Tudor Cosmetics

Tudor Make-up & Cosmetics

Use of cosmetics or make-up was frowned upon at some points in history. Not so the period of the Tudors, the rich woman of the Tudors, Royalty and Nobility wore make-up as an indication of their status and rank. Make up also had a practical use to had a scarring of various diseases such as smallpox. 

Influence of the Crusades on Tudor Perfume , Make-up & Cosmetics 

The use of heavy make-up was not fashionable during reigns of the early Tudors, such as Henry VIII.

Perfume were popular together with the use of creams unguents to soften the skin. These were made from ingredients such as using a honey, beeswax sesame seed oil . During the crusades Europe was introduce to the cosmetic products used in the Middle East. Perfumes were  popular and produced from flowers such as roses, water lilies and violets. Make-up was developed  in the Middle East and used by the Ancient Egyptian as far back as 3000BC . The eye make up used in the Middle East concentrated in providing colour to the eye lashes, eye lids and eye brows. A type of  rouge made from red ochre was used to stain their lips and cheeks and a form of henna was used to paint the nails and colour their hair.

Tudor Make-up & Cosmetics - Elizabethan Era 

Queen Elizabeth I set the fashion and as she grew older she more wore elaborate make-up which was useful for hiding wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Queen Elizabeth had contracted smallpox which had  left some slight scarring on her face. As she grew older the heavy white make-up which she favoured helped to hide this and maintain her illusion of beauty and image as a Virgin Queen.

White Make-up used by Tudor Woman 

Queen Elizabeth I did have a natural  attributes of this ideal image of beauty but she enhanced and exaggerated the image by using a white make-up. This explain the odd white face make-up seen if many of her portraits. The favoured application off the upper classes was a make-up called ceruse which was a mixture of white lead and vinegar. Unfortunately was a poisonous. The acquisition of a pale complexion was so desirable that rich Tudor were bled to achieve the desire pale look. Face paint made from plant roots and leaves was also applied. The look was completed with an application of an expensive rouge made from cochineal to stain the cheeks and lips. Madder and vermilion was also used to achieve this reddening effect. Kohl was used to darken the eyelashes, another element of make-up which was imported from the Middle East during the crusades.

References:

Wikipedia. 2014. Elizabeth I of England. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.harvardgenerator.com/references/website. [Accessed 31 October 2014 at 15:48.].