even, firm and gentle pressure.
In my opinion all so-called “skin tighteners” are inefficient and injurious. If you will reflect on the cause of wrinkles, you will easily see that they cannot be cured or prevented by means of outward application. The skin of the face wrinkles exactly for the same reason and by the same mechanism that the skin of an apple wrinkles. The pulp of the fruit under the akin shrinks and contracts as the juices dry up, consequently the skin, which was once tight and smooth, now being too large for the contents, puckers and lies in folds. Similarly, when the subcutaneous fat of the cheeks and brow, which in youth is abundant – especially under the eyes and at the corners of the mouth – begins to be absorbed, and to disappear, the cuticle, which so long as this fat lasted remained smooth and even, begins to shrivel, and fall into lines, because it is no longer exactly fitted to the lining which was formerly beneath it. No astringent, applied to the (p. 37) outside surface of the skin, can remove wrinkles so caused. The only way in which to treat them is to anticipate their formation by a strictly hygienic and tonic method of life, assisted by the mechanical friction already recommended, and a happy and hopeful disposition of mind. The mere presence of youth in the heart will often suffice to keep old age from the face, and to baffle the efforts of Time.
A common complaint, variously associated with plethora, constipation, and debility of the general health, is seborrhaea, or greasy skin. This unpleasant affection is caused by want of tone and elasticity in the sebaceous glands, which cither secrete abnormal quantities of oily matter in excess of natural use, or else, being blocked at their orifices by want of cleanliness, swell here and there, and constitute little black or white heads under the cuticle. The latter form of the disease is a kind of acne; and of this I shall speak more particularly in a future letter. But greasiness of skin may exist without the complication of black or white points on the face, and constitute a very persistent and ugly malady.
Of course, it must be treated, like other skin disorders, mainly by careful general hygiene. Laxatives, in the shape of fruit early in the morning, saline mineral waters, and dandelion and water-cress salads, should be taken, with outdoor exercises, hydrotherapy, particularly douche baths, tepid or cold, according to the season, vapour baths, and abstinence from hot crowded rooms and rich foods. In almost all skin complaints, from the simplest and most trivial to the most complicated and serious, climate is a consideration of the utmost importance. Warm, moist, relaxing climates are injurious in nearly all such cases, and, on the contrary, removal to high, dry and cold altitudes, such as the climate of Switzerland (p. 38) affords, will almost immediately alleviate and often cure even the most obstinate skin complaints.
Apart from general treatment, on the necessity of which I cannot too much insist, it is advisable to use certain local remedies. For the affection we are now considering, – greasiness of the skin, – stimulating and astringent washes are needed, in order to restore tone and vitality to the relaxed glands and to brace and retract their flaccid orifices. For this purpose I recommend the use of white wine, – Greek or Rhine wine, – costing about two shillings the bottle. Bathe the face with it morning and evening. If the skin is not very fair, red wine, – Medoc claret, – commonly called “vin ordinaire,” may be used. Of course such wines as sherry, port, and madeira are inappropriate. If the application of wine as a toilette lotion be objected to, the following wash may be substituted: –
Dried rose-leaves.............................................. 1 ounce. White wine vinegar............................................... ½ pint. Rose-water........................................................... ½ pint.
Pour the vinegar upon the rose-leaves, and let it stand for a week; then strain, and add the rose-water, throwing the rose-leaves away. The lotion may be used either pure by dabbing the face with the corner of a napkin that has been wetted with it, or by putting about a tablespoonful into a cupful of rain-water.
If the oiliness of the skin is excessive and requires more specific treatment, a lotion, composed as follows, may be applied two or three times daily: –
Sulphate of zinc................................................. 2 grains. Comp. tincture of lavender.............................. 8 minims. Water (distilled).................................................. 1 ounce.
Mix for a lotion.
Other astringent lotions may be used with the same (p. 39) object, but the above is the best I know of. In some cases, it is necessary to wipe the skin with a soft rag impregnated with benzine before using the lotion, so that it may come in contact with the cuticle, otherwise the excessively greasy state of the skin would prevent the beneficial operation of the astringent.
Ablutions with toilet vinegar, friction with flesh gloves, electric brushes, and local steaming are all good methods of treating seborrhaea.
Of vinegars, I recommend as the best I know the vinaigre de toilette of the “Société Hygiènique.” Vinegars for the complexion are frequently made with diluted acetic acid, into which are infused rose-leaves, lavender, verbena, or some other fragrant substance. Toilet vinegar should be used much diluted, and is best employed after the ablutions of the morning, for the purpose of cooling the skin, of removing the tendency to greasiness, to which some sallow complexions are liable, and of bracing the epidermis. Vinegar must not, however, be used when soap has just been applied, because the acid of the vinegar will decompose the soap, and injury to the skin will result.
Never use any kind of liquid wash for the face containing metallic powder in solution, or earthy substances, such as chalk; for such cosmetics, drying on the skin, cause it to contract, form a solid coating over the cutaneous glands, and will, if frequently employed, prove a fruitful source of wrinkles and crows’ feet. Under the influence of such applications the skin hardens, shrivels, and becomes blotched and roughened.
Next time I shall write further on the subject of the complexion, giving directions in regard to the use of toilet preparations for specific treatment of the skin.
Seções: Índice Geral Seção Atual: Índice Obra: Índice Anterior: 4. Sobre a Complexão – I Seguinte: 6. Sobre a Complexão – III
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