Research: Elizabethan Make-up

Queen Elizabeth herself set off the trend of wearing make-up. She used red and white paints on her exposing skin which gradually built up along with her age. She maintained her image of 'The Virgin Queen'. It was seen as pure beauty and was obtained by people of higher class.

To mix the paint they used white led or powdered borax along with ochre and mercuric sulphide for the cheeks. The lips were made using cochineal mixed with gum arabic, egg whites and fig milk. It seems like anything was used to manufacture cosmetics such as eggs, honey, shells, musk and even pigeon's wings and claws. It has even been said for women to swallow gravel, ashes, coal and dust to make themselves feel unwell to then naturally become a paler colour in the face.

The women who did not wish to paint their faces tended to wash in their own urine or rose water and wine. Some women even washed their faces in water that beans had been washed in.

Use of cosmetics had become very popular, especially in the higher classes although this had its complications. The chemicals used on the face resulted in poisoning which is actually what is thought to have killed the Queen herself.

Source:
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-make-up.htm

CORSON, R. (2003) Fashions in MakeUp, UK: Peter Owen Publisher