Research: Elizabethan Time Period Makeup

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the look for women changed history. Before her reign, it was considered 'vulgar' to wear make up and use perfume and this was disapproved of by upper classes. Many woman had a 'seductive look' around this time period but Elizabeth stuck to her image as a 'virgin queen'.

Her look was based around this idea of 'pure beauty'. She had light red hair and a pale, snow-like complexion with rosy red tinted cheeks and rouge red lips.

This look was only for the upper class women during this time period as lower class women would spend their day working outside and would often end up with a suntan. Because of this, you could always tell the wealthy women to the poor, a pale woman of this era was a sign of power and wealth.

As well as wealthy, upper class women, this pale complexion also applied to the men too so you could tell if they were upper class or not. This look was achieved with white face make up.

In many of Queen Elizabeth's portraits, you could see her white face make up.

Another reason for the upper class women to wear this pale make up on their faces was to help hide the look of ageing. The rich looked all fresh faced and wrinkle-less and the lower class women would look the complete opposite.

To make the popular white face make up, the upper class would use a product called Ceruse which was a mix of vinegar and white lead. This was a poisonous product and would often make the women's faces bleed but it was such a craved and desired look that the woman didn't care and would continue to wear the make up anyway. Another form of make up that they used was face paints that was created from plant roots and leaves. As for their skin, because of the poison in the vinegar and lead, their skin would end up covered in blemishes, wrinkles, spots and even freckles, so to hide this they would use rosewater, lemon juice or sometimes even a mix of eggshells, alum, mercury and honey to get rid of this.

Many upper class women during this era would have quite light hair and Elizabeth's was a light red, almost ginger colour. Many women, to achieve a light hair colour would dye their hair a yellow shade by creating their own hair dye consisting of saffron, cumin seeds, celandine and oil. Although many people dyed their hair, quite often the Queen would wear a wig or hair piece. She is said to have had over eighty wigs and hair pieces during her time.

To achieve the rosy red cheeks and the rouge red lips that was ever so popular during this era, they would use a dye called Cochineal which comes from a scale insect (bug) and is extracted from it's body and eggs. To give the effect of fuller, darker eyelashes, Kohl was used as a mascara like substance.

Sources:
www.elizabeth-era.org.uk

'Elizabeth Make-up'

www.beautifulwithbrains.com

'Beauty History: The Elizabethan Era'