May Day Dew Drops

The ancient secret to a dewy fresh complexion?  Dew drops gathered before sunrise on the First of May, is a centuries old recipe for healthy, glowing skin.  Not being a morning person, I'll never know.

Far from a fairy tale, the Celtic tradition was written about in 1652, in The Natural History of Ireland, by Dr. Gerard Boate.  In his day, women would gather dawn's dew drops from May to June.  The dew on wheat, according to Dr. Boate, "hath more vertues and is better for all purposes than that which hath been collected from the grass, or other herbs".  

The women would either hold a container under a sprig of flowers, and tap it gently, letting the drops fall; or, they would collect the dew in a linen cloth, then wring it out into a container.  It would then be poured into a glass bottle, and kept in a sunlit spot.  Dr. Boate says that, "after some days rest some dregs and dirt will settle to the bottom."  Those impurities would be flung away, and the clear, filtered dew would be poured into another bottle for use throughout the year.  

It was a tradition embraced by the upper classes.  Dr. Boate states, "The English women and gentlewomen of Ireland did use in the beginning of Summer to gather good store of dew, to keep it by them at the year after for several good uses both of physick and otherwise, wherein by experience they have learnt it to be very available."

The dew was said to prevent wrinkles, freckles and sunburn, cure headaches and sore eyes.  Walking barefoot in the morning dew prevented bunions and corns.  

It was the dew gathered on May Day that was most highly prized.  On the night of April 30th 1667, Mrs. Pepys went to Woolwich.  Her husband, Samuel wrote about it in his diary (for younger readers, that's like a blog, only it's written in a book, and is usually private - otherwise, it is exactly the same thing!).  He said that Mrs. Pepys had gone to collect May dew, "which Mrs. Turner hath taught her is the only thing in the world to wash her face with". 

Women would then let the dew drops absorb into the skin, and dry their faces with fresh air and sunshine.  They never towel dried the dew drops from their skin. 

Young women would spend the night in the forest, to be up before dawn to gather the dew.  They were not alone.  As far back as 1583, the Puritan, Philip Stubbes wrote with great concern about maidens spending May Day Eve in the woods.  "I have heard it credibly reported...by men of great gravity and reputation that of forty, three scores, or one hundred maids going to the wood overnight, there have scarcely the third part of them returned home again undefiled.  These be the fruits which these cursed past times bring forth."  May First was the dew date, and February First was the due date.

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.