Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many
women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread
bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they
were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face
she was told, "mind your own bee's wax." Should the woman smile, the wax
would crack, hence the term "crack a smile." In addition, when they sat
too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . therefore, the expression
"losing face."