Having a naturally ruddy complexion, I don’t wear a lot of brightly colored blush or lipstick–it just seems to make me look feverish. But I love these tips that I ran across recently for the wearing of rouge and lipstick (when did “rouge” become “blush”?), which appeared in a little booklet called The Famous Book of Beauty Secrets, part of the Women’s Home and Personal Service Library, published in 1925 by the Chicago Mail Order Company.

How to Use Rouge

Rouge, like perfume, should be employed with restraint. If you apply rouge by artificial light when it is to be seen by daylight, take your mirror to an outside window to see that it is not over-applied.

Judicious and delicate tinting heightens the color and imparts sparkle to the eyes, but if too heavily applied it produces a coarse, vulgar appearance.

Rouge should be used as a “highlight” upon the cheek bones, or, if your cheeks are very full, the shade should be near the center. Blend the rouge outward with the fingertips to prevent abrupt lines. So applied and well dusted with powder, it produces a soft, natural flush.

The Lipstick

The lipstick, like rouge, must be used with discrimination. It should be applied to the inside of the lip and then worked out with the fingertip to the natural lip edge. A good, pure lipstick is harmless, prevents chapping, and gives a most realistic effect when correctly and lightly applied.

There you have it, Sparklers. The next time you are in front of your mirror, I hope you will remember to be restrained, judicious, and discriminating. It sure makes applying makeup sound like a high-minded endeavor!