#1. What We Wore Then: Girdles Our grandmas got their hourglass figures with the help of a girdle. But a tight girdle can restrict breathing and even bruise internal organs and damage skin if worn for too long!
What We Wear Now: Skineez Instead of squeezing into those girdles, we have options that can help us achieve the same results, without all the discomfort and with healing benefits at the same time! I love SKINEEZ garments! It compresses your midsection and has a patented technology that infuses anti-cellulite and moisturizing ingredients right into the fabric! You can actually wear yourself to a happier, healthier you! Tori Spelling and Pink are also fans.
#2: What We Use Used Then: Meat Facials According to the 1930’s book, "The Art of Feminine Beauty," beef was thought to be an effective facemask! Women would cut pieces of paper to cover the forehead, cheeks, chin, and a thin narrow strip for the nose. Then they'd give the pattern to the butcher, who would cut the meat in those shapes. Women would then leave the meat on their skin and secure it with a strip of muslin, sometimes sleeping in it overnight!
What We Use Now: Protein Masks Luckily, we've come a long way from wearing raw meat on our faces! Studies have shown how protein can help maintain the elasticity of skin, but today we have less messy ways of giving our skin a dose of moisture and protein. There are numerous protein masks on the market.
#3: What We Used Then: Coal Dust And Vaseline In the early 1900’s, women would mix petroleum jelly and coal dust to create a paste to darken their lashes. In 1915, a 19-year-old boy saw his older sister, Mabel, doing it and created a local “lash-in-brow” line and eventually called his company, “Maybelline” after his sister! By 1932 Maybelline was sold nationwide in drugstores.
What We Use Now: Mascara 1958 was when we saw the first "tube" of mascara!
#4: What We Used Then: Lard Wigs were all the rage in the 18th century. They were huge and elaborate. The royal courts were notorious for having the most ornate and sculpted wigs (ie. Marie Antoinette). In order to keep their mile high wigs sculpted and holding shape, they used lard to hold the hair sculptures firmly in place. Obviously this is gross, but it also attracted lice and other vermin! It wasn’t uncommon for wigs to have their own cage at night to keep the mice away!
What We Use Now: Hairspray Now we have a better, more sanitary option with hairspray!
#5: What We Used Then: Tanning Oil And Sun Reflectors Women wanting tan skin started in the 1920’s when Coco Chanel (poster child for high fashion) came back from a cruise with a deep, golden tan. Sporting a bronzed glow sent the message that you were wealthy enough to afford a leisurely outdoor life. By the 1980’s, tanning oil was used as much as Sunscreen is today!
What We Use Now: SPF Lotion Today, I cringe at the thought of roasting in the sun. We now know how important it is to use sunscreen and get fake tans. I recommend Essentials Foaming Sunless Tan by Rodan and Fields. Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, who are the dermatologists who actually developed Proactive, design the product line (so you know there’s real science behind their products). Their foamless tanning lotion has a special dual active formula that gives an even, natural looking tan without the harmful effects of UVA or UBV rays-$24.00
Get additional tips from lifestyle and beauty expert Kym Douglas at KymDouglas.com. Follow her @KymDouglas and like her on Facebook.
