Liquid Rouge, 1865

 LIQUID ROUGE. Take of rouge, spirits of wine, white wine vinegar, and water equal parts. Mix and apply with a fine linen rag. This is superior to the last two recipes, simply because it is less obstructive, and at the same time it has the advantage of simplicity which the acidulated has not, but this latter yields an immeasurably superior colour. 

--The Handbook for Ladies' Maids and Guide to the Toilette (1865)

 

I used the "chalk rouge" for this recipe, combining 1/2 tsp of it with 1/2 tsp each of water, white wine vinegar, and vodka.*

*Could be brandy or another concentrated wine, but as far as I can tell "spirits of wine" basically means ethanol.

Not prepossessing, but we'll see.

The chalk sort of mixes with the liquids--there's a noticeable residue in the bottle, even after shaking. It does retain a faint odor of vinegar. I used a scrap of linen to transfer a few drop of the rouge onto my skin, then rubbed it on. 

Photographing one's hand is still really awkward.

Two immediate improvements over the powder is that there's no visible loose powder to remove, and it's much easier to apply without getting rouge powder all over one's hands/table/tin. I'm not yet sure which version produces the best effect, though I think I see what the author means about the improved "obstruction" of this rouge. Not that anyone could distinguish a natural blush under any of these paints, in my opinion....