TUDOR COSMETICS

In my introduction to Elizabethan makeup I mentioned about some of the dangers that were used in Tudor times, especially in the cosmetics. After doing some more research I wanted to go more into depth about the the cosmetics and the dangerous ingredients within them. I wanted to understand more about what was used as I think it is an important factor of the Tudor times and really emphasises how far they would go to look beautiful.
Although the women used makeup to indicate their wealth they also used it for more practical reasons like we do now. Most used the thick makeup to hide scars and other diseases such as smallpox that were very common.
The use of heavy makeup wasn't popular during the early Tudors, they actually used more natural products to soften the skin with ingredients such as honey, beeswax and sesame oil.
It wasn't until Queen Elizabeth set the fashions that makeup became popular in England. She wore really dramatic makeup to hide any imperfections, wrinkles or signs of ageing, this made other women want to do the same, which is why makeup became so popular.

The white paint that was favored by the upper class named 'ceruse' was made from extremely dangerous ingredients. The mixture contained white lead and vinegar which was actually poisonous making the skin in very bad condition. The high class Tudor women used to bleed their face to achieve the washed out complexion and face paint made our of plant roots was also used.
They also used Kohl to darken the eyelashes which was imported from the middle east and products names madder and vermilion were used to make the rouge for the lips and cheeks. This would stain them and last a very long time.
Apparently the richer women used to laugh at the poor women for using cheaper versions of the products such as flour for a white, face which is quite ironic as the more expensive product caused a lot of damage,where as the cheap version had no damaging effects at all.
In the pictures we see Corinthian pyxis with a red powder, and two make-up pots with molded tablets of white lead.. Found in a tomb from the 5th c. BC. Although a lot earlier than the Tudors this is where the ingredients were first seen to be used and are very similar to what was used by Queen Elizabeth. I find it really interesting to see how far back makeup was used.




References 

Beauty and Cosmetics 1550-1950
Sarah Jane Downing
Tudor Makeup
http://www.sixwives.info/tudor-make-up.htm
Dangerous beauty
http://www.thetudorswiki.com/thread/4627614/Tudor+Cosmetics...dangerous+beauty