The Most Dangerous Things Done In The Name Of Beauty
In these cases, beauty really is pain!
1. Deadly Nightshade
AKA Belladona or "Beautiful Woman":
The promise: Attractive eyes
Just a couple of drops to the eyes dilates the pupils making them peepers appear bright and lively, which of course was considered an asset back in the day.
The horror: Visual distortion, blindness and, eventually, death
2. Lead Makeup
The promise: Smooth face and light complexion
Lead has been a popular beauty product since ancients times. Surprisingly, even with knowledge of its bad effects, lead products are still sold in the market today.
The horror: Poisoned organs, dry skin and constipation
3. Mercury
The promise: Blemish-free skin
Mercury beauty products came in the form of ointments, powders and pills.
The horror: Kidney problems, birth defects, fatigue, depression and death
4. Arsenic
The promise: Say goodbye to unwanted body hair!
Just a few applications of arsenic solution removes body hair for smooth, flawless skin. The solution also promised a blushing complexion and bright eyes.
The horror: Goiters, swelling and death
5. Lard
The promise: Perfectly coiffed hair
Women in the 18th Century secured their elaborately decorated hair and wigs with lard. These lard-dipped wigs were worn for days on end.
The horror: Funny smell and lice infestations
Women in those times were so into their attractive hair and the magical wonders of lard that lice infestation was worth the bother. Instead of skipping the lard and the lice, special scratching sticks were sold for itch relief.
6. Radioactive creams
The promise: Wrinkle-free skin
Discovered by the Curies, this precious ingredient was used in different beauty products in the 1930s.
The horror: Fatigue, hair loss and the opposite of its promise -- horrifying skin problems.
7. Cosmetic toe surgery
The promise: Perfect toes to fit the perfect heels.
This one's new! Aesthetic foot surgery offers reshaping toes to make stiletto-strutting a bit more bearable.
The horror: As if wearing stilettos was painful enough, going under the knife is even more painful.
8. Chin reducer
The promise: Pull on the chords and say goodbye to that double-chin
Aside from preventing double chins, the product also "gives flesh the resiliency and freshness of youth" and "reduces enlarged glands."
The horror: There's nothing attractive about wearing this contraption
9. Tapeworm Diet
The promise: Lose weight fast and easy
The tapeworms are taken in pill form and the eggs then hatch in the intestines, feasting on the nourishment you should be getting.
The horror: Malnutrition and the process of passing tapeworms is just plain gross!