9 Modern-day Beauty Rituals From a 19th Century Empress

Empress Elisabeth of Austria Beauty Rituals

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You probably heard of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, who was (and still today) heralded as the greatest of all beauties and is arguably the most legendary femme fatale in all the annals of history.

Perhaps you’ve also heard stories about Helen of Troy — who, during her time, was referred to as “the most beautiful woman who ever lived” and “the face that launched a thousand ships”.

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But have you ever hear of Empress Elisabeth of Austria? Born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria on December 24, 183, Elizabeth (Nicknamed Sisi) went on to become Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Queen of Hungary.

A stunningly beautiful woman, Elisabeth was known for practicing demanding beauty routines.

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Among her daily beauty routines, daily care of her abundant and extremely long hair took at least three hours. Elisabeth even slept without a pillow on a metal bedstead, which she believed was better for retaining and maintaining her upright posture.

As a 21st-century woman, I think we certainly can learn a thing or two from these fabulous women that came before us. Luckily for us, Anubha Charan rounded-up some of Empress Elizabeth’s best beauty rituals that you too may want to try at home.

Sisi’s Skincare Secrets

1. Olive oil bath 

Sisi took a warm olive oil bath every evening to keep her skin soft and smooth – a practise that’s lauded by spas till date. Olive oil contains vitamins A and E, which are intensely nourishing, along with a host of antioxidants that guard against environmental toxins. To make your own olive oil bath, simply pour a cup-full of virgin olive oil in the bathtub and fill with warm water. Or slather your body with warm (not hot) olive oil, leave it on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

2. Face mists

Sisi relied heavily on rose or lavender face mists to protect her skin against inflammation and infections. Her favorite was violet vinegar, made from freshly picked violet blossoms, cider vinegar and distilled water: Layer the violet blossoms (or rose petals) in a bottle and douse them with cider vinegar. Shut tightly and allow to infuse for two days. Then strain away the flowers and use the liquid to spritz your face.

3. Hay wraps

The Austrian Empress also enjoyed full body wraps made out of hay. Ironically, a number of luxury spas are now offering this as a “brand new” and “innovative” ritual that fortifies the immune system and boosts metabolism!

4. Egg white face mask 

A really simple and effective way of toning the complexion, Sisi’s favorite face mask needs 2 oz rose water1 oz milk, ½ oz grape juice, 5 drops frankincense essential oiland 2 whipped egg whites. Combine all ingredients, except the egg whites. When everything is well mixed, fold in the egg whites and immediately apply the paste to your face. Go to bed and rinse off in the morning.

5. Honey & Strawberry Face Pack 

To keep her complexion soft, Sisi would slather her cheeks with pure honey and crushed strawberries – thereby calling upon the effects of modern fruit acids that cleanse, exfoliate and brighten the skin. And that’s not all: this face pack also reinforces the skin’s resistance to environmental stress and strengthens its immunity.

6. Radiant Rose cream

History says that Sisi never left home without this rosy moisturizer. To prepare, crush 20-25 rosebuds and simmer them in a covered pan filled with 1/8th litre distilled water for 45 minutes. Add 50g lanolin and 20g fresh, unsalted butter; then put everything in a high speed blender till it becomes creamy. Keep in the fridge and apply to your face every morning for glowing skin.

The ones you may want to skip…

7. Veal face mask 

Sisi applied slices of raw veal to her face during the night, binding it with a leather mask that kept the meat in constant contact with her skin while sleeping. Gross as this sounds, dermatologists say it’s “not half bad”. The high vitamin C content has an anti-inflammatory effect, while the protein element (keratin) acts against skin aging. Moreover, the meat gives the skin a fresh look and neutralizes harmful metabolites (free radicals).

8. Slug cream

Again gross but it’s already making a comeback, with celeb proponents swearing by its skin-smoothing benefits. I have even found the original recipe for you: Put ½ kilo lard into water-bath, add 2 quintchen (fifths) marshmallow roots and 70g ground slugs. Let it stand for four hours to cool off. And then hop in! Weird much?

9. Sisi’s Crowning Glory

Sisi’s ankle-length hair was her pride and joy, even though it was so long and heavy that the weight often gave her headaches. She would sit on a low chair and a silk cloth would be placed beneath her hair while it was brushed.

After dressing, braiding, and pinning for hours, each one of the fallen strands had to be presented in a silver bowl to the Empress for inspection. This would last almost three hours, during which time Sisi kept herself busy by learning languages such as Hungarian and Greek.

Next, the royal coiffure was sprinkled with jewels – the most famous of which are the diamond stars made by the court jeweler Koechert.

Finally, Sisi’s tresses were sprayed with Creed’s Fantasia de Fleurs EDP – a heady floral fragrance created especially for the Empress, with a regal bouquet of the best Bulgarian roses and Florentine irises.

Washing the Empress’s hair was another very time-consuming operation, performed every fortnight with a mixture of cognac and egg yolk. Considering the length and volume of her tresses, it’s no wonder this ritual took an entire day!

BONUS: Sisi’s 19-inch waist

Sisi had a tiny 19-inch waist (gulp!), maintained with extremely rigorous exercise. The Empress was obsessed with gymnastics, which attracted a lot of criticism as women of this era simply did not sweat. She even had a gymnastics room installed at her palace and could often be seen dangling from the rings!

The Austrian Empress also took up fencing in her 50s. A fervent horsewoman, she rode every day for hours on end, becoming the world’s best female equestrian at the time. When she could no longer endure hours in the saddle due to gout, Sisi went for very long walks that could last up to 10 hours!

At night, she was heavily massaged and slept with cloths soaked in either violet or cider vinegar, while her neck was wrapped with cloths soaked in Kummerfeld-toned washing water. 

In the last years of her life, Sisi became even more obsessive, weighing herself up to thrice a day. She began to live on a diet of fresh milk, egg whites, steak juice, and fruit sorbet (better than the caffeine-and-coke diet of today’s celebs, at least!).

Sisi did have one indulgence, however. The Empress would wander through to Demel for boxes of candied violets. Today, she’s still immortalized on many chocolate boxes in Vienna. And in our hearts. 

Beautiful, extravagant, sweet, and gracious, she was a woman way ahead of her times who spent her life yearning for a measure of happiness but never found it. She would have been happier married to a minor princeling but it was her fate to be Empress of Austria.

Today, the world remembers her as one of history’s most fascinating and beautiful women. Her life story has been the subject of several books, movies, musicals, and even Karl Lagerfeld’s fashion collection for Chanel.

But, I wonder, if that’s consolation enough for a life only half-lived?

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