Beauty a duty; the art of keeping young

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I The Cultivation of Beauty . 5

II The Hair 21

Chapter I THE CULTIVATION OF BEAUTY

Time was when cultivation of the beauty of the human face and figure was considered vanity,— an instigation of the evil spirit. Happily, that day has passed. Every thought, every touch, every influence that inspires the sense of beauty, is just so much added to uplifting and redeeming the world from sordidness and gloom.

A well known Bishop is quoted as having said:

"Beauty fills us with fresh thoughts and joyous emotions. It lifts towards higher worlds and promises the vision of better things. It awakens in the soul the conscious harmony that is itself. It is God's smile on His world, bidding us to take hope and be of good cheer."

Indeed, the development of attractiveness in oneself is just as elevating and cultivating as the study of beauty anywhere.

Is the study of the reproduction of this flesh by an artist— in marble, or paint or charcoal— more elevating than a study of the tint of the skin, the contour of the head as affected by the hair dressing, the preservation of the artistic lines of the flesh in living, breathing life? Is the effort to preserve the body— the beautiful soul-home of the human being— less ennobling than the study of art in the abstract?

Away with the thought that the purpose to make the human form divine, a beautiful, wholesome expression of the beauty and wholeness within, is vanity !

"They are never alone who are accompanied by noble thoughts." — Sir Philip Sydney.

The cultivation of beauty vanity? It is a duty each one owes to self, but especially is it a duty of woman,— the world looks to woman for the refining delicacies of life.

As a mother, a sister, a wife, a sweetheart, you may not surround your husband, child, sister, brother, father or friend with the best art pictures, which help to lift the mental and spiritual tone of your home. You may not be able to provide a Diana, a Venus, a Madonna, painted or chiseled by one of the best masters ; but you can be yourself a more beautiful picture, because you are the work of the Master Artist. Human hand cannot portray the depth and breadth and subtle beauty of moving, breathing flesh.

Every woman may be the most artistic expression in her home. She may care for her skin and keep it delicate as coral, she may keep the lines and curves of her figure as beautiful and symmetrical as those of any Venus or Diana.

Your privilege, as a woman, is to educate, to refine, to ' ' allure to brighter worlds and lead the way."

You can bring the best of art to your family. You can do the Master Artist honor, in expressing your share of beauty. Do not express His spirit clothed in any garment but your best,— and remember the robe of the spirit is your physical body.

It is woman's privilege, and should afford her pleasure, that she can be the object of her husband's admiration; she can be the realization of art in his home,— in his life. She can be a daily, refreshing inspiration to father, mother, brother, sister, child or sweetheart, and thus lend an unconscious, educational influence, uplifting and refining.

A woman lends to the comfort of the home by her attention to material duties, but she makes the comfort in heart and mind,— the home atmosphere,— by attention to herself,— to mind, soul, heart and body.

Look in your mirror. Study yourself,— are you _, . satisfied? Is your complexion clear f Does it ex-

press the clearness of your life?

Are there discolorations or blemishes in the skin,— which symbolize imperfections within?

Are there wrinkles?— Do they bespeak a heart at rest, a mind in harmony— in poise?

Are your cheeks rosy?— Do they bespeak warm blood, circulating freely and nourishing all tissues?

Are your eyes expressive,— lustrous,— bespeaking a strong soul with rested nerves?

Are the pores fine, or large and coarse,— showing inattention to breathing, circulation and diet?

Are your teeth white,— reminding us of the whiteness of ivory? Do your nails meet the ideal which describes them as delicate pink, shell-like ornaments?

Does it not depend upon the attitude of mind with which we approach the subject? We may approach it in a superficial mood, or as a sweet, serene duty, developing the artistic side of our natures. We may make it the most gratifying, educative study.

If you possess personal charm, would you not like to know the simple, sensible ways of improving and of preserving it?

"Th* body is tlie robe of th* spirit.'

God put beauty into every grain of sand, into E , every cloud of the sky, into every leaf and vine and

bud and flower, into every shadow and high light. Look where man will, beauty is everywhere;— and where in all life is a more beautiful production of Nature 's handiwork than the human form! It is Nature's masterpiece, with the God-head pervading and speaking and moving through it.

