The Elizabethan period, often referred to as the golden age, was between 1558 - 1603, this is when Elizabeth I reigned, who was the last tudor monarch. It was a time It was the height of the english renasonce. It was a time when theatre, poetry and music was very popular, as William Shakespear
the time when there was a lot of development in poetry and music, with writers such as will shake
Elizabethan Hair and Makeup
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| Elizabeth I http://www.thehistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Elizabeth-I-of-England-The-Darnley-Portrait.jpg |
Queen Elizabeth I was idolised by many women who wanted to look like her. Her strawberry blonde hair and pale skin were seen as beautiful and every women wanted to achieve her look.
Skin - Women longed after a very pale/white complexion. The upper-class wanted this white skin to show that they didn't have to work outside, as the lower-class had to work outside in the fields and therefore caught a suntan. Pale skin was therefore a symbol of wealth and nobility. Women achieved this look by wearing white face makeup, the most popular being a mixture of white lead and vinegar, called ceruse; this was very poisonous! Women also used different ingredients such as sulphur, alum or tin ash. Egg whites were used to make the skin look paler and also to hide any wrinkles. Women were even bled to achieve the desired look!
Eyes and eyebrows - Kohl was used to darken the eyelashes and to line the eyes. Women would sometimes use Belladonna which would increase the size of their pupils and therefore make their eyes look bigger. It was very popular for women to have very thin eyebrows, or even no eyebrows, and to achieve this look many women would pluck or shave their eyebrows to achieve the desired look. Having an arched eyebrows was also popular. They took these steps to help make their forehead look larger as it was a sign of aristocracy.
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| Before and after use of Belladonna. |
Lips and cheeks - It was very popular to have red cheeks and lips as it was a pretty contrast against the white skin and it also looked youthful. To achieve the red/pink cheeks and lips women would use plant dyes, such as madder, and animal dyes, such as cochineal. Egg whites and ochres were also used to redden the cheeks. The red pigment, vermilion, could be used for reddening the lips.
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| Madder - Asian plant with red roots http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EEGvPJiKk-c/U1vlhJq812I/AAAAAAA AEp0/Q_8k2D2z8WU/s1600/1404_madderroots.jpg |
Hair - Fair hair was very popular amongst women. Women would use dye or bleach to achieve the desired look, using substances like cumin seeds, oil, saffron, celadine and also urine! People were also inspired by Elizabeth I to start dying their hair red. Women would wear their hair down and only sweep it up and off their face when they were married. Wigs were very popular with those who could afford them, as they could be used if their hair was thinning out or if they wanted a specific colour. Some women would even shave all of their hair off and just wear wigs all the time! Women often accessorised their hair with jewels and pearls to show off their wealth and high status.
My Chosen Portrait
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| The Rainbow Portrait http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/ c/cf/Elizabeth_I_Rainbow_Portrait.jpg |
I have chosen The Rainbow Portrait. Elizabeth wore more and more makeup to help cover her growing wrinkles and any other signs of ageing. She wanted to maintain the youthful and pure image that so many women longed for. She also had small pox, so the heavy coverage white makeup helped to cover the scares that got left behind.
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