Tudor Cosmetics

Tudor Cosmetics

Using Cosmetics at one point in history was frowned upon but not in the Tudor times. Rich women and Royalty of this time wore it to show status and was used to cover diseases like small pox and used to cover scarring. Sometimes using these cosmetics gave scarring and women would turn to use different powders such as common flour, this would mean they would have to apply this constantly throughout the day.The common look was plucked eyebrows which they then reshaped as small arches which women who done this was thought out as romantic souls. White was the symbol of purity and rosy cheeks where a sign of a healthy woman. The look was what distinguished higher class to peasants and commoners.

Queen Elizabeth set a trend of wearing heavy white make-up which helped to cover her ageing and scarring. She also made her own skin lotion of egg-white, powdered egg shells, alum, borax and white poppy seeds. Most subjects followed the Queens trends including the use of white lead and vinegar which was the most popular to use. The lips and cheeks was stained with an expensive rouge made of cochineal, face paint which was called fucus came in a range of reds which where also used. Their are also some other different cosmetics such as Madder, ochre-based compounds were also used on the cheeks and lips. Kohl was also used to darken the lashes and Egg white was glazed over used to protect all this.

References:

Cosmetics. Sutton Publishing.Sarah Jane Downing.Beauty Cosmetics 1550-1950

National Art Gallery. Explore Elizabeth I [viewed 12th October 2015] Avaliable from                http://www.npg.org.uk/assets/files/pdf/exploring-elizabeth/npg_tudor_makeup.pdf
National Art Gallery. Web Quest, History of Hair and Beauty. [viewed 12th October 2015] http://www.npg.org.uk/webquests/launch.php?webquest_id=25&partner_id=portrait
Koningin Fabiolazaal, n.d.The Laboratory of Seduction- History Of Make-up, Provinciebestuur Antwerpen. pgs 105, 107,109.

[1]

Nowadays it is completely different cosmetics used if I was re-creating Tudor make-up, I would use white face paint, cream white paint or white foundation. The cosmetic I am going to try out is Illamasqua skin base foundation which is not toxic compared to tudor times. I have tried this out on the skin and it gives the perfect white complexion.

For the Lips and cheeks I am choosing Kryolan products, I have picked the Youth Red in the Blusher Palette this will create the red/pink blush as seen in the tudour times. For the Lips I have chosen LC007 in the Lip Rouge Mini Palette this is going to add the rouge colour to the lips.

[1] Elizabeth.1998.Cate Blancett [digital image] [08/10/15] available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/jcordova06/elizabethan-makeup/