Nothing in all life is more elevating, more refining, more ennobling than the study of the beauties in Nature and art,— than the coral tint of the flesh, the glint of the hair, the depth of the eye, the symmetrical curves of the figure, and the delicate lines of the neck, supporting the head, as the stem of a dainty flower supports its blossom.

Curves, lines and hinges in all man's creative works are copied from the human figure,— yet deeper and more than the physical beauty is the suggestive power of the spirit— culminated in man alone.

The purpose of the Creator in surrounding man with these beauties and endowing him with eyes to see and mind to appreciate was surely to inspire him to reach up to a cultivation through their study,— to show him a beautiful purpose therein.

Is not all beauty eternal? As it sinks into man's consciousness, does it not stamp its impress upon the soul?

In the study of the embryo of human life,— the spirit— shall we forget the expression of the physical beauties which foster its development? In the study of the spiritual, shall we forget the study of the delicate home given to it? As a frame gives a setting to a beautiful picture, so doth the body reflect the soul. The silken tresses glint the sunlight,— the pearly whiteness of the teeth, the coral tints of the hands, the light and shades given to the face by the softness of the hair, all speak of a subtlety,— alluring— just beyond our reach.

When I see a human form with an abnormal amount of flesh, suggesting to the beholder the predominance of the physical over the mental and the spiritual, or see one round-shouldered and stooped, with cramped, bony, angular chest and sallow complexion, I am reminded of a gnarled and crooked tree and feel like crying out:

Oh, my sister, arise to your birthright of beauty, light and power. Stand upright. Do not despoil God's temple but lend your share to the beauty and use of the world. Remember that beauty is use— it is education— refinement. Lift head and heart and soul, and drink in the beauties of life. As you drink your fill, Arise! Study to express these beauties through the clearness and color of your skin and hair and through beautiful proportions of your figure.

Let your grace of movement express the clearness of your inner life;

Let the cleanly body, with hands, hair and skin well groomed, express the cleanness of life;

Let your upright body express the uplift and courage and strength of your soul.

As you keep yourself wholesome without, you feel the wholesomeness and self-respect within, and your life has a deeper satisfaction as you realize the serene, educative dignity of your being.

Treat your body with the dignity and reverence you would a sacred temple and you will not fritter away time upon it;— you will form the habit of doing the right thing systematically.

"We are too close to God for doubt or fear."

"God made your body and He made it great; It has a guest of might and high estate.

Keep the shrine noble, handsome, high and whole, For in it lives God's guest, a kingly soul."

"How much time this all takes!" you say. Yes, No Time but how much time do we waste?

Let us save the time we spend at the bargain counter, or upon cards, furniture, or in cooking fancy, unhealthful dishes, or doing fancy work.

Let us save more of the time we spend at the fashionable shops and restaurants, in the reading of inferior books and sensational newspapers, in idle conversation and gossip, in unedifying and nonintellectual social functions and in unnecessary features of household work and devote it to the dignified work of caring for the temple of the soul.

A figure well groomed, well proportioned and gracefully carried requires neat but not expensive clothing. It takes no longer to dress the hair becomingly than unbecomingly; it takes no longer to wash the face the right way than the wrong way, when we have studied ourselves and formed the right habits.

Just learn the thing best for you, then form the habit of doing it, and you will not flounder. You will cease to experiment. Habit is a great conserver of energy.

Keep the blood circulating freely and lots of air in the lungs, that the body may be wholesome and cleanly within, as well as without.

The woman who has beauty of features has a better p opportunity to make her beauty of character felt.

' ' Handsome is that handsome does ' ' will do for some, but the philosophy of the old maxim, though good as far as it goes, falls short. The strongest character cannot exert an influence for the betterment of others until she has the attention of those she wishes to better, and much energy is lost in battling obstacles and opposition to gain an audience. This very battling hardens the features at times. So, too, does the intensity of thought.

An attractive woman never needs to strive for attention.— It is her& and she has every advantage over her plain sister who gives little attention to the niceties of her toilet. When outer charms have won for her attention and admiration, her inner charm, strength of character and true worth will be the more readily felt and recognized.

The woman of strong character needs most to cultivate softness in facial lines, in expression of features and manner; time thus spent will be to the advantage of the world as well as to herself.

Few men have time to spend in the art gal- Men Are . . . . . .

Lovers of Beauty lenes ' Dut nearly every man has a keenly artistic

sense and appreciates beauty in woman,— the beauty in figure and feature, the clear skin, the luxuriance and gloss of well kept, well dressed hair, the sparkle of lustrous eyes, the gleam of teeth well cared for, the daintiness and grace of expressive hands. He is cheered, rested and uplifted by such beauty, just as a woman, who has time for the art galleries, is feasted and refreshed by beauty on canvas or in marble. Some beauty of feature attracts him first,— the ideas and character next.

"Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world's famine feed;"

A woman of real, physical beauty, if accompanied by beauty of thought and life, is a woman of power. Who has not marveled at the favor and consideration bestowed upon some soft-eyed, gentle woman ?

Crowds make way for her.

Busy men stop to listen to her.

Men of influence use their power to help her gain what she desires.

She is first to be served at shop or table.

She is the center of an admiring group at every social gathering.

Women as well as men love and admire her.

She is a leader,— the most influential kind of leader.

Why?

Because she is beautiful; and if you look closely, you will find that the culture of heart and mind and the refined nature, have led her to give careful attention to the details of her toilet.

True, the care of the skin, the nails and the Make the Most . „ . . „ . , .

f Y G'ft r are su P e] ™ cia l an< J- rea l beauty is from withm,

but the outward care expresses the inner culture.

However well a woman may look to these outer things, she cannot be truly attractive, cannot express her highest, most cultivated thoughts, cannot possess the fullest degree of magnetism,— winning for her friends and influence— unless she carries herself well, has a well proportioned figure and enjoys good health, because these have a dynamite force all their own.

But, even as we know these last things can be accomplished by nearly all women, so do we know that the "finishing touches" are possible to every woman; and she, who neglects making the most of the personal gifts she possesses, is not only "burying her talents" and so disobeying a Divine injunction, but she is losing a great deal of enjoyment which rightfully belongs to her and is failing to contribute to the beauty and to the uplift of the world.

The cultivation of beauty exerts a reaction

Women Happier ,, . ,. ., . „ . a

if Att t' upon the individual, as well as an influence upon

her friends. When a woman looks her best, she feels better, can accomplish more and is. happier.

"If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with't."

— Shakespeare.

This is as it should be.

What woman is not happier when she finds, as she looks in her mirror, that she is looking particularly attractive?

The satisfaction with self as the eye dwells upon some feature of her toilet, fresh and wholesome, has a wonderful effect upon her mental poise. She sees life through different eyes. She is happier and her family and friends are happier in consequence.

This happiness is the satisfaction of mind, which should always result as the eye rests upon beauty. The same satisfaction is realized upon seeing a beautiful flower or a beautiful landscape.

It may be that she has given her face a massage and in consequence she looks fresh, her skin is clear and her eyes bright.

It may be that by reason of her care of the hair, it is glossy and abundant, or she may have discovered a more becoming way of dressing it.

"Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall b* a fruitful seed;"

Her nails may be particularly well manicured. In fact, any toilet accessory which makes her better satisfied with herself affects her mental poise, her eyes sparkle, and her friends reflect her mental atmosphere. She has a better time. She enjoys life.

One does not need expensive clothing. A face radiating mental poise, a well groomed body, clothed neatly and carried with grace and dignity is its own aristocracy.

Many a woman knows that from the popular stand- Attraction . . . . versus point, she cannot be beautiful to the unthinking judge.

Beauty There are many, also, who modestly under-rate themselves and are inclined to under-value the beauty points they possess.

Few, very few there are who have not some redeeming feature which distinguishes them among their friends. It may be a beautiful skin, a beautiful head of hair, or a beautiful tint or pleasing manner of dressing the hair, or beautiful hands, nails, teeth, brows, eyes, ears or feet,— they may have one or many good points.

