Makeup & Hair in the 1800’s (Victorian times/Romantic Era)

This is the first part of a four part project I have to get into College to study Makeup and Hair.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing and researching it.

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Makeup & Hair in the1800s by Creag Aaro Stacy.

When the British throne was ascended by Queen Victoria, women were expected to be covered head to toe, even though dresses from only a few decades before featured bare shoulders and low necklines. Due to this modesty, skincare and cosmetics were significantly affected. Buying manufactured cosmetics was seen as highly immodest and women were encouraged to stay out of the sunlight to keep the pale look. One reason for this look was to portray a delicate, feminine and fragile woman, with pale complexion and long curls as this was the ideal look for beauty at the time.

Complexion: A pale complexion was a sign of nobility and that of a well-off woman, who did not spend hours outside working, building up a natural tan (which was considered very vulgar). It was during this time that women started to use the safer option of Zinc Oxide, a white mineral powder to achieve the Victorian look. It was so desired to look pale that some women went to extreme lengths of drawing on and emphasizing their dark circles, pinching their cheeks and biting their lips to make them appear redder.

Makeup: Although cosmetics were frowned upon, makeup was still used but very sparingly and in softer tones to achieve a very natural look. Eye-shadows were made with Lead and Antimony Sulphide, lipsticks with Mercuric Sulphide and on the cheeks, red rouge or beet juice was applied. All of these cosmetics were very pale-toned and applied carefully so they wouldn’t be too obvious.

Hairstyles: A woman’s hair was her glory in Victorian times. It was very rare for their locks to be cut, (usually only when they were ill) applying fake hair to give a fuller look. Hair was usually pulled back into chignons or buns, sometimes allowing gentle curls to fall down at the sides and back to emphasize it. Ornate combs and clips were used to decorate hair and oils were used to give a sleek/smooth appearance. Eyebrows were also plucked.

Whilst well-off women used natural or little makeup, actresses and prostitutes (which were considered the same thing in those days) kept on wearing strong makeup. The majority of women sought the looks of the damsels in distress from a Shelley or Lord Byron poem, however in cities such as Paris, the Bohemian lifestyle, skincare and image was coveted.

The Bohemian lifestyle was one of freedom, which was reflected in their skincare and makeup products.

Face painting was very popular and much more accepted and the brighter the colours the better. Some women even used coal on their lips or a bright green to resemble the lips of someone who had been drinking Absinthe.

It was in 1883 that the World Exhibition introduced the industry changing beauty product: The Lipstick. It was presented by perfumers from Paris on this expo. Being covered in silk paper and made from deer tallow, castor oil and beeswax, the prototype rather looked like a small sausage and was therefore frequently called ‘saucisse’.
Due to the image (and high price) associated with it, the road was long and steep before lipstick became one of the most popular cosmetic in the world.

The First Lipstick.

For the film Moulin Rouge (2001) which is set in 1899-1900s Paris, makeup artist Maurizio Silvi studied paintings by Degas, Picasso, and Toulouse-Lautrec for images of 19th century Bohemian Paris. Toulouse-Lautrec’s vibrant palette inspired such choices as the cabaret owner’s red-orange hair and the bright blue hair of another character.