Editing Empress Elisabeth of Austria (section)

===Beauty===

[[File:Kaiserin Elisabeth im Morgenlicht.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Elisabeth depicting her long hair. Made by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1865, it was supposedly one of Emperor Franz Joseph's favourite paintings of his wife.]]

She is considered one of the most beautiful and famous women of 19th century Europe.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Matthews |first1=Mimi |title=The Beauty Rituals of 19th Century Empress Elisabeth of Austria |date=5 October 2015 |url=https://www.mimimatthews.com/2015/10/05/the-beauty-rituals-of-19th-century-empress-elisabeth-of-austria/ |access-date=10 October 2022}}</ref> In addition to her rigorous exercise regimen, Elisabeth practiced demanding beauty routines. Daily care of her abundant and extremely long hair, which in time turned from the dark blonde of her youth to chestnut brunette, took at least three hours.{{citation needed|date = July 2016}} Her hair was so long and heavy that she often got upset and complained that the weight of the elaborate double braids and pins gave her headaches.

Her hairdresser, [[:de:Franziska_Feifalik|Franziska Feifalik]], was originally a stage hairdresser at the Wiener [[Burgtheater]]. Responsible for all of Elisabeth's ornate hairstyles, she generally accompanied her on her wanderings. Feifalik was forbidden to wear rings and required to wear white gloves; after hours of dressing, braiding, and pinning up the Empress' tresses, the hairs that fell out had to be presented in a silver bowl to the reproachful Empress for inspection. When her hair was washed with a combination of eggs and cognac once every two weeks, all activities and obligations were cancelled for that day. Before her son's death, she tasked Feifalik with tweezing gray hairs away,<ref name="ReferenceC"/> but at the end of her life her hair was described as "abundant, though streaked with silver threads".<ref name="deburgh" />{{rp|58}}<ref>Tschuppik, Karl, ''The Empress Elizabeth of Austria'', Constable, 1930, p. 114.</ref>

Elisabeth used these captive hours during grooming to learn languages; she spoke fluent English and French, and added [[modern Greek]] to her Hungarian studies. Her Greek tutor, [[Constantine Christomanos]], described the ritual:

{{blockquote|'Hairdressing takes almost two hours,' she said, 'and while my hair is busy, my mind stays idle. I am afraid that my mind escapes through the hair and onto the fingers of my hairdresser. Hence my headache afterwards.' The Empress sat at a table which was moved to the middle of the room and covered with a white cloth. She was shrouded in a white, laced [[peignoir]], her hair, unfastened and reaching to the floor, enfolded her entire body.<ref name="ReferenceD">Unterreiner, Katrin, Sisi – Mythos und Wahrheit [Legend and Truth], Brandstätter, 2005</ref>}}

Elisabeth used cosmetics and perfume sparingly, as she wished to showcase her natural beauty. On the other hand, to preserve her beauty, she tested countless beauty products prepared either in the court pharmacy or by a lady-in-waiting in her own apartments. She appeared to favor "Crème Céleste" (compounded from white wax, [[spermaceti]], sweet almond oil, and [[rose water]]), but also used a wide variety of other facial tonics and waters.

Her night and bedtime rituals were just as demanding. Elisabeth slept without a pillow on a metal bedstead, because she believed it was better for retaining and maintaining her upright posture; either raw [[veal]] or crushed strawberries lined her nightly leather facial mask.<ref>Fellner, Sabine/Unterreiner, Katrin, Rosenblüte und Schneckenschleim [Rosebud and Slug Slime], excerpt, Kurier (Vienna) – Health, 24 November 2006, p. 17.</ref> She was also heavily massaged, and often slept with cloths soaked in either violet- or cider-vinegar above her hips to preserve her slim waist; her neck was wrapped with cloths soaked in Kummerfeld-toned washing water.<ref name="ReferenceD" /> To further preserve her skin tone, she took both a cold shower every morning (which in later years aggravated her [[arthritis]]) and an olive-oil bath in the evening.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

Elisabeth had an aversion to being photographed, especially later in her life, and was quick with a fan or sunshade to prevent her portrait being taken.<ref name="deburgh" />{{rp|8}}