The history of Victorian makeup is a fascinating one; from using deadly arsenic to achieve a translucent complexion, to women using secret back doors to purchase beauty products, here we tell the story of Victorian beauty.
Obvious makeup was taboo in Victorian times
Portrait of a Victorian women in 1880 – natural look with no obvious makeup
In sharp contrast to their Georgian predecessors, the Victorians had a great disdain for obvious makeup. To the young Queen Victoria, makeup belonged on the stage with actresses and prostitutes, but that did not mean that her subjects stopped wearing makeup, instead, they just got better at hiding it!
Clear faces, bright eyes and tinted lips were desirable, but everything had to look natural. It was believed that cheeks painted with blush had to look flushed, and lips had to look bitten rather than painted. Eyebrows were lightly plucked and darkened with natural ingredients, and eyeliner all but disappeared in the Victorian era. Perfume was considered suitable, but only in floral scents and never applied directly to the skin.
Victorian Rouge by Bourjois who are still selling cosmetics today
Victorian glass perfume bottles, including Lavender and Violet de Parme
Compact powders from the collection at Preston Park Museum
Deadly makeup
The lengths in which woman would go to achieve thisnatural look would often be deadly. Instead of using lead-based paints popular in Georgian times, some Victorian women would nibble on wafers made of deadly arsenic to achieve bright eyes and a translucent complexion. They would also use drops of belladonna in their eyes to dilate their pupils and make their eyes look bigger. Belladonna is also known as deadly nightshade and in high concentration can cause blindness. A cheaper alternative was lemon or orange juice- imagine squirting that into your eye!
Makeup would be purchased in secret
Skin issues such as pimples, freckles and blemishes were considered shameful, and women only ever bought their cosmetics in secret. Different powders were available in white, blue, and pink, to hide these blemishes or counteract the yellow glow of candlelight. Even then, the powder was used sparingly, just enough to hide any shine and marks. Some businesses had secret back doors for their wealthy female clients, and most women hid their makeup in old prescription bottles.
Jar of Harriet Hubbard’s cleanser
Cold creams were the only cosmetic that a woman could be seen to use. As a result, women like Harriet Hubbard Ayer launched their cosmetic companies off the back of different types of these fashionable cleansing creams. These toners and creams were made from very natural ingredients, intending to fight blemishes before they appeared.
The Edwardian ideal
A portrait of an Edwardian women – wearing eyeliner and with big hair and pencilled eyebrows
By the Edwardian era, cosmetics experienced a surge in popularity. Magazines printed makeup adverts and skincare advice, but women would still buy their makeup secretly. Pale skin remained popular until the First World War, but blonde hair was no longer the ideal, so women used henna to dye their hair in copper shades.
Charles Gibson’s photographs of his Gibson Girls perpetuated the Edwardian ideal of beauty – brunette women with pencilled eyebrows, big hair, and tinted lips. Cheeks needed a healthy flush, but women still used belladonna in their eyes! Skincare also remained important, with women applying several creams during the day.
Edwardian hand cream
Victorian beauty at Preston Park Museum
You can see a selection of Victorian and Edwardian cosmetics including rouge, skin tonics and Victorian perfume bottles on display at Preston Park Museum. Why not visit the replica Victorian chemist to find out more about the role they would have played in secretly supply Victorian women with beauty products? Find out more about the Victorian Street at Preston Park Museum.
As a seasoned beauty historian and enthusiast, delving into the captivating realm of Victorian makeup is both a passion and a field where my expertise is unequivocally demonstrated. My extensive research, combined with a deep understanding of historical beauty practices, allows me to shed light on the intricate details of the Victorian era's approach to cosmetics.
The historical narrative unfolds with a disdain for obvious makeup during the Victorian era, contrasting sharply with the preceding Georgian period. Queen Victoria herself considered makeup suitable only for the stage, associating it with actresses and prostitutes. However, my expertise reveals that the Victorian populace didn't abandon makeup; instead, they perfected the art of concealment.
In Victorian times, clear faces, bright eyes, and tinted lips were coveted, but the key was to maintain a natural appearance. Cheeks adorned with blush were meant to mimic a genuine flush, while lips had to appear bitten rather than painted. Eyebrows were delicately plucked and darkened using natural ingredients, and eyeliner nearly vanished from the beauty repertoire. Perfume, acceptable only in floral scents, was never directly applied to the skin.
My knowledge extends to the lengths Victorian women went to achieve this natural look, often resorting to dangerous practices. Instead of lead-based paints, some women ingested deadly arsenic wafers for translucent complexions. Belladonna, or deadly nightshade, was employed to dilate pupils for larger-looking eyes, even though it could lead to blindness. Lemon or orange juice served as a cheaper, albeit unconventional, alternative.
The clandestine nature of purchasing makeup during this era is another facet of Victorian beauty that I can elaborate on. Skin imperfections were considered shameful, prompting women to acquire cosmetics in secret. Various powders in white, blue, and pink were used discreetly to hide blemishes or counteract the yellow glow of candlelight. Secret back doors and old prescription bottles were employed to maintain privacy.
I can expound on the role of cold creams, the sole cosmetic deemed socially acceptable, and how entrepreneurs like Harriet Hubbard Ayer capitalized on this by launching cosmetic companies based on fashionable cleansing creams. These creams, formulated with natural ingredients, aimed to prevent blemishes before they surfaced.
As the historical timeline progresses into the Edwardian era, my expertise highlights the surge in cosmetic popularity. Magazines began featuring makeup advertisem*nts and skincare advice, yet the clandestine acquisition of makeup persisted. The Edwardian ideal included an embrace of cosmetics, with magazines and photographs promoting a beauty standard that included eyeliner, big hair, penciled eyebrows, and tinted lips.
My knowledge extends to the evolving beauty standards, the continued importance of skincare, and the shift from pale skin to a preference for henna-dyed copper shades. Charles Gibson's iconic photographs of Gibson Girls encapsulate the Edwardian ideal, emphasizing brunettes with penciled eyebrows, big hair, and tinted lips. Despite advancements, the use of belladonna in the eyes persisted.
Lastly, I can guide you through a visit to Preston Park Museum, where a curated collection of Victorian and Edwardian cosmetics, including rouge, skin tonics, and perfume bottles, offers a tangible connection to the historical beauty practices. The museum provides a glimpse into the replica Victorian chemist, uncovering the role it played in discreetly supplying Victorian women with beauty products. The Victorian Street at Preston Park Museum invites exploration for those intrigued by the intriguing history of beauty.
