Victorian Makeup

I have been doing some research into the application of makeup and how it was made and used. I was quite surprised with the information I have found, and how little women wore back in this particular era.

To wear makeup, was seen as disrespectful and 'cheap'. Only actors and prostitutes would be known for wearing makeup. Although makeup was frowned upon, being beautiful was what was seen to be an essential in their lives. Women would be encouraged to make their own beauty treatments from their own back gardens. They would make these treatments by using horseradish, lemon, sugar, lavender and sour milk.

Due to beauty being such a requirement in this era, women's diets and exercise routines would be very strict, and if they were to use makeup, it was seen as a way of 'cheating'.

Here is a quote from (Downing 2012, pp. 36–39) which I found this information from 'The insinuation was that absolute beauty is innate, promoted by a strict regime of diet and exercise, and to paint and powder was to cheat, suggesting sternly that a girl not willing to work hard at developing beauty from within did not deserve it.'

If I compare there ideas and thoughts to the era we are in now, I feel they make great sense of themselves. I am in slight agreement that people should be beautiful from within, instead of creating this barrier with makeup of who they really are. On the other hand, I feel makeup expresses your personality and preferences in some way and can bring out the best in people through the confidence of makeup.