Evening star., 1902-08-23
THE QUEST1'OF BEAUTY
The Waysaof Getting Rid of
Superauous Hair.
A SECRET oFTHE TOILET
A SURE BUT SLOW CURE IS THE
ELECTRIC NEEDLE.
Also Much More Expensive Than
Home-Made Depilatories, Which
Are Successful.
A SECRET OFTHE TOILET

If there is anything in the wide world that
is appropriately named it is the disfguring
growth of hair on the face-superf1uous
hair.
1t certainly is the most superfuous thing
one can imagine and renders many an 9TH
erwise attractive face almost repulsive. 1t
is no wonder, then. that women tormented
with hair on the face are eagerly frantic
to find some remedy.
No woman can be beautiful or charming
whose appearance suggests in the least
anything masculine or mannish. No matter
If her complexion rival the loveliness of the
rose and the lily, and her features answer
every demand of classic beauty, this blem-
ish overbalances everything and destroys
every claim woman might otherwise pos
sess of being considered a beauty.
The simplest agent for removing this foe
to loveliness is electricity. Indeed, some
will tell us that 1t is the one and only re-
liable and sure cure. But its expense abso-
lutely precludes this remedy In many cases.
Then it is slow process, eight or ten
hairs only being removed at a time, say
twice week. The process consists in
touching each hair in turn with the electric
needle, an operation consuming from ten to
fifteen seconds for each hair. The method
is called electrolysis and should never be
performed by any but an experienced sur
geon.
The process consists in the introduction Of
a fine needle into the hair follicle and the
destruction of the palilla by means of the
galvanic current. A slight redness some
times follows the use of the needle, and a
small pustule is formed. which, however,
soon disappears. No scar results if the op-
orator IS skiliful and experienced.
For light growth of hair-mere down
powdered pumice may be used. Mix it with
lather of good soap, making paste, and
apply the mixture with the finger. After
several applications the down will disap-
pear. The growth becomes weaker after
each use of the pumce.
For stronger growth barium sulphide is
recommended; it is mixed with common
laundry starch. Powder the barium and
starch separately and as fine as possible
and sift through coarse muslin bag; then
mix the two thoroughly. using one part of
the barium sulphide to five parts of starch;
one dram say, of the former to five drains
of starch. A dram, you know, is about one
even teaSpOonfuk
After the two have been thoroughly COM
bined, put in a porcelain jar and keep on
the toilet table for use.
How to Proceed.
The mode of procedure is to moisten the
finger with water or to take little ivory or
wooden spatula, dip 1t in water and then in
the depiatory and apply to the spot from
which the hair is to be removed. Leave it
on four or five minutes, then wash off with
warm water and soap and apply the least
bit of camphor ice. The use of the cam
phOr ice is to allay any soreness or irrita-
ton. Barum sulphide is a poison and on
no account must it be used if there is any
eruption on the face. Otherwise it is harm
less If directions are carried out to the let
ter and it IS effectual. Hair on the face,
hands and arms can be treated with this
depilatOry. The cure in some cases is al
most instantaneous.
A plaster stick IS sometimes used. It Is
heated over an alcohol lamp or candle and
applied while as hot as can be borne to the
spot from which the hair is to be removed.
One is constantly being warned against
putting cold cream of any kind on the face,
the result of its use being to cause hair to
grow on almost any part of the face; that
frequent use induces a heavy growth of
hair on the upper lip and chin. There is no
danger of this kind to be feared unless the
cold cream is used in eXtravagant quanti-
ties An application once or twice a day
cannot do any harm-that is, If it Is after
ward washed off with warm water or with
milk and lemon juice one-third lemon juice
to two-thirds milk.
Another hair solvent requires quicklime
ten grains; carbonate of soda, thirty grains;
glycerine, one dram and lard, one-half
ounce. Rub up the lard in the glycerne
and add the other two ingredients. APP
ply this every other day, until a cure Is
effected. After an application of this SOL
vent tweezers may be used effectively.
The use of tweezers is considered rather
heroic treatment by many but for few
struggling hairs here and there they may
be used to good purpose.
Another Method.
Another deDilatory calls for sulphydrate
of soda, forty grains; slaked lime, thirty
grains: starch, fifteen grains, and lime wa
ter, two fluid drams. After making this
into a thin paste by thoroughly mixing
n he MI ba
ed; after few moments wash it off or
scrape off with an ivory spatula or blunt
instrument of some sort
In using any solvent for this purpose it
should be removed after four or five min
utes at most, or as soon as burning SEN
sation is produced. Too long contact with
the skin should be avoided and after the
hair has been removed the denuded surface
should be washed with warm water and
as l have already said cold cream should
be applied to prevent irritation. Almond
oil NAV be substituted for the cream
Almond oil. indeed, is the best thing to
put on the eyebrows after the use of a
depilatory to remove the hair over the
nose; that Is, where eyebrows meet-"mar-
ried brows"-as they are called These are
considered a mark of beauty in many east
ern countries, but quite ugly and disfguring
in enlightened lands.
After removing the hair follicIes by the
use of a depflatory, or by means Of the
tweeZers apply little almond oil and rrb
it thoroughly into the'eyebrows In manfp-
uating the eyebrows the rubbing should be
in the shape Of an arch, from the nose to
the outer corners iof the eye.
If arms have been operated upon for the
removal Of superfiuous hair. and there Is a
tendency to soreness or redness, rub them
every night with a paste made of crushed
almonds and honey. Spread the paste on
soft linen cloth and Bind on the arms. leav-
ing them on untlymerning.
To Remove Moles.
After 7'emoving hair from a mole, if 1t Is
further desired to get rid of the mole, use
salicyclic acid, ten grains; boric acid, one
half dram; calornel, one-half dram. Mix
thoroughly and apply by means Of
camel rs-hair brush every other day until
the mole disappears Or fuming nitric acid.
applied once a day with the burnt end of a
match, will destroy these foes to beauty
moles-after few applca tions
So far from being considered disfigurine.
French women think moles not only beaufv
marks, but suppose them to bring good
luck very well-known French woman
has her gowns cut extremely low in fbe
back that she may display mole which ia
rather low down on her neck
The Arabs wanting to describe a baaptj