Creme Patti by Guerlain was a face cream used to fade age spots or freckles and to whiten the complexion. It was sold in porcelain jars. The cream was named after the famous singer Miss Adelina Patti.
The Pall Mall Budget: Being a Weekly Collection of Articles, 1887:
Town Topics, the Journal of Society, 1893:
You can read more about Madame Patti's Cold Cream here.
Public Opinion, Volume 3, 1887:
"It is said that Mme Patti has not washed her face for years. She believes that the use of water upon the face brings wrinkles and only cold cream or what is known as the bath of Isis composed rose water and glycerine. French women who are enameled never allow water to touch their face shoulders or arms. They wipe them dry with a towel every morning and then with a soft small sponge rub on an ointment that is prepared for the purpose rubbing it out again with square of very fine white flannel."
"Does Mdme Patti wash her Face? Is the New York paper which alleged that Mdme Patti never washed her face with soap but used cold cream instead for fear of wrinkles is a mendacious print. We have seen the original of the famous letter which the great prima donna addressed to the Messrs Pears It runs in this wise I have found Pears soap matchless for the hands and ramplexz on We might have overlooked the fact had not the alert soap makers addressed the following letter to us We observe in your issue of the 1st inst your query Is Mdme Patti s face never washed? This question we can answer emphatically authoritatively and affirmatively Mdme Patti is especially particular in respect of her choice of toilet soap and we have for years supplied her. In order that you may publicly deny the truth of the statement in the American paragraph that Mdme Patti's face is unacquainted with soap we enclose herewith for your perusal an autograph letter from Mdme Patti respecting the advantages resulting to her complexion from the use of a soap which we need not particularize. We know at any rate that Messrs Pears send the soap whatever becomes of it."
Town Topics, the Journal of Society, 1893:
"To keep your powder on, there is one famous article from Guerlain's, called "Creme Patti." The Comtesse de B. always uses it, and she is certainly the best-arranged woman in France. You put it on all over your face and rub it well in."
