Palisadian., 1925-01-16
TRACES SOURCE or
AMERICAN BEAUTY
Geography of Cosmetics
Seen to Be Shifting.

-
ic society. Formerly the women of
the United States drew upon the more
sophisticated countries Of Europe for
the boxed and bottled substances that
alter their appearance for better or
for worse. Now they are coming more
and more to use what might be called
made in America 'complexions,' and
the country is even exporting aids to
beauty to the ends of the earth.
"The big three in the world Of cos
metics are powder, rouge and cream;
and of these stand-bys of the feminine
toilet table the United States exports
about $2,500,O00 worth annually. This
probably Is close to the value Of the
imports Of these specific substances,
for the greater part Of the $9,0OO,000
worth of 'perfumery and cosmetics
brought into the country each year Is
made up of perfumes and perfume ma
terials. Many times the amount Of the
exports and imports of powders,
creams and rouges are consumed In
American bOudoirs-and on American
street cOrners-for the value of the
products turned out annually by the
perfumers and cosmetic manufacturers
Of the United States is between $75,-
100000 and $100,OOO,OOO.
'FOr the best rouge the consumers
Of the United States must still look
beyond the country's borders. The
original coloring material was dried
red corOllas of the thistlelike saffiower
plant Of the Near East. The plant is
cultivated in France and still Is the
source Of the bloom on millions of rosy
cheeks. Much of the coloring matter
of commercial rouges Is carmine, the
red obtained from the crushed, dried
bodies of the cochineal insect, also q
foreign substance.
Face Powders.
Face powders are made Of ground
and bOlted tale and chalk, rice powder
and corn powder. OF the last named
ingredient America possesses vast
quantities, but unfortunately the
grains of cornstarch are about three
times the size of those of rice starch,
and therefore do not make as high
grade face powders. Much rice Is
grown in the United States and home
der is metamorphosed into the Poudre
de Riz Of the cosmetic counter
Tremendous quantities of tale and
chalk are used annually in the form
OF talcum powder and in combination
with rice and corn powders. Low
grade powders are made from domestic
tale mined in several eastern states
but for highest grade powders the man.
ufacturers import their materials. An
nual imports Of tale and chalk amount
to about 100000 pounds from Italy
and 100000 pounds from France.
Gold cream Is the typical cream
cosmetic and one of the oldest OF the
beauty aids used today. Savages
started the cold cream habit millions
Of years ago with rancid butter and
salt
powders and rnuges are largo
ly for application to the cheeks, but
no other facial feature has been per-
mitted to escape the cosmetic special
ist. There are tanna and other washes
for the hair, eyebrow pencils, lpsticks,
lash pf 3tes, and shadow coloring for
eyelids. In addition the well appointed
cosmetic shop offers hand lotions, and
nail p0lishes and enamels, and such
general cosmetics as skin foods, COM
plex.0n clays and sunburn removers.
"Henna is extracted from the leaves
Of an Egyptian plant. The coloring
matter Of eyebrow pencils and lash
pastes may be India ink or coal-tar
dyes. Most lipsticks are made of
greases stiffened with beeswax and
cOlored with carmine or safflOwer The
majority of the hand lotions and van
ish'ng creams contain glycerin. of
which the United States produces
ample quantities. Nail polshes usual
ly contain tin oxide and nail var
nishes and enamels consist of reslnous
gums, mostly imported. The ingredi-
ent par excellence for skin foods Is
cocoa butter, the fat produced as
by-product in chocolate and cocoa man.
ufacture. The cocoa butter imported
as such comes chiefly from the Meth
erlands and Germany.
United States Helps World Keep Clean.
"Soap, the basic substance In the
toilets of men and women alike is
made in vast quantities in the United
States, and more than $3,O0O,0O0 worth
is exported annually. Various oils,
treated with alkalis, are used in soap
manufacture, including our own cotton
seed oil. Coconut, olive and palm oils
are the standard fatty substances en-
plOyed, however. Annually the Phil
ippines contribute $16,OOO,OOO worth of
coconut Oil, while $50,0OO,0OO worth of
olive Oil comes from Italy and Spain,
and $55, 100000 worth Of palm oil is
imported directly from British West
Africa and via England from other
tropical countries.
1.-The history of soap Is closely inter
twined with the history Of modern CIV
ilization. 1t is believed that the
Phoenicians were the first to make
soap and that they taught the art to
the Gauls. The Gauls in turn taught
the Romans their rather crude method
Of treating tallow with wood ashes.
The Romans improved the method
somewhat. A complete soap factory
whose product was doubtless highly
priced by the beauties of ancient Rome,
has been found among the ruins of
POmpeii From Rome the use of soaD