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Beauty in history

All About Empress Sisi’s Beauty Secrets

Hello lovelies!

Today, I will talk about another beautiful woman in history. I was thinking about a trip I did to Vienna eight years ago. Then, I thought: what if I told you about Empress Sisi beauty secrets?

Born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, Empress Sisi grew up to be one of the most beautiful royal in her lifetime. And she unexpectedly captured her husband’s heart in the most twisted circumstances!

But what were her secrets? In this article, I am going to reveal you Empress Sisi beauty secrets. And once you know them, you’ll notice that they’re quite surprising!

Who is Empress Sisi?

 

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Birth and family

Empress Sisi was born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria in 1837 in Munich. She grew up in an unrestrained and loving environment, where she could develop her artistic sensitivity. She enjoyed writing poetry, hiking, and drawing.

When Sisi reached the age of 15, her mother and her aunt (who was the Emperor Franz Joseph’s mother) agreed that Franz Joseph would marry Sisi’s elder sister named Helen. Therefore, Helen and her mother traveled to Vienna to meet the Emperor, with Sisi accompanying them.

However, when the Emperor saw Sisi, it was love at first sight. He insisted to marry her instead of Helen, against his mother’s will. Since that day, Sisi and her mother-in-law would have a strained relationship which would last for years.

Marriage and life at the court

Sisi and Franz Joseph would have 4 children together. However, though Sisi was Empress, she wasn’t happy about her condition. She did not put up with the many restrictions and the protocol of the Court, as well as her mother-in-law’s harsh treatments (for example, her mother-in-law withdraw her children from her to personally supervise their upbringing).

Because of all this, she would develop a severe melancholy and very restrictive beauty habits, as her body was the only thing left to her control. Her melancholy was also a pretext to flee from the Court and travel all around Europe.

Later years

Her life reached another level of drama when she heard about her son’s suicide in a Mayerling hunting lodge in 1889. She started dressing in black all the time and stopped writing poetry around that time. Moreover, she would start hiding from strangers and did not want to show off anymore. Poor Empress Sisi ended being assassinated by an Italian anarchist in 1898.

Empress Sisi’s physical appearance

 

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Empress Sisi was extraordinarily beautiful. She was tall (172 cms or 5ft7), had a fresh face, very long and abundant ankle-length chestnut hair, beautiful chestnut eyes, and had an athletic body. Also, she had a very tiny waist (51 cms!) that she maintained with a strict diet and lots of exercise.

However, she had bad teeth and never frankly smiled for that reason. Her mother-in-law, who didn’t like her, would sometimes taunt her with her teeth.

All About Empress Sisi beauty secrets

 

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Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets are well-documented, just as Cleopatra’s. She was extremely dedicated to her beauty to the point where she would become obsessed, because her appearance was the only thing she could control – poor soul!

I must admit that some of her secrets are natural, non-toxic and totally relevant for us today. Some other beauty secrets are quite hard to follow, in my humble opinion.

I invite you to discover her numerous beauty secrets below!

Empress Sisi beauty secrets: her face

To cleanse her face, Empress Sisi would use rose and lavender mists. These ingredients are very much used to day, especially by people who want to have a natural beauty routine and avoid toxic chemicals. Rose water is renowned for its healing, moisturizing and anti-wrinkles properties; whereas lavender water gently purifies and regenerates the skin.

Moreover, Sisi would also use some facials to keep her face fresh. She would either use a yummy face mask made of honey and strawberries, or a more questionable face mask made of raw veal slices that she would maintain with a leather mask. She would keep those masks all night long and wash them in the morning.

Sisi never put make-up on her face and loved natural beauty. She thought that make-up was a kind of rearrangement of nature’s gifts and wasn’t very keen about it. She even thought that make-up was only good for loose women.

Empress Sisi beauty secrets: her body care and exercise routine

Just like Diane de Poitiers, Sisi took daily baths in which she added olive oil. Indeed, olive oil is renowned for its soothing and healing properties. At a time when people did not bathe every day, courtiers and her mother-in-law found this habit quite strange. Why? Because taking a daily bath indicated a life filled with sin and a desire for purification.

To stay slim, Sisi heavily relied on physical exercise. Let’s say it as it is, Sisi was an exercise freak! She was addicted to sports. When she was young, she would practice horse riding during extensive hours. Later, she would be addicted to brisk walking and could walk up to 10 hours a day! She would even force her ladies to follow her!  However, as they didn’t enjoy exercise as much, they would find excuses to avoid being with her during those moments.

