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Medieval
Cosmetics
FOUNDATION
- EYES - LIPS
- ROUGE
 The
statue at left is dated at 1350 shows a well-made up woman, her fashionably
pale skin with plucked eyebrows, high hairline and round forehead and
a generous amount of rouge.
Opinions varied even between the clergy as to the respectability of
wearing cosmetics. It was felt that it was generally not a desired state
although it was mentioned that women who had been afflicted with illness
and were thereby made unattractive, were excused from the sin of vanity
by a desire to not repel others or their husbands.
In the same vein, Thomas of Aquinas was questioned about the use of cosmetics
by woman and it was also grudgingly conceded for a woman to make herself
as attractive as possible to her husband so that he might not stray into
the sin of adultery was itself not a sin, however, it was cautioned that
a woman should not make herself so beautiful that she should attract other
husbands.
 Foundation
Studies have shown that women in England "painted their faces white"
to achieve a paler-looking complexion. Women often painted their faces
with blaunchet or wheaten flour or used lead-filled cosmetics. It was
assured that the root of the Madonna Lily would whiten the face. Research
also suggests "ground lily root" made a powder for faces, although
it does not specify what kind of lily is recommended.
Pictured (right) is a beautiful example
of an ivory mirror back dated at 1325-75.
Eyes
Many books say that colours and eyeliner were available at this time,
and indeed it is commonly known that since early antiquity the Egyptians
and later the woman of the Rus at Staraya Ladoga in the 10th century were
using eyeliner and eyeshadow, but a great many paintings and sculptures
for the High Middle Ages show women with pale and unadorned eyes and eyebrows
heavily plucked.
Lips
Lip tinctures and balms made of honey seem to be lip treatments most commonly
referred to. Recipes to follow..
 Rouge
The ground leaves of Angelica angelica archangelica were the principal
ingredient for the manufacture of "ladies' red powder". In a
poem by a monk of Montaudon (1180-1215AD) he states that the statues of
the churches complain to God:
"that there
is not enough paint left to adorn them because of all the ladies who
use rouge and cream".
Copyright © Rosalie
Gilbert
All text & photographs within this site are the property of Rosalie
Gilbert unless stated.
Artifact images remain the property of the owner.
Images and text may not be copied and used without permission.
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