Victorian Beauty Ideals

https://whizzarre.wordpress.com/2014
/02/21/dressed-to-kill-themselves/

In the Victorian era, only actresses and whores openly used cosmetics. The Victorian ideal of beauty for females was an ample bust and an extremely small waist and wide hips. They focused more on their hair and body image then their complexion and make-up application. Females would focus on achieving very small waists as this was fashionable of this time. They would even begin to mould their waists even before puberty. There was health risks associated with trying to achieve this perfect body, these ladies lung capacity would be reduced by 20% and they displaced internal organs either above or below the corseted mid section. 

The rise to the thrown of Queen Victoria in 1837 marked the decline of the use of cosmetics. Cosmetics were frowned upon and thought to be something only women of bad morals would wear. But that did not mean Ladies stopped using them altogether.

Victorian Complexion: Like past historical era's such as the Elizabethan times, a pale complexion was a sign of nobility. It showed your class, as if you had tanned skin it meant you were of a lower ranking and probably worked outside.

As Victorian women still wanted to achieve a pale complexion they used something that was a lot safer then what the Elizabethans used and this was Zinc Oxide, a white mineral powder which was blended across the face and neck and gave them the same good pale effects as the harsher chemicals. 

Victorian Ladies avoided the sun with parasols when they were outside to protect their pale skin. Some of these women would even paint really thin and faint blue lines onto their skin to give it a translucent look. Some would even go to extreme lengths by enhancing their dark circles with powders to create a sickly look.

Although mentioned previously, cosmetics were frowned upon they were still used sparingly to achieve a natural look. They made eye shadows with led sulphide and for lipsticks and blush too. 

They also used DIY skincare out of flowers and oils.

Victorian Hair: During the Victorian era a woman's hair was considered her glory. Woman very rarely cut their hair, normally only when they were ill. The upper classes would apply hair pieces and extensions to make it fuller so they could create more elaborate hairstyles. They normally pulled it back into buns and chignons. They would place clips and combs to decorate the hair. Men also looked after their looks but wore their hair shorter and concentrated on their facial hair.