2.—COMPLEXION.
We will only give a few words of advice, as an assistance in the preservation of the complexion.
Rise early, and go to bed early. Take a plenty of exercise. Keep the pores of the skin open by perfect cleanliness. Be moderate in eating and drinking. Do not often frequent crowded assemblies, and shun cosmetics, and washes for the skin. We will give a few harmless recipes. But most of the powders and washes used dry up the skin, and in the end make it rough.
Be careful always in washing to wipe your skin dry, particularly your hands; rub them briskly for some time. If hands are left moist after washing, they will chap, crack, and become red. Honey is excellent to rub over chapped hands, or anoint them with cold cream or glycerine before retiring to rest.
If you desire to make your hands delicate, wash them in hot milk and water for a day or two; on retiring to rest rub them with palm oil, and put on gloves; wash them well in the morning. Lime water, lemon-juice, or sour milk will remove the sunburn from hands. Above all, keep the nails scrupulously clean.
It is repulsive to see a lady or gentleman, however well-dressed they may be, with nails in any degree shady. We were once, in travelling, impressed with the beauty of a young lady sitting near us. We spoke of her to a young gentleman sitting by us. He exclaimed, “Look at her hand! did you ever behold such a little black row?” She had just drawn off her glove, and diamonds glistened on her taper fingers; yet “that little black row” cast a shade over her beauty.
The nails should be pared only once a week, after washing, as the nail is then soft. Round them nicely at the corners, and press the cuticle at the bottom of the nail carefully down with the towel after washing. Never bite your nails. It gives a stumpy appearance to the nail. Also, never scrape the nail; it makes them wrinkle.
Warts young people are sometimes troubled with; the best cure is to purchase a stick of lunar caustic,—which is sold in a case or holder,—dip the end in water, and touch the wart twice a day; cut away the withered part before applying the caustic a second time.
There are two kinds of freckles. “Cold freckles” are constitutional, and we do not know of any remedy. “Summer freckles” are caused by the winds and the sunshine. The cause assigned for this is, that the iron in the blood, forming a junction with the oxygen, leaves a rusty mark where the junction takes place. The obvious cure is to dissolve the combination. We have had given to us several recipes which are said to be excellent. We will give the best of them.