Beauty advice a la 1966
I think it was the very handsome boyfriend who gave me Deborah Rutledge's 1966 book, Natural Beauty Secrets: Being a Primer for the Enlightenment of the Fair Sex, consisting of historic Receipts (sic) for the Enhancement of their Natural Beauty, prepared and used in the Sanctuary of their Homes.
He knows I enjoy reading old school guides to beauty, manners, food, etc.
I thought I'd share some of these top secret recipes for beauty but then I came across this rather witty part on advice that the author read concerning brightening one's eyes: "'What girl does not know that eating lump sugar wet with cologne just before going out will make her eyes bright?' Well, this is one girl who didn't know it. I suppose it might possibly have been the effect of the alcohol in the cologne , but I wouldn't recommend it. As far as that goes, a few shots of liquor make your eyes bright, too, and it's a lot more fun."
Sing it, sister! Ms. Rutledge delights in repeating details of dubious beauty advice: lemon juice in your eyes, turpentine on your face, using tar in facial masks. Then she recommends that you don't try the aforementioned advice as she thinks it unsound. Using that formula (repeating bad advice and a recommendation not to follow it), I could write entire books on a series of subject matters.
For all the trumpeting of recipes that will soften your skin, fade your freckles and make your hair shiny, the author does make some well reasoned comments such as: "If the expensive commercial products really worked as miraculously as their advertisements claim, it stands to reason that all the female employees...with the various companies that get them out would be eternally youthful beauties. They aren't."
Ha! Now that's some practical beauty advice, for any time.