The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 15, 1901, Page 3

“_—_ HE one subject which retains al- ways a deep and abiding hold on feminine interest is personal beauty. Its cuest is endless. Nor need we deny the impeachment, does not Simonides place the gift of beauty as the second great blessing in life, health only taking precedence. One of the great powers of the world, it has always been; that it is also “love, poetry, leroism,” is a strong assertion perhaps, but one with several for divine grains of truth in it. In older days beauty was personified. In Greece, witness Aphrodite; in Egypt, Hathor; in Persia, Anahita; in Carthage, Tanit; in Babylon, Mpylitta; in Byblus, laaltis; Ashtaroth among the Sidonians and Aschera among the glades of Judea. Then came a time when it was con- sidered unworthy vanity to think about or discuss the subject and the body was to be treated by all wise people with con- temptuous indifference, Nowadays, hap- pily, we consider it a positive duty to pre- serve and cultivate all the gifts entrusted to us by nature, and to try to turn de- fects into attractions, for every one—the maiden of sixteen, or the matron of sixty —can be some way pleasing, and should be; *“the woman who does not please is a false note in the harmonies of in nature.” Although we may not all be radiant beauties, it is something each owes to her- self to take care that her good points are not allowed to deteriorate through neg- lect of the many details which go to make up the personality, This means that we are to get on more intimate terms with Hygela; learn her ways and follow them. ?Q B \ BCAUTIFUL N E ~ Nearly all women might easily be miors healthy than they are, and consequently far more fascinating and beautiful. It may seem that so much has already been written about beauty and how to 1etain it that there is absolutely noching left to say. Since the time of Cyrus’ old grandfather, Astyages, who used to put paint around his eyes; since the reign of Cleopatra, who daily bathed her dusky complexion in rose water and benzoin— since those old dead and gone times, up to the present moment, new, interesting and valuable theories and suggestions re- garding personal charms are constantly being advanced. It seems worth while occasionally to consider some of the im- portant and novel points bearing on the subject—in other words, to get all the help we can in the cultivation of beauty. The Throat, Shoulders and Arms. An important first consideration is the throat, shoulders and arms—do they pos- sess the correct artistic curves and the proper alabaster whiteness? The cultivation of artistiec curves and fair, clear skin, in throat, shoulders and arms is worth some little ¢onsideration for every woman who includes therein her weapons of atttraction. The throat should be round, full and pillar-like. The shoulders should be sloping and not too broad, but rather too broad than to0 narrow. The arm to reach the standard of classic beauty should have a rounded outline, with no sharpness at the elbows, and tapering gently down to a well-shaped, not too large wrist. Before attempting to whiten the skin, endeavor to remove sunburn, tan and moles, which naturally is not the work of a moment, However, wonders may be accomplished in a comparatively short THE SUNDAY CALL. MQETEP xcpYR(QHT Bv R T e R B gme by persevering treatment. Electri- city is one remedy for moles, but there are others. Cover the white skin around the mole with a toilet cream, and then apply acetic acid for several nights until the mole disappears. The acid must not touch the white skin and should be put on with a tiny camel’s hair brush. Tor removing sunburn and tan use: Citric acid .ceeecees Violet water . Glycerin .... ..1 oz, ve8 OS; seessed OZ. Apply with a linen pad before retiring; in the morning bathe the skin with warm water. Rain water is always preferable for the bath. The throat, shoulders and arms may all be treated to this bath. After a thoro\ugh washing with soap and warm water, sponge the skin with rum and ice cold rose water in equal quantities. Rum gives tone to the flesh and makes it feel de- lightfully satiny to the touech. Then with a flesh brush go over every inch of the skin until it glows and tingles. It'is the brush that quickens blood vessels into ac- tion and revives circulation. Follow this with a thorough massage with a cream much used by Oriental women; it is called MECCA BALSAM, Oll 0of White POPPY seattserashonssressssfisens 8 oz Oil of sweet almonds, .8 0z Spermaceti ... 2 oz White wax.... 1 oz Mecca Balsam .. Melt the wax and spermaceti, add the oil of poppy and almonds, and beat (o- gether until they cream, then add the balsam and one gill of rose water, rub- bing until it will take no more rose wa- ter, and breaks away in flakes or lumps, Put into a jar and cover with a little rose water. Violet water may be substi- tuted for rose water, if preferred. A word as to balsam.” To such an extent was a love of perfumes carried in ancient Greece and Rome that each part of the body must have its peculiar unguent; the neck and arms required balsam; the cheeks and breast, palm oil; the hair, sweet marjoram; the knees, wild thyme, and the feet and legs, sweet ointment, The court at Versailles had a special per- fume for each day with Louis XIV (o superintend the making, This, however, is a digression. Aftier treating the throat, shoulders and arms with balsam cream, powder the skin lightly with alum, starch and carmins®, pounded to a fine powder, and sifted (o] through bolting cloth. Alum, white sugar, gum arabie, pounded and sifted, then made into a paste with water, is good for blotches in the skin, Having by this time achieved a white throat, and it is the throat only that is just now under consideration, it must next be made full and round. Unsightly hollows on each side of the collar bone must be filled out. 1. Bend the head slowly forward, un- til the chin touches the neck, then slowly raise the head to its normal position, Re- peat these movements fifteen times. 2. Bend the head backward as far as possible, and then raise to its normal po- sition; repeat the movement. 3. Bend the head sideways, two times to the right and as many to the left. 4. Roll thé head slowly to the right, to the left—and then forward. 6. Stand before the mirror, and attempt to draw out and down the corners of the mouth, It will probably take some time to accomplish this; only persevere; when you are able to get control of the muscles you will see the cuticle of the entire front of the neck move upward. The muscle is attached to the cuticle of the chin, and around nearly the whole length of the lower jaw; its lower insertions are at- tached to the cuticle of the chest, and when in contraction it pulls the corners of the mouth downward, and the cuticle of the chest upward. Now this is the prescription: Apply the remedy; be faithful to yourself, and 1 give you my word that in time—perhaps two weeks—the outward and visible result is going to be a roundness and fullness of throat which approaches the artistiq model. It will be well to pay heed to some com- mon sense rules, having brought your neck into fairly good condition. Don't bathe in hard water; soften it with borax. Don't bathe while very warm, and only oceasionally in cold water. Give the neck as much freedom and air as possible. High ‘‘chokers’ and the stiff lingn in which tailor-made and athletic young wemen delight are the worst foes to a beautiful neck. Another thing which shoemakers and physicians will tell you to do Is to wear loose shoes and very thin stockings. This will give the feet the nearest approach possible to barefoot ease and be an excel- lent thing for the whole body-