Clothing and Fashion - Elizabethan Make-up
Upper class women, the Nobility, of the Elizabethan era wore make-up. Queen Elizabeth I set the fashions and as she grew older she more wore elaborate make-up which was useful for hiding wrinkles and other signs of ageing. At one time Queen Elizabeth had contracted small pox which had left some scarring on her face. The heavy white make-up also helped to hide this and maintain her illusion of beauty.