Signs of Change: The Woman Beautiful
Introduction
Nestled on women’s bookshelves throughout twentieth-century America, between cookbooks and the family Bible, The Woman Beautiful provided women with the skills necessary to perfect their appearances. It taught women how to make their own cosmetics, style their hair, care for themselves, and project an air of comeliness. Middle class women of all ages turned to this volume when they needed advice on proper comportment and habits.
Perception
The Woman Beautiful includes a variety of recipes for perfumes, creams, rouges, lotions; really for any product that could be used to improve a woman’s features. When this book was published, women created their own cosmetics, as it was seen as inappropriate for women to purchase makeup. Despite its growing popularity, as exemplified by the number of books instructing women of its proper use, there was still a societal stigma attached to it. During the early 1900s, “to be seen as actually ‘wearing’ makeup was only reserved [for] women of the stage, or…the street.”[1] As women began working outside of the home and holding a more independent role in society, there was an opportunity for women to change their appearance and be more active in enhancing and preserving their appearance.
Danger and Cost
However, this practice was not without danger. Many of the products recommended in The Woman Beautiful cannot help the complexion and could even cause serious health problems. For example, the benzoin extract used in the recipe for “Lait Virginal,” a facial lotion, may smell nice, but is “sensitizing to skin.”[2] Bergamot oil, as it is used in “Cream of Pond Lilies” and “Almond Lotion,” is rated as ‘poor’ for the skin, as it is a photo-sensitizer.[3] Three of the recipes listed in these pages recommend the use of alcohol; while there are some benefits to using alcohols—especially ones with low concentrations—it can also be extremely harmful. In fact, among other side effects, “exposure to alcohol causes healthy substances in skin to self-destruct.”[4] While modern science has allowed a better understanding of the negative effects of these substances, women certainly would have felt the consequences of these ingredients in their burning and uncomfortable skin. Accordingly, there was a rise in books written to warn women of the perils of makeup, such as Skin Deep, the Truth about Beauty Aids--Safe and Harmful, written by Mary Catherine Phillips. Strikingly, women were still willing to expose themselves to sensitive skin, pain, and the possible destruction of their features, in an effort to conform to societal expectations.
While there is certainly a physical cost to the cosmetics listed in The Woman Beautiful, there is also a financial price involved in the described practices. Similar books produced during this era, such as Etiquette for Americans, Good Manners for All Occasions, and The Perfect Woman, range in price from $0.22 to $1.23.[5] At a time when the average income was $1,033 per year—or less than $20.00 per week—and that limited amount of money must cover food, clothing, shelter, and medical expenses, along with many other costs in a rapidly changing society, there would have been a little extra money for such books. These books were accessible to many, especially in the upper and middle classes, but not for everyone. However, given the practical and frugal instructions found in these pages, women who had spare money, but perhaps also wanted to save it, as well as act in a societally acceptable manner, would have used books such as The Woman Beautiful to improve their appearance.
Conclusion
The Woman Beautiful served as an important resource for middle-class women across America. They used their limited resources to purchase The Woman Beautiful and placed their health at risk in order to better their appearance. As women grew more comfortable with applying makeup, due to the guidance of The Woman Beautiful and similar books, the nation was gradually changing, with cosmetics becoming more acceptable and women advancing slowly towards social liberty.
[1] Stevie McGlinchey, “A brief history of Early 20th Century Makeup – 1900 to 1919,” Glamourdaze.com, last modified 2012,http://glamourdaze.com/history-of-makeup/1900-1919.
[2] Paula Begoun, “Ingredient Dictionary,” Paula’s Choice Skincare, accessed November 8, 2016,http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Sears, Roebuck and Co. Catalog no. 124, (Chicago: Sears, Roebuck and Company, 1912), 952.