When we read about strange things in the past, we shake head disapprovingly and think that we are wiser and smarter now. Today I want to show you some of the strange things that women in the past have done in order to be beautiful, some of the things were causing even death. Take a look:
- I always say that the clothes are shaping the body, but the corset is one clothing item which shapes the body in one creepy way. Pressing all your inner organs in order to have smaller waists isn’t the sexiest feeling in the world.
- Drinking arsenic. Somewhere around the XIX century there was a trend to drink arsenic for a glowing complexion, shiny look and blushing skin. Of course, there were rules: drinking it only on rising moon, only one drop at the beginning until your body get used to it and if you ever stop, you will die. There were flaws: sometimes it leads to death.
- Curvy ladies used to have some nasty and even disgusting habits when they wanted to be thinner. The eggs of the ringworm where taken on the shape of a pill and once the eggs were in the system of the fat host, they hatched and start to eat the nutrients from the food, which make you thin, but the ringworm grows up. There were special treatments for removing the large ringworm’s from the body, which wasn’t pleasant at all.
- Smaller feet. A tradition in China, which goes back to the tenth century. The toes of the little girls were folded under the feet and tightened as tight as it was possible, which often lead to bone breaking. The feet were folded so deeply that the nails and the infections were only a few of the problems. The men never saw the feet of their wives, even when they were alone. The women always were keeping their feet covered with beautiful little shoes. This trend led to injuries which made the girl not able to talk normally, but that was the main purpose. This doll-like walk was a symbol of rich and gentle lady, who never had the chance work or care for anything. This torture was ended by the Communist revolution of 1949.
- Radioactive beauty products. During the 30s of the twentieth century, a French manufacturer of cosmetics used thorium chloride and radium bromide for extra boosting. The product stimulates the cell vitality, improves blood circulation, strengthens the skin, removes fat, shrinks the pores, treats pimples and pigmentation, stops aging and smooths wrinkles, keeps the freshness of the complexion and afterwards kills you.
- It is not a surprise that the name of the poisonous plant means “beautiful woman”. Ladies put the extract of the Belladonna plant in their eyes as drops, which made the pupils wide, like playful cat, which was considered sexy. A long-term use leads to blindness.
- Leaden powder. The 18th century was heavy for the women’s faces – literally. People hardly got rid of the pox, which left their bodies and faces covered with scars. And the best solution for covering the scars was the face powder with lead dust. It was cheap and easy to prepare, covered well the skin, which looked shiny and silky smooth. But unfortunately, the permanent application led to brain problems, paralysis and one by one all the systems in the body stops working properly.
Beauty takes its price, so be careful!
