The Woman Beautiful; or, The Art of Beauty CultureJameson, Helen Follett
Science
The Woman Beautiful; or, The Art of Beauty Culture
Jameson, Helen Follett
Beauty, Personal
Bath bags are simply luxuries. They are pleasant ones, to be sure, but
they should never take the place of the flesh brush. It is best to
follow the scrubbing with a gentle washing with a bath bag, for the
almond meal and the orris root will give a charming, velvety appearance
to the skin. They should never be used a second time, as the bran
frequently becomes sour after a drying. So, if you are of an economical
turn of mind, you will make your bath bags very small, just large
enough to serve for one beauty bath.
A little starch thrown into the bath will sometimes whiten the skin.
Salt is not cleansing at all, but is very invigorating and a pleasant
tonic if one is worn out and languid. Turkish baths are splendid
complexion-makers, but must not be indulged in too frequently. If the
skin is dry and feverish, a dry bath--or massage--with oil of sweet
almonds will promote a healthy skin and bring about good circulation.
Constant bathing is the best remedy for excessive perspiration. But
this is not really effective unless a little benzoin is added to the
water, and the armpits well dried, and dusted with powder afterward. A
good bathing powder for this purpose is made of two and one-half drams
of camphor, four ounces of orris root and sixteen ounces of starch.
Reduce to a fine powder and tie in coarse muslin bags.
Remember that a coarse complexion, with black, disfiguring, open pores,
can be almost entirely cured by keeping the pores of the body free from
sebaceous matter. Have the bathtub carefully scoured each day, as the
oils and dust washed from the body invariably collect on the sides just
where the water reached. For the thorough cleansing have the tub half
filled with warm water. Use a coarse rag, a bath brush and large,
coarse towels. Before stepping into the water wash the face and neck
well with castile soap and a camel's-hair brush, this being
particularly necessary when the pores are clogged and acne has formed.
Rinse thoroughly and dry with gentle pats. When using the brush, do not
forget to let the scrubbing go well down onto the chest, lest your neck
will be bleached white and nice only part of the way.
Once in the tub, go over the body briskly with the flesh brush, using
plenty of good soap and not being at all sparing of elbow grease. This
scrubbing is very invigorating, for it exercises the muscles and stirs
up one's blood as well. After the scrubbing use the bath spray, letting
the water get gradually chilled. The drying should be brisk and quick,
and a warm robe of some sort must be donned while the hair is being
combed for the night, the teeth brushed and the face anointed with a
pure home-made cosmetic. Then go to bed. If you don't find a prettier,
fresher complexion with you next morning, then I'll miss my guess, and
will take up another occupation than that of doling out beauty advice.
Quireda Bath Bags:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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