Do try this at home

If your curiosity has been piqued by early modern beauty treatments, and you are keen to try your hand at making some of the recipes, I have outlined here some potential methods that use ingredients that are a) generally safe to use (no lead or viper skin, I promise) and b) fairly accessible. Note that the measurements provided are estimates, but often recipes did not even include amounts/measurements.

I'd love to see any pictures of your results and hear some of your observations of the recipes’ processes and efficacy. If you are keen to find a specific early modern remedy or particular cosmetic, do get in touch, and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction.

Image: George Glover, Visus, c.1630. British Museum, London.