Loose Face Powders

Although the use of cosmetics was disapproved of in Victorian times, pale, flawless skins were fashionable so many women resorted to face powders to cover blemishes like sunburn, spots and freckles. Perspiration and oily secretions could also be rectified with powder, making it useful in places where summers were warm and women were more likely to ‘glow’.

The use of face powder rose steadily towards the end of the nineteenth century but was still viewed by many as ‘injurious’ to the skin, either because the powders were thought to contain harmful ingredients like lead or because they were believed to interfere with the natural functions of the skin by blocking the skin’s pores.

[A]ll powders are injurious, whether they be chemically pure or not. They close up the pores of the face and destroy the natural functions of the skin. After a woman has used powder for any length of time, her face becomes hard and her skin scaly. Then cream or glycerine must be applied every night to soften the skin and open the pores.

(The Daily Reporter, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 1885)

These ideas persisted into the twentieth century and were not without some basis. As tests conducted in 1897 by Dr. William Murrell indicated, some powders made at the turn of the century did contain lead.

Above: Table showing the results of a chemical analysis of eight face powders (Murrell, 1897, p. 602).

To counteract these misgivings, and the occasional attack by a members of the medical profession, early manufacturers and their cosmetic chemists made numerous pronouncements defending their use.

At all events the proper use of powder is beneficial, it lightly covers and unifies a complexion, hiding the ravages of time, improving even the beautiful face.

… [T]here is no legitimate reason against the use of face powder, and the pharmacopeias prescribe them in the treatment of many skin affections. They are of benefit in acné[sic], freckles, sunburn and red nose.

Beneath their attractive aspect and odor, face powders should be made by the perfumer to combine the qualities of an elegant cosmetic and therapeutic agent; they must primarily possess adherence, lightness and be transparent; secondly, they should be detergent and delicately absorbent in order to aid the natural functions of the skin, taking up the fatty matters not easily dislodged by water; they should also tend to increase the natural elasticity and regular functions of the skin.

(Mazuyer, 1910, p. 266)