What would the aristocratic eighteenth century lady have had on her dressing table?
A beautiful clock, to ensure that you weren’t late to meet your lover.
A pair of beautiful candelabras, as every lady knows that candlelight is exceptionally flattering to the complexion.
Perhaps an exquisite porcelain sculpture based on a work by Boucher. Madame de Pompadour adored porcelain flowers and had scented examples in all of her houses.
A pretty dish for bonbons, pastiles or macarons.
A pretty jug for water.
A Sèvres pitcher and bowl for washing your hands and face with scented rose and lavender water.
Another candlestick, just for luck.
Some flasks of gorgeous perfume: violet, lavender, lily, carnation, iris, rose, jasmine…
The all important patch boxes.
Curling tongs to help create those beautiful frizzed and curled hairstyles.
Pretty little pots of rose, violet and vanilla scented pomade which keeps your hair in place, scents it and makes the powder stick!
Hair powder!
Flasks of lotions and potions, all designed to keep your complexion as perfect as possible and to get rid of pesky spots and freckles.
A nécessaire de toilette, complete with bowls, perfume flasks and implements for applying make up, plucking eyebrows and cleaning teeth. This was also cunningly portable – perfect for the days before make up bags had been invented!
Powder to clean your teeth. What is left of them. ;)
Vinaigrette, to revive you should your husband come home unexpectedly…