An occasional item on beauty treatments; some sound rather hazardous, so don’t try them at home!
“OLIVE-OIL, warmed is splendid for massaging thin arms and developing the bust, while a little well rubbed into the roots of the hair before washing will be found very beneficial for dry hair.
PEROXIDE-OF-HYDROGEN is an inexpensive beauty aid with many uses. It can be used to bleach downy hair on the upper lip and to sponge the under-arms after using a toilet razor. Diluted with a little water and dabbed on unsightly pimples or ‘cold sores’ – it dispels them speedily. Sprinkle a few drops on your nail brush, and it bleaches your nail tips to immaculate whiteness.
QUINCE SEEDS, soaked overnight in water, make an effective curling lotion which helps the hair to retain its curl and wave in damp weather.
ROSEMARY and cantharides*, which can be obtained at anuy chemists, is another excellent tonic for the hair.
STARCH is a little-known beauty bleach. If your skin is discoloured from freckles and neglected tan, try a starch mask. Mix a tablespoon of ordinaty white starch to a smooth paste with cold water. Smooth this gently on the face and neck (hands, too, if you like) and allow it to dry. It is best to do this when you can spare about twenty minutes to lie down and relax. When the paste dries, allow it to remain on fort about ten minutes longer, then wash it off gently with lukewarm water, dry gently and massage th[e] face with cold cream. Finish off with liberal applications of ice-cold water as an astringent. This is a good treatment for greasy skins.”
Stamford Mercury, 26th February, 1932.
*Cantharides is a substance secreted by blister beetles. Improperly dosed it can cause severe burns. Also called ‘Spanish Fly’, it was used as an aphrodisiac.