[Jewelry making - Article 00243] - [Orchid] [Tidbits] Arsenic ... Lipstick ... and Jewelry

[Benjamin Mark]

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    Quick disclaimer folks. Though I present the info below in a staged
    manner ... the following details as they relate to makeup in the
    eighteenth century are factual. That said ... let's go. And Happy New
    Year to you all. 

    Imagine the jeweler. He's just finished with a client. He feels a
    headache coming on. A slight sweat forms on his brow. I want
    something for my lady fair, said the client. I want something no one
    has. I want something original. Money is no object. Surprise me.
    Surprise my lady fair. You make her happy ... you make me happy. You
    make me happy ... we do more business. Now go. Do. Make. Create. I
    shall be back in a month.  

    Eighteenth Century: Get yer wafers, ladies and gennulmen. Get yer
    arsenic wafers. Eat an arsenic wafer and achieve that white pallor
    that will make you the envy of your friends. It poisons the blood
    and the red hemoglobin cells. No matter if this brings less oxygen
    to your organs. Beauty above all things. Step right up. You. Yes you
    with the rosy cheeks. You don't want to look like that ... do you? 

    And so the jeweler wracked his brains. A ring would not do. He had
    made too many for this customer.  A pendant perhaps? No. Earrings?
    No.  A bracelet ... a watch ... a brooch ... some pearls? No and no
    and no and no. A last guess. A stab in the dark. Rummaging around in
    the recesses of his subconscious for an idea.  Doesn't matter if you
    grab it by the leg or the arm ... just grab and pull and it will
    appear. And then ... he got hold ... tugged ... and presto gazatz
    ... he had it.  

    Eighteenth Century: Step right up folks. Get some lipstick to go
    with that newly acquired pale complexion. It's safe folks. It's made
    from mulberry and seaweed ... and tinted with cinnabar--a poisonous
    red sulfate of mercury. Don't lick your lips too much ma'am. Don't
    want to ingest too much of that poison do we? Not after we've just
    taken that arsenic wafer. Fetus? Did you say fetus ma'am? Mercury
    and arsenic harm fetus' you say? Congenital deformities, you say?
    Stillbirths ... miscarriages ... inborn deformities. Yes ... well
    ... that may all well be ... but we won't know about that for some
    time to come ... and in the meantime ... think of beauty. Beauty me
    lassies ... man-made beauty above all things. Au-natural is for the
    peasantry and the weak and the faint of heart. Step right up. Get
    yer lipstick.  

    A lipstick holder it would be. Yes. In 18 karat white gold perhaps.
    Studded with diamonds. It would be unrivaled. Who in this world
    would own such a thing. Who in their right mind would think of
    possessing such a thing. Ah ... but once possessed ... one could
    prance about showing off the uniqueness of the thing. Oh dear oh
    dear ... it's so warm at the ball ... I simply must put on fresh
    lipstick. Dahling ... would you please go into my purse and get me
    my diamond-studded ... 18 karat white gold lipstick-holder.  

    Eighteenth Century: An so ... for those of you who think of those
    who tried to prevent women from wearing makeup through the ages ...
    think perhaps it was not only from a prim and prissy attitude ...
    but perhaps also from some knowledge of the harmful effects make-up
    of yore had on the wearer.  

    As to our fictional jeweler ... someone did make that holder ... and
    if not the most beautiful thing in the world ... the history of
    lisptick and makeup is certainly fascinating.  

    For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I
    direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
    scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
    Tidbits Graphics ... and then click on the link that says: Lipstick
    ... where you'll see an image of the 18 karat white gold diamond
    studded lipstick holder.  

And there ya have it.
That's it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark

                     -- http://www.tyler-adam.com --


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