What cosmetics did women use in the time of Porfirio Díaz and why did they avoid makeup

Fashion and beauty ideals at the Porfiriato were marked by a strong French influence. To meet the standards and be considered beautiful, women of the time had to have a narrow waist, similar to an hourglass and fair complexion.

In high society women's clothing consisted of a corset-fitted blouse, with long sleeves, a high narrow collar adorned with lace in conjunction with a bell-shaped skirt that reached the floor. The high society ladies complemented their trousseau with accessories such as large feathered hats, fans, umbrellas and handbags but never used makeup.

European taste popularized faces without obvious tint, which is why the only cosmetics were creams, soaps and powders for face care. In addition to the prevailing trends in Europe were warnings towards counterfeit products and ambiguity in the benefits they provided, which dominated the advertising discourse until the end of Porfirio Díaz's term of office.

The low popularity of cosmetic products was also partly due to the fact that, for a long time, the use of makeup was associated with prostitution. Twentieth-century prostitutes have been portrayed in cinema with exaggerated faces, an example of which is the film Nazarín (1958), in which Luis Buñuel tells the story of a humble priest who decides to help Beatriz, a prostitute.

It is worth mentioning that historically, cosmetics have been censored. Religious groups were among the most critical and Christian writers managed to establish the idea that makeup was synonymous with deception. One of the famous characters who criticized the use of cosmetics was St. Cyprrian, who said he used to say that painted cheeks “erased the whole truth”.

Thus, due to aesthetic and social values, Mexican women who lived during the Diaz regime did not wear makeup. However, during the last decade of Porfiriato there was a boom in the use of toiletries to care for the skin, when newspapers began to advertise beauty products that offered benefits such as sun protection, removal of blemishes, wrinkles and acne. One of the most important media, The Illustrated World, displayed advertisements with phrases such as: Nature's great remedy for skin, Eternal freshness and perfect beauty, Beauty can be cultivated, Salvation of the withered woman or The lack of beauty in women is unforgivable.

The increase in the consumption of cosmetic products was also due to the emergence of commercial cosmetics, adding qualities and values associated with the brand. German, American and French brands such as Rieger and Kaloderma, Barclay & Co, Lanman & Kemp, Gerhard Mennen Company and Amour and Company arrived in the country, which had a wide range that included crystal and white tar soaps, magnolia powders, cologne waters and perfumes of various kinds.

To combat the fear of buying fake products, companies resorted to including quality seals on packaging. Some companies even ran ads to increase their reputation, one of them features an image in which a dwarfed man appears in front of the word Reuters, the name of the brand and a text that says: “It is not legitimate without the name SOAP REUTER AND WITHOUT THE BARCLAY & CO BRAND”.

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