Screenland (May-Oct 1930)

108 SCREENLAND Summer Beauty — Continued from page 63 soothing and tonic in its action, it softens the hardest water and induces a healthy glow and supple texture. If you are troubled with prickly heat, try a bran bath. This is not a new idea at all. In the days of Louis XIV the ladies of the court used all sorts of ingredients in their baths to preserve the soft beauty of their skin. Among these, bran was much in favor and from then until now it has been used by French women. It now comes in convenient form for using, delicately perfumed. This, too, softens the water and relieves prickly heat, leaving the skin soft and velvety. Another ideal body and bath treatment is a quick, rub with a smooth rich oil — I suppose we can call it complexion oil, for it's as good for the face as for the body. It sinks deep into the delicate tissues of the skin making it soft and smooth as a baby's. And the oil, in conjunction with the massage has a gentle, stimulating effect, taking away the tired feeling most of us have after a wearing day. This treatment is valuable before going in bathing, or before entering upon any form of sport that exposes bare arms, back and limbs to the merciless rays of the sun. Apply the oil with the tips of the fingers, to the entire body. After a couple of minutes, wipe off excessive oil and dust the body with powder. If it tans at all, it tans evenly and causes no discomfort as the skin is thorougly protected by the oil. And the tan is evenly distributed, natural and healthy looking. Now let's see about this beautifying and protection business. It's really not hard, it's simply a matter of not exposing yourself to the blazing sun or harsh winds or to prolonged sessions of swimming or lolling on the sands without adequate protection to the skin. Rely a good part of the time in summer upon cleansing cream or oil for keeping the face clean. Use it, or a skin lotion, during the day, leaving soap and water for night use, if at all. And don't use it then if you have had a strong dose of sun and wind. And always before going out, give the skin a generous application of cream or oil, smoothing it well into the face, neck, arms and hands. And when you're going bathing, apply it to the entire body, as I mentioned before, not forgetting a generous dusting of powder. If you're going out for a day of motoring, hiking, picnicing or a day at the beach, it's not necessary to go about with a weather-beaten appearance. In your handbag place a small tube of cleansing cream, a small jar of skin freshener or lotion and several sheets of cleansing tissues. When you feel that you need freshening up, don't just dab on some extra make-up; find a quiet corner, use the cleansing cream and skin lotion, add powder and rouge and see how fresh and rested you will look and feel, and five minutes will do the trick. When you get home, cleanse your face and neck thoroughly with cream or oil, smooth in a heavier cream, drench wads of cotton with cold water, then witch hazel or an astringent, place over the eyes, lie down and relax for a half hour. After a quick shower, remove the cream from the face, pat briskly with cold water and you'll look as dainty and cool as though you had spent all day in the hammock and feel far more fit than if you had. And now, before donning your dainty gown, let's consider make-up. Make-up Apparently Kay Francis follows the course suggested by Screenland's beauty editor which provides for an even distribution of tan. Very becoming with a white costume. must be just a bit different in summer. Powder, for instance, must match the skin or tone in with it. Don't try to make your skin lighter but if anything, a trifle darker. Too light a powder gives a look of artificiality or a pasty, grayish look, while too dark a powder on a fair skin robs it of its transparency. Generally speaking, no woman should wear white powder and few should wear pink. Very fair skins, blonde and titianhaired, may wear natural. All darker skins look well in ochre or rachel, or an ochre or rachel and pink blend. There's no reason now, for not finding the right thing for a powder foundation. Do you remember Mary Kornman, once in "Our Gang?" She's back again in "Doctor's Orders," Hal Roach comedy. If the skin is dry, a bit of oily cream should be used. If it's oily, a dry cream or vanishing cream may be used, or a powder lotion. If it's normal, a cream and powder blend is good. Incidentally, this is ideal for summer use for any type of skin as the creamy base protects the skin of the face, neck and arms from sun, wind and weather and at the same time gives the skin a soft, mellow finish. And best of all, it stays on. In rouges, there's paste, liquid and powder rouge. In colors, there are geranium, rose, raspberry, orange and cherry. There's rouge for every coloring, rouge to stay on while you're in bathing. It comes in compacts, boxes and bottles and it's yours to try and to choose for your own individual type. Lipsticks are almost as variable, coming in every possible color and texture from palest pink to kissproof and permanent. Remember, in applying your lipstick, don't let its edges show, the faintest film of powder wiped off will make the lines less decisive and will keep your lips from looking greasy. If your lipstick has a drying effect, use a little cold cream underneath. The make-up which brings out the beauty of the eyes, lashes and brows is perhaps the most difficult to achieve. There are many simple yet effective preparations which come in compact and convenient form and it's quite worth while to learn the trick of using them in a way to make the brows and lashes more effective and alluring. Eyebrow pencils are obtainable in nearly all shades. Train the lashes and brows by brushing the upper lashes up and the lower ones down with a bit of petroleum jelly or special eyelash grower. To make up the lashes, apply a little cream to the upper and lower lids with the finger-tips, and run the pencil just above and below the line of the lashes, then blend the pencilling with finger-tip wrapped tightly in cotton. Before retiring, remove eye make-up with cleansing cream. Use a cleansing wash, then mold a good cream around the eyes, smoothing it in and patting gently. Look up, when patting beneath the eyes, and close the eyes when you press the cream on the lids. At night, too, is a good time to use the eye exercises. I hope this will help you to have a happy summer and if it does, I hope you will write to me and tell me so. I like your letters, girls, both the letters asking for advice on beauty problems and the letters telling me I have helped, and I have many of the latter. Letters from girls telling me how much they have been helped by the eye treatments and exercises. Letters from girls who said that after reading "A New Skin Game" they had gone right to work to acquire a nice clear skin and had actually done so. Letters from girls worried because of an inferiority complex or because they were not popular, and from girls who have become engaged and want to know how to achieve a lasting charm and loveliness. To all these problems I gave my best and have had many appreciative letters in reply. I want to thank you all for your letters. I am glad I could help and I hope you will write to me again. I will gladly help you meet your problems whatever they may be. Address Anne Van Alstyne, 45 West 45th Street, New York City. Please enclose stamped, self-addressed envelope for reply.