An online article had a fascinating to me tidbit about a rich eccentric woman, who smothered her face in petroleum jelly:
As for Mrs Wood, her personal hygiene was said to be dreadful as she hadn’t bathed in several years. She did, however, take care of her face; smothering her skin in petroleum jelly every day.
When lawyer Morgan O’Brien first laid eyes on her, he told Cox that it was easy to tell she had once been incredibly attractive.
“Her complexion in spite of her age, was as creamy and pink and unwrinkled as any I have ever seen. It was link tinted ivory, her profile was like a lovely cameo,” Mr O’Brien said.
Interesting note: Along with hundreds of jars of petroleum jelly, it was clear Mrs Wood had a thing for Cuban cigars and snuff from Copenhagen.