Where to buy original vintage beauty accessories – Hints & tips

For most of us the descent into the glorious world of vintage fashion starts with one item, it may be a stunning dress, a striking handbag or a to-die-for coat, and we’re hooked.

Before we know it, all of our dresses are vintage, and our cupboards are overflowing with matching bags and shoes.

Our dressing table is adorned with vintage jewellery and we can create flawless victory curls in ten minutes flat.

Our make up style evolves, our beauty routine gets tweaked and we even see ourselves walking and sitting differently. Of course we are not going to let the illusion down by cheating ourselves out of those precious original vintage beauty accessories.

Whether it be a brush and mirror set to add an extra touch of authenticity to our dressing tables, a darling little compact, a bejewelled lipstick holder or a striking atomiser, it’s attention to details like these that sorts the vintage hobbyist from the vintage lifestyler.

So how do we find these gorgeous accessories, and should we be concerned about hygiene? After all, 60 year old beauty products don’t sound that appealing!

Display only

What I would say is, by all means buy original vintage beauty products, but only for display purposes.  Make-up does not age well, though it can add a certain something to your dressing table. Keep the authentic products on display, and keep everything else well hidden in an authentic vintage vanity case or make-up bag.

That is the one essential vintage beauty accessory that you really can’t do without! You can always slip new nail files into original vintage manicure cases, or dispense foundation or hand cream into precious vintage pots. When it comes to accessories, you can guarantee that your local vintage store will have cleaned them thoroughly and so hygiene should never be an issue.

Vintage packaging is key

Instead, use your vintage beauty products to mask the packaging. Nowadays there are a plethora of brands who make vintage-look make-up, so it’s not the end of the world if someone does catch a glimpse of your lippy. But keeping it in a sweet lipstick holder just adds that extra air of je ne sais quoi and sophistication.

Wrap fragile items

If you do want to buy beauty accessories for practical use, then bare in mind their age and what they are made from. If you are worried about breaking your atomiser etc. in your handbag, then simply wrap the more fragile items in a vintage silk scarf and nestle them safely in a vintage make-up bag.

See past blemishes

When buying original vintage beauty accessories, never let a little wear and tear put you off. Lost beads and pearls can easily be replaced with a strong glue and a bit of patience. Light rust spots can be eased away with a light rubbing of wire wool. If you love the casing of a mirror, but the mirror itself has seen better days then fight your superstitious urges, carefully knock out the old mirror and fit a new mirror yourself. It’s worth taking the time to make your purchases authentic yet usable.

Create a theme

The crucial thing with beauty accessories is, just like any other accessory, ensuring they match. You don’t need a perfect set, in fact that would be a nigh on impossible task but a common thread should connect them all. If your pocket mirror is in gold tones, then make sure that theme echoes through the other accessories. If your lipstick holder is adorned with seed pearls, then bear that in mind when choosing your other objects.

There is something so empowering about using original vintage beauty accessories, it somehow makes your perfume that much sweeter, your lipstick that much more glossy and your reflection reassuringly convincingly yesteryear.

This article on buying vintage accessories was to you by Mela Mela Vintage. Mela Mela Vintage is a vintage boutique located in Teddington, Southwest London. We have an amazing array of original 1930s dresses, jewellery & accessories which spans century of fashion.

Avoiding Dermatitis when working in the beauty industry

Many people believe that looking good leads to feeling good, which is why the beauty industry is expanding at such a rapid rate.

Every year thousands of new jobs are being offered to beauticians and hair dressers around the globe. Lets face it there’s a lot of money in looking good!

However spending your days beautifying numerous clients as strange as it sounds does not come without its pitfalls.

Without preventive measures many employees are at risk of developing harsh skin complaints such as dermatitis which can affect their ability to work. If you own your own company be wary that not safeguarding your employees could potentially leave you liable to dermatitis claims for compensation.

What is dermatitis?

Dermatitis is a condition similar to eczema which affects your skin. It occurs when your skin comes into contact with an irritant or allergen that causes the skin to react. There are 2 types of dermatitis: irritant and allergic.

Allergic contact dermatitis can take several days before symptoms appear and in most cases will materialize on the area that came into contact with the allergen.

Similarly irritant contact dermatitis appears after your skin comes into direct contact with an irritating substance, the irritant damages the outer layer of the skin which brings about symptoms. It is also worth noting that frequent contact with weaker irritants such as detergents and soaps may induce symptoms.

Symptoms and treating dermatitis

Although it may at first only seem like an itchy rash be cautious as it can soon progress into a debilitating illness that can affect not only your ability to work but also your home life.  The symptoms for dermatitis cause the skin to become red, inflamed, blistered, dry and cracked. These can become extremely painful especially with the added discomfort of wanting to itch the area.

If you feel like you may be suffering with contact dermatitis it may be worth visiting your general practitioner who will in most cases perform a skin prick (scratch) test which will identify what substance you are allergic to. They will also prescribe a cortisone cream of varying strength which should be applied to the affected area daily.

Why would it affect the beauty trade?

This is a question regularly asked and the answer is simply that hairdressers, nail technicians, beauticians etc all work with various chemicals. Hairdressers for instance work with hair dyes and ammonia which are known alkaline substances (a registered irritant) they also spend a large amount of time washing peoples hair and if their hands are not dried appropriately it may lead to the skin drying out.

You’re probably questioning how it would be possible to remain in the beauty industry if your clearly struggling with the symptoms of dermatitis.

How can I reduce the risk of developing dermatitis?

Obviously avoiding all further contact with the allergen would be the ideal solution but this is not always possible however wearing protective clothing which prevents any skin contact can work just as well. This protective equipment can include gloves for your hands but if necessary it may be worth wearing long sleeved items to reduce contact to other parts of the body.

There is a substance known as barrier cream which is believed to prevent any exposure to the skin although it has been noted that this is not 100% reliable and in some cases acts as an irritant itself. Regularly using after work creams and moisturisers will also ensure that your skin does not dry out and crack.