The Victorian Era

What Did Victorian Makeup Look Like?

Article · Fashion & Dress · The Victorian Era, 1837–1901

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Victorian makeup was more limited than the makeup of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and the natural look, with the face unpainted, was the dominant ideal of the period. The use of makeup was widely regarded as the preserve of actresses, of prostitutes, and of women of ill repute, and the use of makeup by a respectable woman was widely regarded as a sign of loose morals. The history of Victorian makeup is examined in Victorian Hair and Beauty, and the parallel history of beauty products is examined in What were Victorian beauty products?.

The Natural Look

The natural look was the dominant ideal of Victorian makeup, and it was the appearance to which most respectable women aspired: pale, unblemished skin, faintly rosy cheeks, bright eyes, and soft, well-kept hands and hair. The ideal emphasised the natural beauty of the woman and required that any use of cosmetics be invisible.

The natural look was not, however, easy to achieve. It was understood to depend on health and regimen — a sound diet, fresh air, exercise, sleep, and scrupulous cleanliness — as well as on the discreet use of skin creams, lotions, and powders. It was, in practice, the product of a long process of self-discipline and careful self-presentation.

The Use of Makeup

The use of makeup was nonetheless more common in the Victorian period than the ideal of the natural look would suggest. It was most open on the stage, at the theatre, the opera, and the music hall, and discreet touches of powder and rouge were worn at balls, dinners, and other evening occasions, where they could pass unnoticed in candlelight or gaslight.

Such makeup was applied discreetly, to enhance the natural look rather than to disguise it. Powder was dusted over the face, neck, and shoulders, a touch of rouge was worked into the cheeks, and salve was smoothed onto the lips, the preparations being applied with a brush, a pad, a hare’s foot, or the fingertips and then carefully blended so as to leave no visible trace.

The Daytime Makeup

The daytime makeup of the Victorian period was discreet, subtle, and natural, designed to enhance the beauty of the woman without drawing attention to itself. It amounted to little more than a light dusting of face powder, perhaps the faintest touch of rouge, a plain lip salve, and a delicate perfume, supported by the skin creams and lotions of the daily toilet.

Daytime makeup was applied in the morning, after the bath, and removed in the evening, either by the lady herself or by her lady’s maid. Good preparations were expensive, and a well-kept complexion was itself read as a sign of the social position of the lady.

The Evening Makeup

The evening makeup of the Victorian period was somewhat more elaborate, since it was designed to be seen by candlelight or gaslight at the dinner, the ball, the theatre, and the opera. A heavier application of powder, a more perceptible rouge, and a richer lip salve could pass in the flattering evening light, where the same painting would have been conspicuous by day.

Evening makeup was applied before the evening’s engagements began, by the lady herself or by her lady’s maid, and even then discretion remained the rule: the aim was a becoming glow rather than an obviously painted face.

The Theatrical Makeup

The theatrical makeup of the Victorian period was far more elaborate and more visible, since it had to be seen from a distance under the harsh footlights, gaslight, and limelight of the stage. Heavy greasepaint, strong rouge, darkened brows, and emphatic lip colour were required to keep the features legible across the auditorium, and the painted face was an accepted and necessary part of the actress’s craft.

Theatrical makeup was applied by the actress herself or by her dresser, and the open use of paint on the stage did much to fix the public association between cosmetics and the theatre that respectable women were so anxious to avoid.