Centuries pass and fashions change, but we humans always seem to wish to look our best. To acknowledge humanity's long and colorful history of seeking to "put one's best foot forward," we thought we'd share some excerpts from a small book published in London in 1899 by Mrs. Madge Humphrey, called "How to Be Pretty Though Plain." It's full of practical health and beauty advice, from recipes for skin treatments to firm admonitions not to sleep with your windows closed. Mrs. Humphrey was known as an expert on etiquette, having written "Manners for Men" and "Manners for Women." A reviewer of her time asserted, "Mrs. Humphrey discourses brightly, sensibly, and helpfully upon a hundred and one matters of interest to her sex, indeed to both sexes."
You may still find some of her advice to be quite timely! We were pleased with her observation that, as recently as 120 years ago, "Women are no longer afraid to smile often for fear of producing wrinkles."
Mrs. Humphrey on The Importance of Diet
"Good food is a good investment. Let us reform, before it is too late, and leave our evil ways of buns and milk, eluding dinner and evading supper . . . we shall be more capable, more amiable, and ever so much better looking in consequence. Simple food, as varied as possible and cooked to perfection, is good for both health and looks. Simple dishes eaten with enjoyment and digested merrily, not sadly and moodily, bring brightness to the eyes and freshness to the cheeks."
 | Mrs. Humphrey on Cleanliness Is Beautifying
"The principle recipe for the preservation and promotion of health and beauty is thorough cleanliness, which maintains the skin in its softness and the complexion in its natural hue."
"It is literally true that not one girl in twenty knows how to wash her face, and this is why massage flourishes so much. It thoroughly cleanses. . . the fingers are better than any sponge or glove or flannel, and they should be used as the masseuse uses hers, pressing them firmly but gently into the skin, and passing them two or three times over every inch of the face." |
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 | Mrs. Humphrey on Fresh Air, the Best Cosmetic
"The bicycle has done good service in ridding women of superfluous underskirts. Before its time, three were the rule, being one too many in winter and three too many in summer. Not only do excess layers of garments prevent the air from getting to the pores and feeding them with what they need, but they also prevent the skin from throwing off and getting rid of those noxious exhalations which come to the surface and injure health if they cannot escape." |
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Mrs. Humphrey on Assisting Nature
"The life of the skin is the natural oil which nature stores up under it, and supplies to the surface as required. Until we are twenty-five we have a sufficient supply of the oil. But it grows less and less as we advance in years, and after thirty nature needs assistance if we wish to preserve our freshness. The over-heated, dry atmosphere of our rooms does more to exhaust the oil supply than anything else. If we allow the supply of oil to get too low, the skin shrivels and we get flabby and hollow-cheeked. By feeding the skin with the proper oils we can preserve the firmness of the flesh and the roundness and plumpness of the face almost indefinitely."
Here at Grateful Body, we don't have much say over how many crumpets you eat or how many underskirts you wear. But Mrs. Humphrey would heartily approve of our nourishing skin care recipes, especially concerning the excellent quality of the botanical oils we use to assist nature in preserving "the firmness of the flesh and the roundness and plumpness of the face." All our Cleansers, Moisturizers, and Restoratives provide an admirable balance of face-saving herbs and luxurious plant oils. Mrs. Humphrey would no doubt applaud the fact that we are always reminding you of the importance of massaging the skin while cleansing it. As she herself wrote, "To encourage oneself in the enjoyment of simple pleasures is excellent."
Oh, yes, one last bit of advice; "If your nose is red, look to your digestion or the tightness of your corsets."
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