Mother's Cook Book: Containing Recipes for Every Day in the Week, Including ..

Notwithstanding the reticence of these skilled artists, an occasional burst of confidence has revealed a few of their means of accomplishing the great end of looking pretty. "Do yon often do that?" said one of those clever 901 Mother's Cook Book. ones, a matron of 37, who looked like a girl of 19, to a friend who was vigorously rubbing her cheeks with a coarse towel after a plentiful application of cold water. "Yes, every time- 1 come in from a walk, ride, or drive. Why?" " Well, no wonder yon look older than you are. Yon are simply wearing yonr face out ! " " But I must wash ? " " Certainly, but not like that. Take a leaf out of my book; never wash your face just before going out into the fresh air, or just after coming in. Nothing is more injurious to the skin. Come to the glass. Do yon notice a drawn look about yonr eyes and a general streakiness in the cheeks? That is the result of your violent assault upon your complexion just now. You look at this moment ten years older than you did twenty minutes ago in the park." " Well, I really da I look old enough to be your mother; but then, you are wonderful. You always look so young and fresh 1 " " Because I never treat my poor face so badly as you do yours. I use rain-water, and if I cannot get that, I have the water filtered. When I dress for dinner I always wash ray face with milk, adding just enough hot water to make it pleasant to use. A very soft sponge and very fine towel take the place of your terrible huckaback arrangement" Two or three years ago a lady of Oriental parentage on her father's side spent a season in London society. Her complexion was brown, relieved by yellow, her features large and irregular, but redeemed by a pair of lovely and expressive eyes. So perfect was her taste in dress that she always attracted admiration wherever she went. Dressed in rich dark brown or dullest crimsons or russets, so that no one ever noticed much what she wore, she so managed Mothee'b Cook Book. 306 that suggestions and hints — no more— of brilliant amber or pomegranate scarlet should appear just where the; imparted brilliancy to her deep coloring, and abstract the yellow from her akin. A knot of old gold satin under the rim of her bonnet, another at her throat, and others in among the lace at her wrists, brightened ap the otherwise subdued tinting of her costume, so that it always looked as though it had been designed expressly for her by some great colorist. Here rouge was unnecessary. The surroundings were arranged to suit the complexion, instead of the complexion to suit the surroundings. There can be no doubt as to which is the method which best becomes the gentlewoman. In addition to the disagreeable sensation of makiug-up, it must be remembered that the use of some of the white powders eventually destroys the texture of the skin, rendering it rough and coarse. Rimmel, the celebrated perfumer, in his " Book of Perfumes," says that rouge, being composed of cochineal and saffron, is harmless, but that white cosmetics consist occasionally of deleterious substances which may injure the health. He advises actors and actresses to choose cosmetics, especially the white, with the greatest care, and women of the world, who wish to preserve the freshness of their complexion, to observe the following recipe: Open air, rest, exercise, and cold water. In another part of this pleasant book the author says that schkonda, a cosmetic used among the Arabs, is quite, innocuous and at the same time effectual. " This cream, which consists of sublimated benzoin, acts upon the skin as a slight stimulant, and imparts perfectly natural colors during some hours without occasioning the inconveniences with which European cosmetics may justly be reproached." It is a well-known fact that bismuth, a white powder containing sugar of lead, injures the nerve-centres when constantly employed, and oc