She equipped her apartments in Vienna with a gymnastics room where she would exercise regularly. To us, this would be quite normal. But during Sisi’s times, it made her appear eccentric. By the way, her gymnastics room is still intact. You can visit it at Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

She completed their exercise routine by sleeping with a cloth soaked in vinegar wrapped around her waist to stay slim and also to detoxify her body.

She weighed herself every day. When she noticed that she gained weight, she would basically starve herself that day. Because of her weird relationship with food, some historians said that she might have been anorexic. However, some historians say she wasn’t because she managed to have 4 children in her lifetime and that anorexia usually suppresses menstruations. I think we’ll never know…

Empress Sisi beauty secrets: her diet

Sisi’s diet was also…special. She watched what she ate and her diet consisted in fresh milk, eggs, raw veal juice, fruits (especially oranges), and sorbets. During her various travels, cows were made available for her, so that she would always have fresh milk at hand.

However, she watched her weight very carefully and many scholars believe that she was anorexic. According to others, she wasn’t anorexic but she watched what she ate.

My theory is that she was hard on her body because she didn’t control anything else in her life. Her mother-in-law and her husband controlled everything and they didn’t take her opinion into account – at least, at the beginning of her marriage. Therefore, her body was the only thing she could control…

Empress Sisi beauty secrets: her hair

Empress Sisi had an intense love story with her crown of glory, of which she was very proud. She relied on her hairdresser, a lady named Fanny Angerer, to deal with her hair on a daily basis.

Her hair routine would take 3 hours a day! It would be brushed and braided every day, while the Empress read and took foreign languages lessons. Then, every 3 weeks, she would have her hair washed with a mix of 30 egg yolks and cognac. This recipe would leave her hair silky, soft and less prone to breakage.

Sisi watched her hair to see if it fell out, and she would go literally nuts if she noticed dead hair on the brush. Her hairdresser had to invent a ruse to hide fallen hair to the Empress: she would make fallen hair disappear by fixing it on an adhesive tape and stick it to her dress!

Beauty trivia – Empress Sisi’s edition

 

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Empress Sisi’s hair was so heavy that she had migraines because of it. Moreover, as an avid beauty lover, Sisi had a huge collection of photographs representing beautiful women all around the world. She thought that Persian women were the most beautiful of all.

What we can learn from Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets

 

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“A beautiful woman is a picture which drives all beholders nobly mad” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sisi’s beauty routine is overall natural, and that’s praiseworthy. If we exclude her obviously obsessive behavior (like excessive gymnastics sessions) or questionable beauty habits (veal mask, strange eating habits), her beauty routine is innocuous and toxic-free.

You can adapt it in your lives as follows:

  • Cleanse your face with natural tonic lotions such as rose water
  • Exercise moderately every day
  • Have some face masks made up with your kitchen ingredients – especially with honey
  • Replace occasionally your usual shampoo with egg yolks and cognac – as cognac can be quite expensive, you can use rum instead. It will also work!

Well, that’s all for today! What do you think about Empress Sisi beauty secrets? Fell free to her your thoughts in the comments below!

Take care, lovelies!

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40 Comments

  1. S.J says:

    The article effectively sets the stage by detailing Sisi’s background, including her unexpected marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph and her tumultuous life at the Austrian court. This context adds depth to understanding why beauty became such a central focus for her.The article does a thorough job of uncovering Sisi’s beauty secrets, ranging from her skincare routine to her hair care regimen. It’s intriguing to see how she relied on natural ingredients like rose water and lavender, emphasizing their healing and rejuvenating properties, which are still popular today.

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment!

  2. LineCowley says:

    What a sad life Empress Sisi actually had. And with her mother-in-law taking her children and alienating her to a large extent, it is no wonder that she looked after her body and her face. It was the only thing that she had control over.

    Although she had a very severe exercise routing, and some strange beauty practices, overall she use natural products like lavender and rose water to keep her face beautiful. Olive oil is such a great natural product as well, that it is not surprising to see that Empress Sisi actually bathed in it. 

    Thank you for sharing this great read.

    1. admin says:

      You’re welcome Line !

  3. Katlynn says:

    Great post on Empress Sisi, thanks so much for sharing. I had no idea who Empress Sisi was to be honest but I love history and found this article fascinating. I love that you included all of her beauty regimens for body, skin, and hair the are so different from what people do today. I also love that you included your opinion and I agree with you I believe her weight was one of the few things she has control over. Great read.

    1. admin says:

      Thanks Katlynn!

  4. Alice says:

    Hi Elodie! I really enjoyed reading about Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets. It’s fascinating how she used natural products like rose water and lavender, which are still cherished today for their benefits. Her dedication to maintaining her beauty through such meticulous routines is quite impressive, even though some of her methods seem a bit extreme by modern standards. 

    It’s also interesting to see how historical beauty practices can influence our current trends. Overall, your article was a very insightful and engaging read! 

    Thank you for sharing it with us.

    1. admin says:

      You’re welcome Alice!

  5. Lyn says:

    What an interesting article and lady. I see her as a woman with a very strong independent streak in that she was strong enough to follow her own beliefs and not just the norms of the day. She had the courage of her convictions. So many just follow blindly whatever the latest trend is. It sounds like she may have had an obsessive personality. She could have become anorexic after she had her children and think that the theory that her body was the only thing she had control over was very plausible. I admire people who take control of their health and look after themselves, it’s something that I do. I can really relate to her.

    1. admin says:

      Wow thanks for your comment Lyn! I found the theory of the obsessive behavior very interesting…

  6. Mike Powers says:

    Hello,

    Your site has so many interesting articles I had trouble knowing where to start.  From the most attractive women to tips about wellness, your website has an amazing group of interest.  I will have to show my wife this site for some your beauty tips as she is into makeup and is also an attractive woman.

    Thank you,

    Mike Powers

    Cabin Living Today

    1. admin says:

      Thanks Mike!

  7. shawn says:

    Great post on Empress Sisi, thanks so much for sharing this amazing story. I had no idea who Empress Sisi was to be honest. I found this article fascinating.  I also enjoyed that you included your opinion and I agree with you I believe her weight was one of the few things she has control over.  thanks for sharing overall the article was outstanding

    1. admin says:

      You’re welcome Shawn and thanks for your comment!

  8. Mercy says:

    This article is absolutely fascinating! I love how detailed and well-researched it is. Empress Sisi’s beauty regimen is truly inspiring, and you’ve done a fantastic job of breaking it down into practical tips that we can all incorporate into our own routines. Thank you for sharing these timeless beauty secrets! 

    1. admin says:

      Thanks Mercy!

  9. Starlight says:

    Hello, 

    Thank you for sharing Empress Sisi’s fascinating beauty secrets! Her dedication to maintaining her appearance amidst the challenges of royal life is truly remarkable. It is intriguing how she used natural ingredients like rose water and olive oil, along with some unconventional methods like raw veal face masks and vinegar-soaked cloths for waist slimming. 

    Her commitment to physical fitness, rigorous diet and intricate hair care routine reflect a deep desire for control over her own body and image. Learning about historical figures like Empress Sisi gives us a glimpse into their unique lives and the beauty ideals of their time.

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment !

  10. Ashley says:

    What an interesting article and concept for a site. That was a really interesting read.  Empress sisi sounds magical, aside from her teeth that is! And ankle length hair!! How did she ever manage that? I love the rose and lavender trend. I feel like a lavender mist would be fantastic for before bed. It would help me relax. I am going to buy a lavender face mist after reading this for sure and I will channel my inner sisi.  Thanks for the inspiration. 

    1. admin says:

      You’re welcome Ashley!

  11. Kavitha says:

    Wow, what an incredible deep dive into Empress Sisi’s life and beauty secrets! I had no idea her routines were so elaborate and, frankly, quite intense. It’s fascinating to learn how she used natural ingredients like rose and lavender mists for her skin those are definitely something I could see myself trying.

    I think it’s important to remember that while some of her beauty secrets are timeless and beneficial, like the use of natural tonics and regular exercise, others are a bit too extreme for modern times. It’s all about finding that balance and doing what makes us feel good and healthy.

    What do you think about Empress Sisi’s beauty regimen? Are there any tips from her routine that you’d like to incorporate into your own?

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment. Her routine is a bit extreme for me though…

  12. Mike says:

    I had no idea about Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets before. It’s amazing how she used natural ingredients like rose water and lavender, which are still popular today. Some of her routines, like the veal face masks and vinegar-soaked cloths, are pretty wild, though! It’s fascinating to see how she maintained her beauty despite her challenging life. Thanks for sharing.

    1. admin says:

      You’re welcome !

  13. Chris Towers says:

    I absolutely loved this post, so thank you for that. 

    I spent some time in Germany (6 years all together) in my younger days when I served in the military and was always very interested by King Ludwig and his Neuschwanstein Castle. I visited this location on a number of occasions.

    It was great to be reminded about Empress Sisi’s connection to him through their shared love of poetry.

    I adored my time in Bavaria and can really relate to your info here. 

    Tell me something, do you have any more details on their favorite poems? 

    I really appreciate it and look forward to you getting back to me.

    Thanks.

    Chris

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment! As far as their favorite poems are concerned, I don’t have much info – I just know that they both loved Heinrich Heine…Hope that this helps!

  14. The Investor says:

    What a fascinating deep dive into Empress Sisi’s beauty regimen! It’s incredible to see how some of her practices, like cold cream and natural skincare, are still popular today. The detail about her strict diet and exercise routine really highlights her dedication to beauty.

    One aspect that intrigued me was her use of raw veal masks. It’s quite unusual by modern standards. Do you think there were any specific benefits from this practice, or was it more of a beauty myth of her time?

    Overall, this article beautifully captures the essence of historical beauty practices and their lasting influence. Looking forward to more such insights!

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment! Raw veal masks were supposed to fight wrinkles…

  15. Linden Thorp says:

    This is fascinating. I knew little about Empress Sisi, so this filled in all the gaps. It’s incredible how you gradually lead up to her beauty secrets so that we want to know them. Being a researcher myself, I’d love to know where you got this information from – could you give me some references, please? Olive oil and working out!  Ahead of her time in some ways. Why did she use veal as a face mask and a healthy drink? I’d love to know the wisdom behind that!  So she wasn’t a cruelty to animals abolitionist, was she?   

    Great topic and article.

    1. admin says:

      Hello, thanks for your comments! My references are from a travel I did in Austria several years ago and I kept my notes!

  16. Annastasia says:

    I absolutely love how Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets blend historical intrigue with timeless skincare wisdom. Her dedication to natural, non-toxic beauty routines is truly inspiring and offers a refreshing reminder of the power of simple, organic ingredients. Empress Sisi’s regimen shows that elegance and self-care can transcend time, making her beauty practices relevant and captivating even today.

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment!

  17. Laura says:

    thoroughly enjoyed learning about Empress Sisi’s beauty secrets and how she utilized natural ingredients like rose water and lavender in her routine. It’s fascinating to see historical beauty practices that are still relevant today. I’m curious about the face masks made from raw veal and the leather mask—how did she come up with these ideas, and are there any modern equivalents that offer similar benefits without being quite as extreme? Thank you for sharing such an insightful article!

    1. admin says:

      Thanks for your comment ! Well. I don’t know how she came up with these ideas but they were probably folks’ medicine or something. There’s no equivalent to the raw veal mask unfortunately

  18. Bob Lynch says:

    Your article on using the Apple Pencil with Procreate is very easy to follow, especially for someone like me. I had no idea you could customize it like that!

    How do you manage layers effectively in Procreate? You touched on it briefly, but could you dive a bit deeper into organizing layers for complex projects? I often find myself getting lost in them, so any tips would be awesome.

    1. admin says:

      Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about…

  19. Michel says:

    I saw a documentary last week about Empress Sisis and it was quite sad that she lost so many children and was so regimented in her beauty routine. She was not a very happy woman for much of her adult life.

    She also suffered a lot of pain just before she died. However, I admire her for coping as well as she did with royal life with an evil mother-in-law.

    When you say she bathed in Olive oil, would you have any idea of how much you would put in the water to avoid your skin feeling too greasy afterward?

    1. admin says:

      Hello Michel, you shouldn’t put a whole lot of olive oil in your bath! Probably a tablespoon is enough!

  20. Aparna says:

    Thats an interesting article on Empress Sisi. I was searching for her history and came across this blog. Thank you for the tons of information that you have put on this article. 

    I loved the easygoing language and style too. Kudos to you. 

    I like the way to entice the reader with your stories to indulge them in the art of beauty and its secrets. Good going there. 

    Nice read.

    1. admin says:

      Thank you!

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