Strive to make the very most of your distinguishing features, just as a florist strives to bring to perfection a beautiful flower, and you will be adding to the culture and beauty of the world, while your family will delight in the marks of improvement, and be rested as they look upon you.

Every ivoman can be attractive and charming in some particular, and she can be well groomed and pleasing in all.

We must bear in mind that we please first through the eye, then through the ear.

Whatever her motive, whether to please her hus- Beauty band or to win a sweetheart, or whether because she

At S' enjoys the feeling of power and satisfaction which

At Eighty rightfully belongs to every woman, every charm a woman possesses should be developed to best advantage ; and many she does not dream possible to her can be "caught and held fast," even to the very last flicker of life's sunset.

Let us dwell on that word "developed"— a developing beauty.

Every woman can acquire it— can possess it in increasing degree as years are added unto her.

Young or old, no woman's skin need be pimpled, wrinkled, dry or sallow.

It is possible for every woman to become a beautiful old lady; but it is when Time first begins to leave his stealthy footprints, that she must look to her laurels and "Attend!"

Beauty is not monopolized by youth. The most noted beauties have won their fame in more mature years, when expression of character and culture have been added to the beauty endowed by nature.

A beautiful young woman is beautiful because of form, features or complexion— her natural endowment, perhaps, well cared for. If she value these, she will seek to learn how she may preserve them; and if she would retain her power to charm, she will seek to develop the beauty, which springs from culture of mind and beauty of thought,— thus adding character to mere physical beauty and producing yearly increasing charm.

It is upon a good constitution that the aged must largely depend in the resisting of disease ; and this same care and realization of the

"Live truly, and thy life shall be A great and noble creed."

individual's physical best is what helps to produce the beloved old,— the aged person upon whom one loves to look and enjoys having about.

True beauty, genuine beauty, influential beauty radiates the more powerful light because it emanates from an exhaustless, ever developing source, with health of body and mind for its well spring; and even as a reflector makes the lantern rays brighter, so true beauty, that which is from within, is intensified, glorified, in proportion to the inner beauty of character, which is outwardly reflected through the facial expression.

Holding the head high does not make a princess. "The King's Daughter is all-glorious within," says the Psalmist. For this very reason there is greatest hope for the woman who desires to be beautiful.

Unhappy, lonely wives who are letting your You Have Won, You Must Hold nusD ands drift away from you, look well to your

personal appearance.

Wives to whom life has become a humdrum monotony, turn to studying beauty within yourself and seek to express it outwardly; put on a becoming gown, massage the lines out of your face, dress your hair becomingly; make it silky, glossy and abundant; make the hands soft ; manicure the nails afresh ; make the very most of yourselves and watch the silent influence.

It is not enough that a woman beautify her husband's home and cater to his stomach. She must call out and preserve in herself the charms which attracted him to her in the days of courtship;— she must remain the winning sweetheart, and she can accomplish this by growing in grace of body as she grows in grace of mind and spirit.

Greater charm and talent are sometimes required for holding than for winning.

The lives of many husbands*, wives and families, too, become sordid and uninteresting,— not only to others, but to themselves, because they lose the spirit of progress, the impulse to educate and uplift those about them, to exert a refining influence upon others and they become careless of themselves and of their appearance.

In order to maintain her influence, therefore, a B j, . woman must keep both body and mind fresh and

active. She should not overlook the importance of such details as preserving a youthful figure and a springing step, carrying herself in correct poise, walking correctly and so caring for her body as to constantly give outward expression to the beauty of mind and character, which should be maturing to full beauty within.

Right here, let us be frank with ourselves:— We To Be? "What kind of old ladies are we to be?

Shall we become sallow, hollow-faced, wrinkled, scrawny, fussy, meddlesome, peevish old women, whom most honest folks wish were out of the way?

Shall we become pudgy, over-fat, sloppy, greasy old women, whom none can comfortably endure to have around?

