If any of you want Tidbits emailed directly, let me know and I'll take care of it. Additionally, if you have friends who you think would enjoy Tidbits, please make them aware of us...and help me increase my circulation. URL
Quick disclaimer folks. Though I present the info below in a staged manner ... the following details as they relate to makeup in the eighteenth century are factual. That said ... let's go. And Happy New Year to you all.
Imagine the jeweler. He's just finished with a client. He feels a headache coming on. A slight sweat forms on his brow. I want something for my lady fair, said the client. I want something no one has. I want something original. Money is no object. Surprise me. Surprise my lady fair. You make her happy ... you make me happy. You make me happy ... we do more business. Now go. Do. Make. Create. I shall be back in a month.
Eighteenth Century: Get yer wafers, ladies and gennulmen. Get yer arsenic wafers. Eat an arsenic wafer and achieve that white pallor that will make you the envy of your friends. It poisons the blood and the red hemoglobin cells. No matter if this brings less oxygen to your organs. Beauty above all things. Step right up. You. Yes you with the rosy cheeks. You don't want to look like that ... do you?
And so the jeweler wracked his brains. A ring would not do. He had made too many for this customer. A pendant perhaps? No. Earrings? No. A bracelet ... a watch ... a brooch ... some pearls? No and no and no and no. A last guess. A stab in the dark. Rummaging around in the recesses of his subconscious for an idea. Doesn't matter if you grab it by the leg or the arm ... just grab and pull and it will appear. And then ... he got hold ... tugged ... and presto gazatz ... he had it.
Eighteenth Century: Step right up folks. Get some lipstick to go with that newly acquired pale complexion. It's safe folks. It's made from mulberry and seaweed ... and tinted with cinnabar--a poisonous red sulfate of mercury. Don't lick your lips too much ma'am. Don't want to ingest too much of that poison do we? Not after we've just taken that arsenic wafer. Fetus? Did you say fetus ma'am? Mercury and arsenic harm fetus' you say? Congenital deformities, you say? Stillbirths ... miscarriages ... inborn deformities. Yes ... well ... that may all well be ... but we won't know about that for some time to come ... and in the meantime ... think of beauty. Beauty me lassies ... man-made beauty above all things. Au-natural is for the peasantry and the weak and the faint of heart. Step right up. Get yer lipstick.
A lipstick holder it would be. Yes. In 18 karat white gold perhaps. Studded with diamonds. It would be unrivaled. Who in this world would own such a thing. Who in their right mind would think of possessing such a thing. Ah ... but once possessed ... one could prance about showing off the uniqueness of the thing. Oh dear oh dear ... it's so warm at the ball ... I simply must put on fresh lipstick. Dahling ... would you please go into my purse and get me my diamond-studded ... 18 karat white gold lipstick-holder.
Eighteenth Century: An so ... for those of you who think of those who tried to prevent women from wearing makeup through the ages ... think perhaps it was not only from a prim and prissy attitude ... but perhaps also from some knowledge of the harmful effects make-up of yore had on the wearer.
As to our fictional jeweler ... someone did make that holder ... and if not the most beautiful thing in the world ... the history of lisptick and makeup is certainly fascinating.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I direct you to my home page at
And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark
All issues of Tidbits are copyrighted and available from our home page. All rights reserved. _________________________________________________ SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE E-MAIL NEWSLETTER: TIDBITS Available From Our Home Page At: