The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-05
FINE COMPILATIONS.
Preparations Which Should be
Avoided by Those Who Desire
Smooth Skins
From Harper's Bazaar.

Preparations Which Should be
Avoided by Those Who Desire
Smooth Skins.
From Ha1per'S Bdzar.
OF all the gifts that go to the making up
of beauty nothing catches the eye so dis
tinctively and instantaneously as the clear
red and white tints that render the most
ordinary face an attractive one. The lack
of at least a good complexion dims all
other beauties, and with coarse or dingy
skin the most perfect Grecian profile ex-
cites no admiration.
Therefore it is that from the beginning of
history women have resorted to all sorts of
devices for improving their compilations,
from the pleasant and luxurious milk bath
to the repulsive application of raw veal and
the discomfort of masks and poultices.
Many of these devices sound anything but
clearly, yet the end to be attained was
deemed worthy of any inconvenience or
suffering.
The constant and persevering use of water
only. had these ancient danes but known it,
would have effected the desired transforma-
ton far more thoroughly; but fixed arti-
Gle Of belief with them in securing a good
complexion was to abstain from washing
the face This idea is said by keen writer
to have lad some grains of sense in it, as,
when the dogma prevailed, bathing the
body was not Dracticed to any extent, and
had the face alone been favored with ablu-
lions the unclogged pores would speedily
have brought to the surface the impurities
that should have escaped through the num-
erous outlets kept in working order by the
daily bath.
This error prevailed long time ago; but
even now traditional woman, somebody's
grandmother or greatgrandmother, who
must have had something feline in her nat
ure, is brought to the front with her bit of
flannel, which she never even dampened,
merely polishing off her pretty face with
it every morning; and because of this habit
we say in spite of it-she had a complex
ion of lilies and rosesl
1t is quite possible to go to the other ex-
IRENE, and utterly ruin the skin with soap
and water. A handsome brunette declared
that she owed her rich, clear coloTing and
satin texture to a liberal use of common
brown soap; but as this soap is the coarsest
and strongest af alkali preparations, nature
had probably been extra generous in this
case, and given complexion that remained
beautiful in spite of the most ignorant
attempts to spoil it, Twice week is often
enough for the use of soap, which should be
of the purest and most delicate kind; and
just before retiring is the best time to apply
it.
A lady who retained her fine fresh COM
plexion as long as she lived, which was
some years over 20, always washed her face
at night with very warm water, using
white CASTLE soap once or twice a week
Her hands did the work of a wash rag, and
the soap was rinsed off with soft sponge.
The complexion should never be exposed to
the outside air nor to the fire within an
hour after washing; and the same time
should elapse after a walk or drive before
applying water to the face 1t should at all
times be protected from wind and sun by q
veil, the thicker the better, and green and
gray are the best colors to use, as blue
draws the sun and causes freckles.
Sleeping in mask can sea rcelV be called
a comfortable proceeding, but it is said to
be marvellous whiterer of the complexion,
and 300 or 300 years ago it was in common
use among the French court ladies. The
fashion has been revived in the cosmetic
masks" so often advertised, and used with
very powerful applications. Bnt soft water
and closely fitted face-covering of quilted
cotton chamois skin are more efficaclous
than these elaborate aud expensive appli-
ances, and they are certainly harmless
A clear, fresh complexion gives look of
cleanliness to the person possessing it, and
the practice of cleanliness will best accom-
plish this result, as there is no beautifier
equal to a daily tepid bath. But any
water Will not do, and hard water is almost
worse than none. II not naturally soft, it
SIIOuA0 10 i1dOo % " I'LL dltIDOulH Vi K.
That wonderful old lady, Diana of Poi
tiers, who persisted in being beautiful at
such an unreasonable age, is said to have
used no cosmetic but a daily bath of rain
water. This is wonderful preserver and
freshener Of the complexion, but at the
present day 1t is a somewhat inaccessible
remedy. handful Of bran to basin of
water has a very cleansing and softening
effect, and oatmeal is equally good
Tho anniant Eoupfioo xxyOy,,on 90 %bo
higher class, whose compilations were of
rose-leaf texture and coloring, bathed not
only daily, but almost hourly, and never
wore their linen a second time without
washing. As frequent change of under
clothing as possible is a decided beautifier
of the compelion, and this luxury, once in
dulged in, is not easily given up. Diluted
lotos-water was the favorite bath in the
land Of the pyramids, but our own Florida
and rose waters are considered even better
A salt bath, too, is excellent; and it is not
necessary to go to the seashore for it, as a
few cents worth of rock salt will supply
the luxury for month. A good slzed lump
dissolved in basin of water is all that is
needed for single application. Besides in
MIGRATING the system, this bath is said to
freshen tho complexion and restore the ap-
pearance Of usefulness. One certainly
"feels good" after it.
Many simple purifiers, greatly in vogue
two generations ago, when cosmetics were
considered sinful" have lost none of their
active virtues Among these old-fasbioned
remedies a tablespoonful of sulphur, with as
much molasses as is needed to mix it, taken
every other morning for a week, and then,
with an interval of three days, resumed
again for another week. has quite magical
effect on a muddy or eruptive skin. Cream
of tartar is also good; milk, if it does not
disagree with the stomach, is a very beauti-
flying beverage; and grape juice, pure and
simple givest the loveiiest OF tints, because
it makes the purest blood.
A glass of hot water, as near to the boil
ing point as can be tolerated, taken about
an hour before each meal, helps greatly IN
keep the complexion in order, and half
lemon may be added if desired, but no
sugar. Powdered charcoal is often effica-
cious. A teaspoonful mixed with water
should be taken three nights in succession,
and then followed by citrate of magnesia
to remove it from the system.
Prevention, however, is always better
than cure; and proper or improper diet is
sure to tell upon the complexion.