Practical Session: Elizabethan Period MakeUp

During the Elizabethan era, women wore cosmetics that are radically different to the cosmetics that we wear today. Many were harmful to the skin, including materials such as lead and ceruse ( a mix of vinegar and lead).

One of Shakespeare's most popular sonnets pokes fun at the common metaphors used to describe the ideal beauty of Elizabethan women.

"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun

Coral is far more fair than her lips fair

If snow be white, why then, her breast is dun,

If hair be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white

But no such roses see I in her cheeks..."

The ideal Elizabethan female is made up of bright eyes, snow-white skin, red cheeks and lips and fair hair. 

Pale skin was a sign of nobility and delicacy, and was sought after by many. In a time period where skin problems and pox was common, sunscreen was unheard of and ointments and creams were out reach for all but the wealthy. Smooth, unblemished and pale skin was a rarity. 

Once an ideal whiteness was achieved,fucus - the Elizabethan facepaint that came in different reds was painted onto the cheeks and lips. Apparently it was painted on rather thickly, one Elizabethan satirist commented that an artist need no box of paints to work but a fashionably painted lady standing nearby.

In this practical session, I was told to recreate a Elizabethan period look using modern day makeup. 

Available from: younghistorian7.wordpress.com
last accessed 28th Nov 2013

Products used: 

Illamasque Matte primer 
Illamasque Rich Liquid foundation 100
Illamasque Powder Blush Tremble 
Illamasque loose powder 010

Brush kit
Disposable mascara wands
Sponge

Steps I followed to recreate the Elizabethan Period makeup:

1. Gown model, it is very important to gown the model because a lot of powder is used to create this look and any spillages must be avoided. 

2. Prep skin: cleanse, tone and moisturise.

3. Mixing the satin base and white foundation, even apply to the entire face with a flat foundation brush. Avoid clown whiteness, you need the real skin to just peek out through the makeup. 

4. Using a buffing brush, buff and blend the foundation into the skin, this will ensure that there are no sharp edges and the foundation is blended in throughly. 

5. Using a disposable mascara wand, brush through the eyebrows with white foundation, making them white. 

6. Again with a disposable mascara wand, brush through the top and bottom eyelashes eyelashes also making them white. 

7. Using a puff sponge, powder the face heavily with illamasqua loose powder. Roll the powder on. Powder until the face is not tacky when touched. 

8. Using a blush brush, apply Illamasque tremble blush to the centre on the cheeks. DO NOT BRUSH UP, keep it concentrated on the apples of the cheeks and in a circular shape. 

9. Finally dab some of the blush onto the lips. 

Note: Make sure to continue down the neck and ears are also covered. 

The Elizabethan look is not supposed to make the face look flawless, Elizabethan makeup was not flawless, it was caked on creating a mask like effect.