"Following the fashion - a survey of elite modes, 1540-1600"
"An emphasis on deeper colour and sumptuous texture at the expense of structural experimentation, expressed through heavy use of black, russet, and burgundy velvet's and brocades, trimmed or lined with sable and fox and cut to conform with the natural contours of the body, remained a basic staple until the 1550's. By the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558 the standard forms for male and female dress had polarised into an aggressive masculinity, accentuated at the shoulders and throwing emphasis on to narrow hips, muscular legs and padded codpiece, contrasted with a flattened angular femininity, exemplified through a balanced, symmetrical pairing of the bodice and skirt, pyramidical structure that met at the waist".
Costume & Fashion: A complete history
"Makeup and Grooming"
"Women went to great lengths to look beautiful. While the plucked forehead and brow is today considered this era's beauty trademark, women also applied makeup. Along with other affluent women, Catherine de Medici was a member of a beauty society which experimented with new products and formulas. Meanwhile books on the subject of beauty began to be published, notably L'Embellissement et Ornement du Corps Humain by Jean Liebaut, a Parisian doctor, in 1582. His book included recipes for cosmetic formulas, body lotions, hair care and hair treatment products. These were copied through the 17th century".
"Catherine de Medici has been credited with popularising makeup among European women. Rouge, paints and colour washed were popular with women of all classes. eye shadows were not so commonly used. The desired effect of makeup was a more subtle enhancement of one's own natural beauty".
"How to attain a pale complexion continued during the Renaissance. Sometimes women applied a number of layers onto their face and since bathing was not a common practice, the paint remained on the skin despite its toxic formula. Women disregarded the warnings given by doctors and experimented with other hazardous formulas like mercury sublimate, which was applied to the skin to achieve smoothness, banish blemishes and disguise other facial imperfections."
"Elizabeth I was an avid user of cosmetics. Richard Corson claims that she can take credit for the prominent use of paint, powder and patches. She applied both red and white paint to her skin. Patches were small black beauty spots, which were influenced by the use of rich black fabrics such as taffeta and velvet. The idea was that the dark patch or spot would further emphasise her pale complexion - the feminine ideal of the time. Corson claims that a Renaissance women's grooming regime focused attention that should have been spent on the care of their teeth in favour of perfecting a patch."
Faceforward - Kevyn Aucoin
"Elizabeth I"
"Elizabeth has to circumvent the notion that women did not have the physical, spiritual or intellectual capacity to govern a nation. She also had to deal with the widely accepted sentiment, expressed by both sexes, that powerful women should be regarded with caution".
"Elizabeth I was hardly a controversial beauty. However, her affinity for dress, style, and culture set the standard for much of the 'civilised' world. Elegant women were expected to wear unforgiving undergarments and heavy ornate gowns, shave their foreheads, and powder their skin ghostly white with a concoction mixed with poisonous lead".
"One of the things i like about makeup: you can visit many different places and times, but you don't have to venture beyond the makeup table if you don't want to".
"Karen Elson as Elizabeth I
1. Prep skin - including face, neck, shoulders, arms, and chest - with moisturiser. Blot excess with a tissue.
2. Cover the brows using spirit gum, brow wax, and sealer. When dry, cover with true white creme foundation and set with true white loose face powder and a circular sponge.
3. Using your fingers or a large sponge, apply a true white creme foundation all over the face, neck, arms, and all exposed parts of the body.
4. Set foundation with a liberal dusting of true white loose face powder, using a large sponge or large blush brush.
5. Using a dark flesh lip pencil, drawn in mouth shape.
6. Using a lip brush, fill in the mouth with a basic red creme lip colour.
7. Using a large blush brush, dust with pink powder blush on to the apples of the cheeks.
8. Add a beauty mark using black lipstick, eyeliner or pencil".
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