The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-08-28
BELLIES OF OLD ROME
THE TIME. AND MONEY THAT WE'RE
SPENT on THEIR TOILETS

Modern Methods and Cost Of beauty
Cultore Are Simple Compared With
Ancient LuNuriousness - Hygiene
the Latter Day Magic.
The SECRET OF eternal youth, 80 eascs-
" sought by the mag!c!ans f oil CEN
turies and sought In vain, has almost
revealed itself to the present genera
ton; at least we have its watchwofd
which is hygiene. For youth means
beauty, and beauty means health, and
the skillful beauty specialists accom-
plish all their successes by means OK
rational methods based on careful
study Of the causes that may affect to
Its detriment the health Of the skin
In the dim buck ages Of the world Of
civilization beauty was made cult On
the utmost moment. bat for many q
century fter the downfall Of the Greek
and Roman empires such matters were
allowed to languish. Not until the de-
clining years Of the nineteenth century
was the subject reinstated as one Of
paramount interest But today beauty
specialists abound-some for face tre0t-
ment. others for manicure and again
many more for electrolysis.
or course these treatments are ex.
pensive. but It Is worth much to wo
man to be rid Of careworn express
sion. Moreover. TO feel that her youth
and therefore her beauty Is somewhat
restored has beneficial influence upon
her mental state.
But whoever fancies that the modern
husband Is to be ritied for the cost OF
his wife's beauty preservatives should
consider the toilet expenses of Ro-
man lady IN the comparatively early
DAYS Of the worlds history. Excessive
as may appear the time and money
spent now upon the art Of beauty cult
vation, the grooming Of a modern WON
an of fashion seems Invested with an
| admirable simplicity compared with
the time and money thus expended IN
the days OF Popppa and Agrippina.
In the early duys OF Rome three
classes OF slaves assisted ut the toilet
Of a lady of fashion. On leaving her
bed, which was usually ut noen, she
Immediately went to her bath. where
she was carefully rubbed with pumice
stone. She then put berself in the
hands Of the cosmetics, class Of slaves
who possessed many secrets for pre-
serving and beau:ifying the complex
ion; therefore their functions were con-
sidesed Of the greatest importance. es-
pecially us they claimed for their arts
hygei2n advantages.
By the cosmetics her face was thor
oughly sponged with asses milk. then
massaged with various mixtures CORE
spending In intention to the skin food"
| of these days: with ashes Of snails and
! of large ants, bruised and burned In
salt; With honey in which the bees had
been smothered; with the fat Of pub
/ let mixed with onton-oh, shades OF
Araby.. And. lastly. the fat Of a swan
| was vigorously applied, to which was
attributed the property Of removing
wrinkles. Red spots were efaced with
! q piece of woolen cloth stepped in OIL OF
roses, and freckIes were treated with
q scraping Of sheepskin mixed with OIL
| of Corsica. to which was added the
I powder Of frankinceuse.
/ Thea appeared the second class or
slaves. armed with pipchers and po1cu.
pine qu!lls. One Of them extracted eV'
cry hair, however minute, from the
face of her mistress. and another clean
! ed the teeth with grated pumice stone,
with marble dust and finally with D
! toothp!ck Of porcupine quill
/ A third class Of slaves, who were Gre
clan, colored eyebrows. eyelashes ana
hair to the shade Of my lady's" taste.
/ Her lips were treated with red pomade,
! but If chapped they were first rubbed
with the inside Of sheepskin, then
covered with the ashes Of q burnt
mouse mixed with fennel roots.
The last touches of the toilet were
given by the favorite attendant the
slave kept by every patr.cinn Roman
. woman for the sole purpose or apply
Ing fragrant unguents. Each part OK
the body had its own unguens-the h'iir
had sweet marJoram, the meek and
knees wild thyme. the arms balsam,
the cheeks and breast palm Oil. tie feet
and legs saffron. Then after hiIsi
sprinkling Of Indian perfumes ON haT
mud dress the favored slave in osHier
that the finished work might he appre-
ciated banded to her mistress mirror.