Cosmeticon

This is another of the ads from Defoe’s A Review of the Affairs of France, which I have mentioned previously.

COSMETICON:    A    most     excellent     wash
to Beautifie the  Face,  &c.,  rendring  the  Skin sur-
prisingly white and  clear:  It  takes  away  all  Hard-
ness,  Tan,  Sunburn,  or  other  Discolourings:   All
Morphews,  Scurfs,  Freckles,  Lentils,  &c.,  tho’  of
never so long standing, speedily  heals chop’d Lips,
Pimples, or other breakings-out  in  the  Skin,  after
an admirable manner. Gives such a delicate,  pure,
clear, natural  lustre  to  the  Face  and  Hands,  &c.,
that  nothing  in  Nature  can  possibly  exceeds  it ;
yet leaves no  darnish,  but  is  wholly  free  from  all
pernicious   Ingredients,   as   Mercury  &c,   being
pure, sweet, clean, harmless and transparently clear;
’tis   found,  by  many  Years   Experience,  to  make
the skin so incomparably pure,  fine  and  soft,   and
so free from all Defilements and  Defects   whatsoe-
ver, that   it   leaves   no   room  for  anything  of   the
like kind to come  after   it.   For   Bruises   by   Falls,
&c., Aches and Pains even of   the   Gout   or   Rheu-
matism, it’s a present Sovereign  Remedy.  Sold   at
Mr.  Stevens’s,  a   Tin-Shop   next   the  Three  Nuns
near Salisbury-Court   in   Fleet-street,   and   at   Mr.
Parker’s Bookseller at  the  Keg  and  Star  in  Corn-
hill,  over  against  the  Royal-Exchange,  at   3s.   6d.
a Bottle, with Directions.

Source: A Review of the Affairs of France, Tuesday 3 April 1705

Note: Archaic spellings too numerous to detail but all as in original.

A glass bottle containing sand.

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