THE SKIN 65 



If skin-powder cosmetics are indeed harmless, as those 

 now used mostly are, then what troubles are we to encounter ? 

 Moral troubles conscience troubles, ladies fair. You know 

 what opinions some people hold in respect to what they call 

 vanity. You know how sinful it is in the estimation of 

 some people to tint the skin. Would you wish me a man 

 liking peace and quiet to pronounce opinions on this point, 

 to state whether I approve of skin-painting, regarded from a 

 moral point of view, or disapprove of it ? Goodness, no ! I 

 hate argument. The morality of the thing, ladies, pray settle 

 among yourselves. Still, perhaps some people may accede to 

 a few general propositions ; the first being that any lady whose 

 complexion is good already had better let well alone. It is 

 not within the competence of any art to give the delicate tints 

 which mantle upon a really beautiful female skin. My advice 

 to ladies having delicate complexions, and valuing the gift, 

 would be to keep their complexions good by observance of 

 certain points of discipline. Early hours, not too much danc- 

 ing, distilled water for the toilet, and low alkalised soap. 



If asked to specify the greatest enemy to the duration of 

 a lady's complexion, I would state the London season ; re- 

 curring again and again, with all its hard work, its mental 

 anxieties and general rigour. Yet there will be London sea- 

 sons many, despite my vaticinations ; and belles must disport 

 themselves in hot drawing-rooms, and eat ices after the ball's 

 warm glow ; and turn night into day. They must do all this 

 and more ; all not conducive to good health, and hence not to 

 the maintenance of the highest ideal of skin-beauty. Where- 

 fore, after a certain age, I suppose skin-pigments there must 

 be, as there always have been. 



There was a time when the chemical nature of things was 

 not so well known as to-day ; when the creamy whiteness of 

 flake-white none other than superior white-lead entered 

 into the composition of pearl-powders. I need not pause to 

 reprobate the awful danger of employing this material for 



