The herald., 1893-12-18
THE CHEMISTRY OF COSMETICS.

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Facial Makeup of Partisan Women.
The more sensible women content
themselves with simply smearing some
grease, cold cream or vaseline over the
face and the neck. Then this is wiped
off with soft cloth, so that the skin no
longer looks shiny, but there is still
enough grease remaining to make the
powder, which is now applied, adhere
firmly to the skin. Then the powder is
in its turn artistically wiped off till the
face no longer appears to have been
powdered. Still, though not obviously
visible, there is enough powder remain
ing to make sallow, yellow, bilious
or brownish skin look white and fresh.
The slightest conceivable touch of red
to the cheeks, little blue over the
course, followed by one or two suggest
i've veins, and more liberal allow
ance of black sometimes simple lamp
black-to the eyebrows and eyelids COM
plete the picture. But, above all, this
must be done SO slightly, so lightly and
with such delicacy of touch and per-
ception, that it must not appear as if
the skin had in any way been painted
or improved artiicially.
When for this purpose simple rice
powder is used, the only damage caused
is that of blocking up for time the 500
sweat glands per square inch of the
skins surface. This of course still
further deteriorates the complexion and
aids to dry up and spoil the skin; so
that in the morning, when all is wiped
off, the unfortunate woman finds her
self uglier than ever. Hence the in
stinctive aversion to washing of the face,
and if the face seems dirty the dirt is
in preference covered with an extra
layer of rice powder. For this purpose
most women carry small powder boxes
with them. But many are not satisfied
with simply using cold cream and rice
powder. This is shown by the enor-
nous sale of cosmetics of every descrip-
ton. The injury done is then much
greater, for the pores of the skin are
not only blocked up and prevented from
fulfilling their function, but they are
filled up with very virulent and inju-
rious poisons.
Also many of the we'll known cosmet-
les may be used with advantage where
there is irritation or redness due to in
flammation. They serve as indictments
to cure slight skin complaint. Thus,
for instance the Lait Antephelique, as
described by Professor A. Hardy, which
consists of corrosive sublimate, oxide of
lead and sulphuric acid-or vitrol-or
the famous Lait de Ninon, which is an
emulsion of oxide of lead and subnitrate
of bismuth or the Eau de Lys, which
has for base protochloride of mercury,
might be used with advantage for irri-
tations, etc., of the skin. But they are
not used for this purpose, they are used
to whiten skins that are in healthy
condition. Then we have the Eau
Magique, which is prepared with oxide
of lead and hyposulphite of soda, and
the Eau Royal de Windsor, which also
contains oxide of lead. The Eau de
Castillo, as variation, is made of ace
tate of lead. NJ. Girard, the analytical
chemist of the Paris municipal labora-
tory, states that the Poudre Epilatoire
de Lorlorest consists of so parts of mer-
curry, 80 parts of arsenic, 80 parts of
litharge protoxide of lead) and 80 parts
of starch.
With the exception Of the starch, all
these are poisons, and the mercury and
the arsenic are especially virulent
polsons. What wonder that health fails
when such things are daily applied to
the skin! What wonder that teeth de-
cay and fall out when mercury is con-
stantly employed! Nor is even the SIM
pie rice powder always quite so inno-
cent as it seems. Some manufacturers,
to improve the effect of their rice pow
der, have been found to add 900
grams of carbonate of lead to 1000
grams of rice. Rice powder and po-
:ato powder will not injure the skin
very much, and for the very excellent
reason that they do not resist the effect
of heat, for when the glands begin to
act the perspiration drives away the
powder, and nature, unchecked, per-
forms its function. Instead of being de-
lighted that the powder has not inter
fered with the due performance of those
functions so essential to the preserva-
tion of health, the ladies are in despair
because the powder goes and the defects
of their compilations are no longer con-
cealed. Hence there is always de-
mand for powder that will adhere to the
skin in spite of the heat, and to secure
this end it often happens that rice pow
der is mixed with tale, or with chalk or
subnitrate of bismuth, and the more
successful the result the greater the in
jury done to the skin and the health of
the person who makes use of such con-
trivances.-Philadelphia Telegraph.