Or, shall we become the sunny, cheerful, unselfish, sweet-to-see old ladies., whom everyone adores and respects and for whom young and old gladly make a place, often with sacrifice of their own personal comfort? Is it to be fading beauty or developing beauty for us— for you?

"Whatever the weather may be," says he, Wliatevcr the weather may be, It's the songs ye sing, and the smiles ye wear. That's makin' the sunshine everywhere."

— RlLBY.

You are thinking only of the now?

eau y reserv -^^ "then" will be "now" some day,

Means Watchfulness ""

remember, and the making of ourselves the

best we can in every "now" makes the "now" of every to-morrow

happier for ourselves and for those with whom we come in contact.

The beautiful woman must never cease in her pleasant duty of preserving and developing her charms— of face and form, as well as of thought and manner; and the ugliest of us must, must, if happiness is any aim in life, set about the sacred duty of banishing every trace of whatever is turning us against the world.

Yes, ' ' us against the world, ' ' and not the world against us.

The world is with us, if we are with the world.

Our happiness., our success, our popularity is largely what we make it and outward beauty reflects inner cheer, to the possessor, first and most,— next to the observer.

Being beautiful— becoming so— remaining so Largely a Matter . n n . . „ , ,

, K • h — 1S L&rgely a matter of knowing how.

The cultivation of beauty is an art, just as

the singing of a song, the painting of a fine picture, or the writing

of a stirring poem is an art; and in every "art" "knowledge is

power, ' ' and perfection is gained through practice.

The naturally beautiful girl or woman needs to study herself

in order to preserve her divine gift; while she who has not been so

blessed by nature, should and may, learn to greatly improve her

form, her features, her skin, eyes, hair, teeth, hands and nails. By

doing this she will have the consolation of knowing she is making

the most of her natural gifts and if, at the same time, she develops

the mental in proportion to the physical, she cannot fail to become

a power in whatever circles she moves.

"Let the howlers howl, and the growlers growl, and the prowlers prowl, and the gee-gaws go it;

Behind the night, there is

plenty of light, and

things are all right and

I KNOW IT."

Most women realize so fully the impor- Able to T (tee tance of cultivating and preserving those exte-

rior charms which appeal to the eye, that they are too ready to try this, that and the other remedy, regardless of its source, — with the sad results, too often seen, of real beauty marred forever by the application of some harmful drug, or the following of "directions," put together to fill a newspaper column.

For example, the skin varies in different individuals. A treatment or lotion affecting one skin or one kind of hair, beneficially, sometimes has exactly the opposite effect upon another.

Health, beauty of thought, a well proportioned Beauty's figure and good poise are perhaps the first requisites to Requisites genuine beauty; and in helping thousands of women to gain these through my course in Kemedial Exercises, I have become interested in studying how women may cultivate and preserve those outward expressions of beauty which may be called superficial, yet which are quite as important as others more difficult to obtain.

The satisfaction derived from helping thirty thousand women to regain health and beauty of figure and carriage has led me to wish to help and guide them in the "finishing touches"; in correct bathing and care of the skin, in the care and preservation of the hair, hands, eyes, teeth, etc., and in the selection of toilet articles, which are efficient, reliable and harmless, and which are suitable to the individual.

The desire to have my pupils understand how to care for themselves, how to select and reject from the hundreds of preparations one sees advertised and reads in "beauty columns" has led me to thus deeply study the subject of the outward expression of beauty.

My pupils in Remedial Exercise and Bodily Expression do not

"If I can put one touch of rosy sunshine into the life of any man or woman I shall feci that I have worked with Cod." — George Macdonald.

begin at the surface, but seek at the foundation. They seek health, and in attaining it win grace and suppleness of figure. They then need but the "finishing touches" to complete the personality that wins.

The "glow" of the cosmetic is perishable, and "drops" put in the eyes to give luster, are dangerous.

The beauty which is genuine is not like some people 's manners, "a veneer over essential barbarism." It is the result of health and intelligent care, and is most attractive, because genuine. With the cultivation of this kind of beauty, moreover, has come a mental awakening which has transformed the facial expression.