The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-07-24
a GOOD COMPLEXION,
Simple Rules for Ladies' Who ID, sire Fan
Skin

calculated the number of millions of
dollars spent every year by the women
of the United States in cosmetics, face
washes and other devices to conceal or
correct the blemishes of the complexion.
Just how many millions they were do
not exactly remember, but l know a
rough calculation told me that the sum
was enough to provide comfortable
home for fifty thousand friendless chill
1ren. But even such a thought as that,
Or all the sermons that could be
preached in six months would not affect
the demand for and sale of such articles
In the slightest. As hart panteth az
ter water-broOks, so panteth every wo-
man after a good complexion, and de-
fusion ever whispers that this gift is to
be hers with just little more eXpendi-
ture, u little more faith in this wash or
that. Therefore. accepting this phase
of the feminine character as a perfectly
natural and not to be altered one, |
have not word to say against 1t, but l
would urge my sisters to exercise lit
tie common sense upon the subject and
to try and obtain her desire in a rational
manner A good complexion depends
principally upon three rules being
obeyed. OF course disease will affect
the skin, when the only thing to be
done is to consult physician and have
the cause removed if possible; but in
nine cases out of ten 1t is the violation
of the three rules spoken of that lies at
the root of the pimples, redness, sallow-
ness, or the thousand other ills woman's
face is heir to. These rules are healthy
diet, judicious bathing and exercise, 10
which might be added a fourth, peace
of mind And in the beginning let me
say what every woman desiring, not
only a good complexion, but sound
body, would do well to memoriZe. God
forgives us moral trangression, but ma
ture has no pardon for her violated law.
The overloaded or outraged stomach
invariably avenges itself through the
skin. Undigested food, food eaten at
all hours, seasonable and unreasonable,
keeping the organs tired and over
wrought, unwholesome food, will of a
certainty proclaim itself in the sallow
tint so hateful and so unconcealable,
though powder and carmine do their
best. But | like midnight feasts in
my own ROOM 81 can't live without
caramels and chocolate drops" Il must
have my cup of coffee three times day.
My five or six cups of tea are absolutely
necessary to me" | think ! hear the
plaintive chorus. It | close my eyes to
the pleading, half indignant looks |
arouse and answer uncompromisingl
keep your candy, your midnight gor-
mandizing, your coffee, and your tea
without moderation, but you can't have
good complexion, too. Choose And
| won't be called hard-hearted or old
fogy either, for it was Nine. Nature
who made the law, not her hum BILE
Aaron.
Now for the bath. I am taking it for
granted that you all revel in soap and
water, for cleanliness and beauty are
co-eXistent always but do You under
stand the art of judicious bathing?
Cold water is an excellent thing, but
for weak or nervous woman the shock
of plunGing into into tub of icy water
is unquestionably too much. Leave
such to your more robust or less sensi
tive sisters, whose superior vitality will
recover in an instant the shock which
leaves you gasping and trembling for
minutes, and have your water tepid,
while couple of handfuls of salt will
give such bath all the qualities of a
plunge in the sea- For the face |
would recommend cold water flung
with the hands without rubbing, or
water with the chill removed, but still
pleasantly cool. A little boraX added
to it gives pleasant smoothness to the
skin. After bath avoid as you would
death itself any chill, for thousands die
yearly from this common imprudence,
which, should it leave no other percep-
tible i'll effects, will certainly dull and
coarsen the complexion. A flesh brush
used vigorously for five minutes on
emerging from the bath will render any
cold impossible, and add fifty per cent.
to your chances for good complexion.
AS for exercise, | am almost tempted
to pronounce this the most important of
the rules. However that may be
though, exercise is indispensable to the
health and beauty of the body. 1t is
now an exploded idea that early rising
and vigorous exercise before breakfast
are desirable habits, and it is the wri-
ter's experience that any work done on
an empty stomach, or with insufficient
sleep, is drain on the vitality, and so,
of course, harmful in the extreme. If
your social duties demand you to keep
late hours make it up next morning if
You can without injustice to your do
nestle duties, and if you can not. let the
social ones go to the wall. 1t has be-
come the thing in these days for women
to belong to gymnastic or athletic clubs,
to row, swim and box, all of which are
excellent beyond denial, and the row.
ing and swimming especially splendid
accomplishments: but in my humble
opinion girl can get more good, whole
some exercise out of home, and fairer,
roster cheeks out of Il garden spade and
hoe than she can out of any dumb bells
and pulley-rope arrangement ever in
vented. DO bit of housewor or gar
dening every day, or if you have no task
or opportunity for either, take good
brisk walk, not stroll, but swinging,
LIGHT hearted, energetic walk Now for