History-inspired beauty gifts

There are lots of ‘historical inspired’ gifts that you can find in gift shops at stately homes, castles and churches. Although you can find some gems, the majority are more novelty than luxury.

So I thought I would start trundling through online gift shops for some good examples of these. In this post, I’m focusing on beauty products that have been inspired by history – make of it what you will!

Elizabeth Eau de Toilette:

This perfume is inspired by the perfume Elizabeth I herself used to wear, as the recipe has survived. When I first read about this, I envisioned the smell of a medieval town, that would quite frankly be disgusting. But apparently this has notes of rose and musk. It’s a lovely bottle with a copy of Elizabeth’s signature on the front. You can find it at most Historic Royal Palace owned places, but I’ve seen it in the Tower of London gift shop. Here it is online: http://www.historicroyalpalaces.com/elizabeth-i-eau-de-toilette.html#.UzMzN9xU_wI

Did you know? It was only in the Elizabethan age that thick, heavy makeup came into fashion. In earlier Tudor times, it was more common to use creams to soften the skin.

Viking Bath Oil:

This product is DEFINITELY the best one I’ve found. Yes, there is actually Viking Bath Oil! Although it feels a bit more like a novelty than an actual bath product, it still has herbs in that were used by Vikings. I think this description sums it up best: “to restore and revitalise after pillage, plunder and victorious celebration”: http://www.jorvikshop.com/product_info.php?pid=215

Did you know? Viking women also plucked their eyebrows.

Jane Austen Hand Cream:

Inspired by Jane Austen’s love of the garden, this hand cream is only available at the Jane Austen gift shop. I just love how quintessentially English the smells are, and the little jar it comes in: http://www.janeaustengiftshop.co.uk/collections/gifts/products/hand-cream-jane-austen-handmade-exclusive

Did you know? Women during the Regency period would sometimes use burnt cork to darken their eyelashes.

Marie Antoinette inspired “French Kiss” Collection:

A little set that includes perfume, ‘Bon bon’ body lotion, bubble bath and a little bag that has Marie herself on it. It might be inspired by eighteenth century France, but it is so pretty! I didn’t find anything else quite like this, so I’d definitely say it’s worth a look: http://www.tokyo-milk.com/products/french-kiss-no-15-classic-collection

Did you know? Court etiquette dictated that Marie Antoinette would change her outfit three times a day.

Scent Library:

This little set looks like a vintage book, and has a little inscription inside saying “San Francisco Botanical Library”. It also has little library cards describing each scent. There are five scents in total and they are all a mixture; so it’s not all florals! Might be an easy one to hide on a bookshelf and keep for yourself:http://shop.bl.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/BritishLibrary/_ISBN_9786000028558/513274/Scent-library-box-set

Did you know? Queen Victoria’s favourite perfume is still made today, and costs £149.

Smashbox Santigold Egyptian Collection:

I’m not much of a makeup geek, but I’ve heard of the Smashbox brand before. They’re due to release a new line that is inspired by ancient Egypt. I’ve put the link below so you can have a look, but it sadly won’t be available until Summer 2014. Only a few months! My favourite is definitely the pyramid ring: http://www.smashbox.com/collections/the-santigolden-age-summer-2014-collection

Did you know? Ancient Egyptians used to think that beauty was a sign of holiness.

I promise I will get slightly more serious on my next post, but some of these products were just too brilliant to resist. At least it proves that a love of history is definitely not just limited to books!