Long have women and men sought after an ethereal glow and eternally young skin. Here are some of the most shocking and scandalous cosmetic disasters through the centuries. Check out the 6 poisonous beauty products once used and still used.
Belladonna Leaves
Belladonna leaves are in all reality the leaves plucked from the highly toxic and deadly nightshade plant. These leaves were at one time all the rage in sixteenth century Italy. It was believed that enlarged pupils made one much more attractive, giving the user an innocent and feminine look. The infrequent user of Belladonna could look forward to severely blurred vision, fever and dehydration. The daily user had could expect permanent blindness and possible death.
Lead Laced Face Cream
In the Roman Era lead laced face creams were all the rage for fixing any and every complexion ailment. One of the most poisonous beauty products of all time, lead cream masks also became wildly popular in this era. Unfortunately, the ingredients in the cream couldn’t have been good for the skin. It was the crushed lead they had used to create the white color in the creams that caused it to be poisonous.
The ingredients in the face cream without the lead powder were basic. The elements the creams contained, such as animal fats (similar to modern day lanolin) and starches, where actually healthy for the skin. Yet over time the lead laced cream would take its toll on the user causing unsightly facial sores and lead poisoning.
Red Lipstick or Lead Lipstick?
This is the one that hits closest to home. Believe it or not many red lipsticks today still have a deadly secret. It’s one of the most poisonous beauty products that was used and is still used today. In 2007 hundreds of our favorite red hues were pulled off of the market for containing high levels of lead. The lead in the lip hues are measured by parts per million, which may make this seem like a mute fact.
Radium Cream
After the discovery of Radium in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie, radium became known as the cure all for any and every ailment. Everyone wanted to capitalize on this new discovery. It claimed to rejuvenate the skin with its radioactive qualities by diminishing wrinkles and giving that sought after glow. This being one of the most poisonous beauty products was also popular during this time to trek to radium mines to relax and rejuvenate.
Lead Based Eye Paint
In the Egyptian Era, women and men alike longed for a dramatic accentuated eye. They achieved this sought-after-look by meticulously tracing a thick line of lead based eye paint around the entire eye. Over time the poisonous concoction would most certainly cause severe eye irritation. Yet, this eye paint also had the potential to bring on mental degeneration and even death if one were so vain to use it every day.
White Lead Face Powder
In the 1700’s both women and men superfluously fluffed white lead powder on their faces to achieve a youthful and very pallid complexion. Unfortunately, this makeup made the wearers face form sores and blemishes which in turn caused them to layer it on heavier and more often. This deadly mixture quickly ended her life at the young age of 27.
