Dearest Gentle Reader, I am so pleased you clicked onto this scandal sheet.
If you’re like us, you’re obsessed with all things Bridgerton and have already started your countdown to season 4. With Penelope and Colin all over our feeds ever since season 3 dropped in May, we’ve been admiring the gorgeous costumes, sets, and makeup from the show–even though it's not 100% era accurate.
But it made us curious to know: what did skincare routines look like in Regency era England? It turns out that while there are some crazy ingredients from that era–such as spermaceti, which is wax from a sperm whale!–some of their remedies include ingredients we still use today.
In fact, herbs, plant oils, honey, oatmeal, cold creams, and more were used then! Regency era women were ditching the makeup their mothers wore and embracing clear, clean skin as the beauty standard–they were doing the “clean girl” trend before it was cool.
So if you’re just as curious as we are about what skincare the Bridgerton leading ladies were likely using at the time and what a modern twist on that routine would look, you’ve come to the right place!
Cleansers
The ladies of the ton were definitely cleansing their faces. Their skincare routines would start off with an animal or lye-based soap. Even though we know now this type of soap was drying for the skin, they followed this up with more soothing and moisturizing steps afterwards.
Rosewater and milk were the two popular options for cleansing after a soap. Rosewater was toning and soothing, and left skin feeling soft. Not to mention it had an appealing floral scent. Milk was also used–its lactic acid content exfoliated and smoothed skin. Mixing the two together (a historical skin smoothie!) was common.
Moisturizers
For moisturizers, cold creams–a mixture of water, beeswax, and oil–were used back then. As were plant oils like almond oil, olive oil, and lanolin. (We still use some of these ingredients in our products!). Honey was also used in moisturizers.
Herbal Extracts
Using herbs in skincare was common during this time. Chamomile, lavender, and rosemary were popular infusions–the first two for soothing the skin, and the last to rejuvenate. Plus, they were also using a natural toner back then: apple cider vinegar! Exfoliation? They used oatmeal!
The Modern Bridgerton Skincare Routine
Obviously, skincare science has improved our products immeasurably since the times of lead face powders and arsenic-infused concoctions, but there are still some Regency-era beauty practices that can work wonders for your skin with a little modern update.
Plus, we matched each product to one of our favourite characters from the show.
Face Glow
We paired Face Glow with Penelope Bridgerton–it’s the perfect pairing for her season 3 leading lady glow up. Sea buckthorn seed oil and raspberry seed oil refresh and brighten skin–the plant oil and herbal remedy-loving regency girlies would be fans.
Putty
Putty is the ideal match (other than Penelope, of course!) for our leading man, Colin Bridgerton. We imagine he’d need some soothing after hauling a whole air balloon out of the sky by rope. They were already using oatmeal as an exfoliant back then, but we’re sure they’d appreciate its soothing and wound healing properties as well. Honey is also there to moisturize!
Jade Moon
We know Queen Charlotte is always on the search for her diamond of the season, but we think she’d be pretty happy with this Jade. Why? It’s filled with plant oils just like their favourite moisturizers back then. Goji, prickly pear, oat, raspberry, and blueberry oil are just a few in this serum that hydrate, plump, and protect the skin barrier.
Berry Rich
We know Cressida is hoping to get berry rich if her blackmail schemes are any indication. We hope she comes back to the ton for season 4, because we think the vegan probiotics in Berry Rich would be all the rage. A modern, plant-based update on the probiotic-rich milk they used, Berry Rich is great for your skin’s immunity and keeping acne and rosacea flare-ups at bay.
Skin Stuff
This moisturizer is made for super sensitive skin. That’s why we matched it with sensitive-at-heart Francesca Bridgerton. While it might not include rosewater, Skin Stuff’s evening primrose oil is soothing and moisturizing. Plus, plant oils including pomegranate and black currant seed oil seal in moisture and promote skin elasticity.
