Late Victorian-Era Beauty Secrets by Kristin Holt

Late Victorian-Era Beauty Secrets
by USA-Today Bestselling Author

of Sweet Romance

set in the Victorian-era America West,

Kristin Holt

19th Century Woman's Toilette

I continue in fascination as I discover more and more history of real life among average, working Victorian-American women. The wealthy may have bought pots and tubes from the burgeoning beauty industry, but what advice or methods circulated among the average Mary?

(Note: I've shared numerous links to related articles, below.) 

Cover image: Dr. Sloan's Cook Book and Advice to Housekeepers

The following image contains a snippet from Dr. Sloan's Cook Book and Advice to Housekeepers, published 1905.

Because reading from this image is difficult, I've carefully transcribed the content for you. Read on!

HOW TO KEEP YOUR BEAUTY.

The best way to keep the face free from wrinkles is to cultivate a serene disposition, take plenty of sleep, eat food that will digest easily, and when a wrinkle does appear erase it promptly by massaging well with a good skin food. Rub all the lines of the face upward as much as possible, as the face has a tendency to sag.

To have a good clear skin, the face must be kept free from dirt.

Cleanse the skin thoroughly with hot water, into which a little borax has been dissolved, and use a good pure soap.

Lather the face well with the soap and wash off with the hot water. Dry thoroughly and anoint with cold cream.

To whiten the complexion, take one-half pint new milk, one-quarter of an ounce lemon juice, and one-half an ounce of white brandy. Boil the whole, skin, and use night and morning.

If one's face is too red, be careful of the diet. Take no hot drinks, but cooling ones. Do not wash the face with cold water -- lukewarm water is better -- and try hot foot-baths before retiring at night.

To  keep your hands soft, rub them two or three times a day, after washing, with equal parts of glycerine and lemon juice. Let it stay on ten or fifteen minutes, then wash the hands quickly in lukewarm water, using a good soap, and dry thoroughly. If your hands are inclined to be moist, rub a very little lemon juice after drying.

For discolored or stained finger nails a teaspoon of lemon juice in a cup of warm water is invaluable. This is one of the best manicure aids. It will loosen the cuticle from the finger nails as well as remove discolorations.

Brittle nails may be cured by soaking them daily for a few minutes in blood-warm sweet oil. Polish the nails daily with the chamois-skin polisher to improve the circulation and make them clean and pink. No paste is needed.

Invitation

What do you think of Dr. Sloan's solutions and beauty regimen? Please scroll down and comment. The "conversation" part is extra valuable, especially now!

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By Kristin Holt

Copyright © 2020 Kristin Holt LC

Book Review—Land Of The Burnt Thigh by Ethel Eudora Kohl

One of my works in progress is set in 1867 Kansas and involves a homesteading family. I ‘m involved in ongoing research so I can build the best story world of what’s involved. I mentioned this fact at a recent writers’ meeting and received a recommendation for this memoir.

Although the setting is South Dakota in 1907-08, much of what was shared about the attitudes and emotions of the people involved could be applied to many time periods. The first paragraph has two sisters, both younger than twenty-one years, arriving on the vast, empty prairie from Chicago to claim the older sister’s plot. Ida Mary had been proud of the fact she’d chosen one with a house about thirty miles away from Pierre. Nothing in the land office informed them the “house” was a shack with tar paper for siding—a disappointment that sets the tone for the story.

The young women are dropped off by a man who makes his livelihood as a locator who drives homesteaders out to their purchased plots. Seeing how ill-prepared they are, he does leave them a jug of water. Otherwise, they are left to their own devices. What transpires in the mandatory time to gain their deed, described in prose that is almost lyrical at times, are the struggles the women endure to survive. Especially worthwhile was learning about the ways the women adapted and the community that is built when people share hardships together.

Often research is a bit dry, but this memoir was enjoyable and entertaining. A highly recommended read both as a research tool regarding homesteading but also as a tale of the human spirit determined to make a better life. The definition of a pioneer spirit.

(free for Kindle)