Carmine Tinted Face Powder (Rose)

Carmine was often used to tint face powders in the Victorian/Edwardian/Titanic era. Plain white was the standard color in which powders were sold -- in fact, the recipes for cosmetic powders were usually exactly the same recipes as for body dusting powders and deodorant powders, quite colorless.

However, the need for tint was not unrealized. White, rose, cream and brunette were the commonly available hues (plus "Rachel" which was apparently a darker version of rose.) To make rose, one simply added carmine to the original white powder mixture.

I decided to try this out and see what would result...

Very little carmine is needed. I think I didn't add more than would fit on the end of a toothpick into about a tablespoon of white powder and it was still verging on too much. You want a very very soft pink (too much and you'll wind up with a kind of rouge instead of powder -- probably not something you want to dust all over your face.) I mixed mine up with some Baby Cornstarch.

I was happy to see the final mixture was an awful lot like the expensive T. LeClerc powder. I might try this for making some other colors with other pigments in the future.

Blended correctly, the final mix should have no noticeable tint when on the skin -- just like a translucent powder. Here's a photo of me wearing some of it over modern makeup.

I actually think it's a pretty good powder. I might keep using this. Those with a darker complexion might need to step it up to Rachel color, but for me this very soft, pale pink is excellent. Even with my kind of ruddy facial complexion, the whiteness of the powder keeps it in check; and the bit of tint makes it so that, on the occasion where the powder cakes up a bit or gets applied too thickly in one spot, it doesn't look like an accident -- the pigment helps it to blend. Recommended!