A veil is also a desirable protection against bad weather. Chiffon or other material of the finest mesh should be preferred. Frenchwomen of the middle and upper classes never think of going out without ez veil. Englishwomen and the inhabitants of warm climates generally carry para sols.
To Wash the Face.—When the face is red or dry from exposure to sun and air, or grimed with dirt or smoke, it is well to put on it a quan tity of cold cream and rub thor oughly with a soft cloth. After the irritation has been somewhat less ened, the face should be thoroughly washed and cleansed. Fill a basin two thirds full of fresh soft water. If your source of water supply is hard water, put a teaspoonful of powdered borax into the basin. Dip the face in the water, and afterwards the hands. Soap the hands well, and rub with a gentle motion over the face. Dip the face a second time, rinse thoroughly, and wipe with a thick, soft towel. After the bath a slightly astringent lotion is very re freshing.
The use of a good cleansing cream before the face bath and a suitable lotion afterwards has a really won derful effect in improving the com plexion. The effect of a clean face, however, is itself altogether delight ful. Such a bath tends to rest and refresh the bather and put her in a good temper. Many a bad complex
ion is due to neglect of a proper cleansing process. If more faces were kept really clean, a great improve ment in the complexion would be no ticed.
Pace Cloth.—The hands themselves, in the judgment of many persons, are the most effective means of wash ing other portions of the body. To those who prefer face cloths we sug gest scrim as the most sanitary ma terial. Scrim is porous and free from lint, so that the air circulates through it freely. It is so thin that it can be quickly washed and dried.
The Toilet Sponge.—The wash rag and the sponge, while convenient and regarded by many as indispensable, are often sources of injury to the skin. Children, especially, are prone to take a sponge from dirty water and squeeze it dry without rinsing. The decaying organic matter caught in the pores of the sponge gives rise to certain acids and ferments very injurious to the complexion. Both the sponge and the wash rag should be thoroughly cleansed and rinsed after use. To clean a sour sponge, put 1 teaspoonful each of ammonia and borax into a basin of warm wa ter, wash the sponge, rinse in clean soft water and hang in the air, ex posed to sunshine if possible, until dry.