The ruff, as well as being perhaps the most recognisable item of the Elizabethan age, dictated the hairstyles of both men and women, most famously short hair for men with a pointed beard, and provided a perfect frame for the face; a face enhanced by what can only be described as deadly make-up. With the Tudors believing that ‘outward beauty was a true sign of inner godliness’, Elizabeth I’s first appearance on the world stage saw her appear as a virgin queen with her hair flowing and an alabaster complexion, the latter being the result of white lead make-up also known as ceruse. The cult of
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