In the late 1890s, the makeup style of Victorian women was delicate pale, healthy and natural. They did not use makeup, if so it was very hidden and not revealed to anyone. Only prostitutes and actors used makeup.

Here is a fragment from An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa M. Alcott, the writer of Little Women.

“I don’t care for that; I don’t like it, and I won’t have it,” said Tom, decidedly.

“You can’t help yourself. Half the girls do it, either paint or powder, darken their lashes with burnt hair- pins, and take cologne on lumps of sugar or belladona to make their eyes bright. Clara tried arsenic for her complexion, but her mother stopped it,” said Fanny, betraying the secrets of the prison-house in the basest manner.

“I knew you girls were a set of humbugs, and very pretty ones, too, some of you, but I can’t say I like to see you painted up like a lot of actresses,” said Tom, with an air of disgust.

“I don’t do anything of the sort, or need it, but Trix does; and having chosen her, you must abide your choice, for better or worse.”

Victorian Beauty tips

- - Subtle stains of pinks, corals, and wines as opposed to solid jolts of color.

- - Full brows were a sign of good health.

- - Lemon juice and vinegar juice was either applied or consumed to maintain this fair complexion.

- - Society women kept indoors much of the time to keep their pale complexion.

- - Keeping wrinkles away: Mixing onion juice, white lily, honey and white wax together and then applying as a night cream.

- - Spots: could be cured by adding a little flour of sulphur to milk and then dabbing on the affected area. Due to the smell, people would then no longer come near enough to you to see that you had a spot!

- - Greasy skin: could be combated by rinsing the face with white wine – known for its purifying properties.

- - Nails could be polished with beeswax and a chamois leather to gain a high shine

- - Mixing small quantities of sulphur with the finest lard could restore greying hair.

Although the Victorians may have had some strange ideas about beauty routines, They believed key to beauty is happiness, since it ‘gives colour to the cheek and a sparkle to the eye’, all for free!

Hair

Victorian woman was very obsessed with their hair. They used a lot of time on it, and never used to cut it, they wanted it as long as possible, it was a sign of femininity, warmth, security and beauty. Whole poems were written devoted to the "hair tent"...the name for when a man would nestle on his beloved's breast and she would let her hair hang down all around him like a safe refuge. But the hair was also seen as evil and could be used to kill or trap your lover.

They saved every little hair that was combed out in a special jar. Once it was full the maid sent it away to a special hair designer that could make a bun or something usefull of it. Victorian hair jewelry was really special in those days. They were many times made by a deceased loved one. Often the metal catch or backing would be engraved with the person's name and "In Memorium". But not always. Like giving a lover a lock of hair, hair jewelry was made as a gift to a loved one, since they did not have many pictures and digital to remember them from. I reasearched more on it and found out that they still do it at http://www.victorianhairjewelry.com/.

The Victorian hair style had up does, and it was with curls and ringlets. When it came to body hair, they were in the modern way wanting to remove everything. They coated them self with olive oil and shaved themselves with a flat razor.

Some Victorian Hair styles: