Advice for women, aka housewives, included the following items in the women's page of The Irish Timesin 1930. – JOE JOYCE
HOUSEWIFE’S Unnecessary Work – We are apt to think it unreasonable of our men folk when they return from work to wonder why we are tired after spending most of the day at home, but it is often not so unreasonable as we suppose. Though we are busy for more than half of our time in the workshop of the home there is much we could do to save ourselves from fatigue.
We are, for instance, prone to keep our kitchens too tidy. We suffer strain in reaching up and bending down, and we walk miles each day to fetch and carry things which should be to hand. Standing is tiring, but stooping is worse.
A stool and table and convenient shelves all of the right height would save both.
Then, again, we do not relax sufficiently. Rest is a refresher that should be snatched in every spare minute. To test this advice, keep an armchair in the kitchen and judge for yourself.
Lastly, remember that beauty and colour have an amazing effect upon the mind. Make your kitchen as charming as possible, since in it you must spend most of your day.
Arms and the Woman
Do not forget your arms when thinking about your appearance. A well-shaped arm is not so rare as is often supposed, because housework and sports do more than anything to mould it into a beautiful shape. It is usually the skin which is at fault.
Too often it is coarse and red and blotchy.
The surest method of refining the skin is to put two ounces of groats (a very fine grade of oatmeal) into a basin. Add equal parts of glycerine and water until the groats reach the consistency of thick cream, then add the juice of half a lemon, and mix well.
Every night, after well washing the arms with hot water, a good super-fatted soap, and a piece of flannel, carefully dry by dabbing gently with a soft towel.
Then apply the groats mixture, using the palm of the hand and rubbing downward from the shoulder with a firm movement. The preparation will neither irritate not injure the skin and only very little may be used at one time.
Thin, red and rough arms need to be bandaged every night with strips of linen soaked in oil.
Olive oil is best, because it nourishes the skin and reduces redness. Soon the arms will become soft and white. An outer bandage may be used to protect the bed linen.
Arms that are too plump to be beautiful require plenty of exercise and sweating in oilskin sleeves with damp compresses underneath, if they are to be successfully reduced.
Massage with spirits of camphor mixed with water in the proportion of one ounce of spirits of camphor to two ounces of water will reduce any tendency of over-plumpness of arms and shoulders.
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