Modern beauty trends are constantly changing. Keeping up with switching from cool tones and thick makeup to ‘natural’ makeup looks and back again is a constant struggle. Makeup and skincare have been popular for centuries, but have you ever wondered how modern makeup has changed from the way it was 400 years ago? The beauty standards were very different from what they are now, so they treated their skin with different products to achieve unique looks. While some of these practices were unsafe, many were adapted and are still used today. Here are a few techniques used in the 17th century that you can use to change up your makeup look.
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Foundation
It was common during the early 1600s in England for many beauty standards to revolve around replicating Queen Elizabeth’s appearance. It was believed that the more translucent your skin appeared, the more youthful you were. Although these harmful beliefs are less common, we still use products like foundations to help minimize visible blemishes in our skin much like they did with powders. You can buy these products to match your skin tone for a more natural appearance. It was also common to use animal fats as a type of toner, unlike the minerals we make it out of now.
Red Lips and Blush
Lipstick and rosy cheeks were still popular even in the 1600s. Bright red was the ideal color and they had many methods for achieving this look. They used to dye paper to rub on their cheeks similar to the way we use makeup sponges and blush brushes. It was also common to irritate the lips with vinegar to make them more red- our alternative, lip plumping gel, is more pleasant, although it may cause swelling or burning sensations if you are sensitive to it.
Wide eyes
Having dilated pupils was ideal in the 17th century because it created a look of sweetness and innocence that most people found desirable. The way they achieved ‘doe’ eyes, a look that is still popular, used to be incredibly unsafe. They would use eyedrops that contained nightshade, a highly toxic plant that could lead to blindness. Now, it’s much safer to use mascara that enhances the volume of your eyelashes and makes your eyes appear wider. Eyeliner can also help increase this effect if it’s something that you like.
Soft Skin
In order to preserve soft skin and hair, women created pomatums, gels applied to their face and in their hair that were made out of animal fat and wax. They would often melt in the sun, so these products could only be used in moderate amounts. We use coconut, almond and shea butter to keep our hair glossy and smooth. Lotions made of similar oils are ideal to keep our skin smooth during cold weather.
Many of the tricks women had in the 1600s mirror the products that we use in the modern day. Many modern products are safer, more developed versions of products we had over 400 years ago. Whether you plan on a bold face of makeup or a lighter natural look, you can appreciate that makeup is much safer and more comfortable to wear. There are a variety of options, from blood-red lips to pumpkin-colored blush- whatever your style is this fall.