By Lauren Valenti, Vogue
Marie Antoinette's approach to
beauty—labor-intensive, luxurious, and, above all, excessive—was the
anti-thesis of a modern day French woman's laissez-faire attitude. But
that doesn't make her unwavering commitment to vanity, and fabled
over-the-top regimen, any less fascinating. In honor of the former Queen
of France's 262nd birthday, here, five of her centuries-old beauty
secrets, from the totally outlandish to the surprisingly practical.
[post_ads_2]
Take Skincare Matters Into Your Own Hands
Antoinette's
most infamous beauty practice was cleansing with Eau Cosmetique de
Pigeon, which, yes, was crafted using the bird itself. According to The Toilette of Health, Beauty, and Fashion,
the recipe, popularized by Danish women, included the juice of water
lilies, melons, cucumbers, and lemons, as well as the crumbs of French
rolls, white whine, and stewed pigeons among other curiosities. After
washing up with the concoction, she'd tone her skin with her choice
astringent, Eau des Charmes, made of
"drops exuded by grapevines in May." Finally, her signature face mask
(which is still popular in France today) for a fresh, glowing complexion
was made from two teaspoons of circulation-stimulating cognac, 1/3 cup
of cell-renewing dry milk powder, brightening lemon juice, and one egg
white.
Indulge in Baths Ritually
In Sophia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette,
Antoinette, played by Kirsten Dunst, can often be found de-stressing in
a large white bathtub inside her decadent Versailles wash room. And
it's not a dramatization—the queen bathed frequently even though it was
uncommon for the time. According to Melanie Clegg, author of Marie Antoinette: Intimate History,
she would spike her bath water with skin-soothing pine nuts, linseed,
and sweet almonds, as well as gently exfoliate her skin with rice
bran-filled muslin pads.
Try an All-Natural Hair Color Boost
Antoinette
loved all-natural, D.I.Y. elixirs for her hair, too. In fact,
underneath her towering gray wigs, she was a strawberry blonde. To pull
out the copper tones and increase vibrancy, she'd apply ginger-hued,
plant-based ingredients such as turmeric, sandalwood, and rhubarb to her
strands in paste form, says Clegg.
[post_ads_2]
Fake a Beauty Mark
During
the 18th century, smallpox was a major endemic disease that left many
with dark marks and deep scars on their face. In tandem with other
makeup techniques, such as a veil of creamy white face powder and
heavy-handed rosy rouge on the cheeks, women would conceal pock spots
with faux beauty marks made of velvet or satin called mouches,
in cheeky shapes such as hearts, moons, and stars. And they could
convey different things based on placement. A heart shape on the right
cheek indicated that you were married, for instance, while shapes near
the corner of the eye denoted passion. Antoinette was said to have
applied hers near the corners of her mouth to indicate she'd like a
kiss.
Surround Yourself with Fragrance
During
Antoinette's reign, the Palace of Versailles, despite its arresting
beauty, left much to be desired when it came to odor due to its lack of
adequate bathrooms. To ensure a pleasant smelling bedroom, Antoinette
would fill her space with fresh flowers and potpourri, as well as mist
fragrance—she was partial to rose, jasmine, tuberose, and especially
orange blossom—and apply essential oils, such as lavender, onto her
body. Antoinette was also notorious for her obsession with signature
fragrances, looking to French perfumer Jean-Louis Fargeon
to create bespoke scents including the rose, jasmine, and bergamot
blend she kept with her, even during her imprisonment in the Tower of
Paris.
