The Etiquette of Asian Beauty Regimes

Victorian era view of a “Japanese belle” making her toilette — or as we know it today— she is engaging in her beauty regime.

Asian Women Spend an Astonishing Amount of Time Over Their Toilettes 

Compared to Their British and American Peers 

An eastern lady of high degree spends an amount of time over her toilet that would quite astonish the most fashionable society lady. First she has her hair dressed by her maid, who, after anointing the long, silky black locks with a little oil made from aloe wood or coconut, arranges it simply in a long, smooth plait, low on the nape of the neck, and decorated either with gold or jeweled ornaments. Next the bath is prepared as hot as it can be, and in this the lady may stay as long as two or three hours. 

Soaps are not used, but instead they are multifarious unguents, secret preparations of the bathing women, which render the skin soft as velvet and delicately perfumed. Oftentimes, the face is washed over with milk into which has been squeezed lemon juice. The hair of the oriental woman is usually beautifully long, soft and glossy, and the way they arrange it is invariably becoming to their soft type of beauty. Perfumes are much indulged in. These are introduced in the bath and permeate the garments, but are rarely used on a handkerchief. — Philadelphia North American, 1905

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia