Tag Archive for bee’s wax

Some Trivia: Bee’s Wax, Cracking a Smile, and Losing Face

How about a little trivia about a few old American sayings? 

In the early days of our fine country, personal hygiene was far from what’s expected today.  Consequently, people often developed acne, which then left scars.  Men took it in stride, but women—ever concerned about their appearance—found a solution in bee’s wax, applying it to their faces to give them smoother complexions.  Naturally, beauty-conscious women would check each other out.  If they got caught, they were told to “mind your own bee’s wax!”  There were practical concerns with the wax, too.  For example, if a woman sat too close to the fire she’d find her face melting (therefore, they would “lose face”).  And they didn’t dare respond to anything that would make them smile, because their face would crack (they would “crack a smile”).

Side Note:  As I look at some movie stars and models (and some people I meet), I can’t help wondering if they’ve been using bee’s wax.