While period dramas like Bridgerton often take creative liberties with historical accuracy, the fascination with Regency-era beauty remains strong. Fans of Regency-inspired romance may be surprised by the contrast between modern beauty techniques and those of the early 19th century. A recent headline in The Daily Mail highlighted the anachronistic use of acrylic nails, fake lashes, and ‘BOTOX’ in these shows.
Modern beauty magazines are filled with tips for enhancing our appearance, but Regency ladies had their own beauty regimens. In the early 19th century, young women and their mothers received beauty advice from physicians, perfumers, and moralists, emphasizing a natural look over heavy cosmetics.
During this period, true beauty was believed to come from cleanliness and good health rather than makeup. Regency recipe and advice books focused on skincare, with tips emphasizing regular exercise, a balanced diet, and cleanliness. Clear skin was not only a sign of good health but also of moral purity, especially important in an era plagued by venereal diseases like syphilis.
Cosmetics were often avoided due to their potentially harmful ingredients, such as lead, and because they could mask true emotions. Of the available cosmetics—lip lacquer, face powder, eyebrow coloring, and rouge—only rouge was somewhat acceptable, and even then, it was used sparingly.
Instead, Regency beauty treatments included homemade or apothecary-made products like hair and face washes, lip balms, creams, and scented waters. These treatments often contained expensive ingredients like spermaceti, benzoin, and ambergris.
For instance, chapped hands could be treated with Paste of Palermo, a mixture of soap, salad oil, lemon juice, silver sand, and perfume. Sunburned skin benefited from fard, a paste of sweet almonds, spermaceti, and honey. Dull skin was revitalized with a lustre water made from wheat bran, eggs, and ambergris. Rosy cheeks were achieved with virgin milk, a tincture of benzoin and spirits of wine. Dry lips were softened with a salve of marrow, spermaceti, raisins, alcanna root, and balsam of Peru.
Interestingly, Bridgerton portrays elite young ladies wearing cosmetics, while prostitutes appear clean-skinned and cosmetic-free. This depiction is historically inaccurate, as prostitutes in Regency England often used heavy makeup to conceal skin issues from venereal diseases.
Despite these inaccuracies, Bridgerton captures the essence of Regency beauty practices by showing the importance of skincare. For Regency ladies, good skin was not just about appearance but a reflection of health, fertility, and moral character.