An Idea of the Arts of Beautifying, Perfuming, Alchymy and Chiromancie

How can one resist a sales pitch like this?

By our directions you may attain such a rosid colour, and such a lively cheerfulness, as shall not only make you look like natures workmanship, but also put admiration into the beholders, and fix them in a belief, that you are the first-fruits of the resurrection. Thus we teach you lippid mortalls to retrace the steps of youthfulness, and to transform the wrinkled hide of Hecuba into the tender skin of the greatest of beauties, which then you will dull by the advance of your Features, and make all conceited shadows of glory, to vanish in your presence. When once your artificial heat shall appear, others shall seem pale with envy for your perfections; and their natural ruddiness shall only serve them to blush, to see their features clouded by your splendor, who will seem like brown bread compared with Manchet,or rather like wooden dishes upon a shelf of China ware,or as another once said, like blubber'd jugs in a cupboard of Venice glasses, or as earthen piss pots in a Goldsmiths shop. By this means your sparkling Glories shall fire Platonick Lovers, so that none though as cold as Saturn, shall be able to resist your actuating flames, but shall force the stoutest heart, to be a Sacrifice to Love. 

by William Salmon, Professor of Physick, 1685. The treatise, "Polygraphice: Or the Arts of Drawing, Engraving, Etching, Limming, Painting ..." will teach you to draw, paint, engrave, sculpt AND prepare cosmetics that will make you astoundingly youthful and beautiful! Never mind that some of the recipes contain mercury and other nefarious ingredients... proceed at your own risk:)

a link to the book: polygraphice

Strange Antique Cosmetic Recipe~ Pigeon Water~

I have no doubt that the pigeon population of England plummeted after this secret was revealed....


DANISH COSMETIC.

proffering pigeon water?

It has been often remarked of the ladies of this country, that their complexion is more fair, and their colour more delicate and lasting than any other. It is probable that for this advantage they are in some degree indebted to nature; but it is certain that they are very assiduous to assist nature by art, and there is great reason to believe that their assiduity has it's desired effect. For this purpose they make use of a beautifying wash which they call Pigeon Water ;—the method of preparing which they affect to keep secret, but it is as follows.

Take of the water of nenuphar or water-lilly, bean water, melon water, cucumber water, and the juice of lemons, of each one ounce; of  briony, wild succory, flowers de luce, borage, and bean-flowers, of each a handful; of white pigeons seven or eight, pluck them, and cut the heads and ends of the wings, then mince them very small, and put them, with the other ingredients into an alembic; add also four ounces of double refined sugar, one drachm of borax, and as much camphire; the crumb of four small white loaves new from the oven, and a pint of good white wine. Let them digest in the alembic seventeen or eighteen days, after which distill the whole and reserve the water for use.

Amelie Margrethe Wedel-Heinen, Danish
Lady-in-Waiting pre-1900

Before this water is used, they make the skin perfectly clean with the following composition. Take about the fourth part of the crumb of a rye loaf, fresh from the oven, the whites of four fresh eggs, and a pint of vinegar : beat them well together, and strain the whole through a linen scarf? Many ladies in this country [ Denmark] who are full fifty years of age, preserve by these means all the freshness and bloom of twenty-one.

Portrait of a Lady- Christtine of Denmark,
Dowager-Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, (1521
-1590)
 anonymous. image source- wiki

This cosmetic I beg leave to recommend to the ladies of Great Britain, instead of those artificial colourings which are now in vogue, and which will inevitably destroy the finest, complexion in a short time.


William Wimple.

les pigeons blancs