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1. The Victorian Era (1837-1914) was full of all kinds of danger. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, many defective machines were invented, which caused many terrible accidents that could easily end a person’s life. Furthermore, many horrific deaths and lasting damage occurred in the everyday life of the Victorian Era due to the beauty standard, ranging from deadly cosmetics to whalebone corsets that hug your waist.
Ideal physical traits for women during the Victorian Era included being pale; having rosy cheeks; large, dark eyes; and red lips. While on the contrary, having pimples, freckles, or sports were considered unattractive.
2. Queen Victoria declared that cosmetics were impolite, which led to the development of only actors and ladies of low morals wearing obvious makeup. Furthermore, Queen Victoria's statement inspired a more naturalistic approach to women's painting styles. However, everyone in the era still favored pale skin. To achieve this prized look, people used much-touted whitening lotions that had many side effects, due to the use of ingredients such as lead, ammonia, arsenic, and mercury. These ingredients all have a great toxic effect on the human body and are especially reflected in symptoms such as emaciation, nausea, headaches, and vomiting.
Lead is dangerous for people of all ages; unlike most other toxins, our body cannot eliminate lead through metabolism and excretion, meaning it cannot be purged. Instead, our body absorbs the lead and it becomes deposited in our bones and remains there for the rest of our lives. Lead is especially dangerous for young children as it can cause permanent developmental issues. However, women in the Victorian Era usually wore makeup containing lead to cover their smallpox scars. Furthermore, in modern society, there have been reportedly dangerous levels of lead in lipstick, and these levels continue to rise higher and higher. When choosing lipstick or other cosmetic products, remember to pay attention to the lead content.
In the Victorian era, arsenic was widely used for several applications. To achieve bright eyes and a translucent complexion, some Victorian women would nibble on wafers that were made of deadly arsenic. Arsenic is highly toxic and can cause skin cancer. Furthermore, long-term exposure to arsenic may also cause cancers of the bladder and lungs. These problems were very prominent due to the fact that women used arsenic-laced lotions during the Victorian Era for a clear, pale complexion. What is more ironic is that many greedy and capitalistic merchants declared arsenic makeup products as harmless in order to increase their profits, however, what the user achieved was a sickly pale complexion. Beauty was deadly.
To achieve the watery eye look, women would drop belladonna in their eyes. However, belladonna -also known as deadly nightshade- easily causes blindness and other long-term effects. However, this did not stop women from using it and thus millions of girls have suffered a lot of unnecessary pain due to the demanding nature of society.
Marked as ‘anti-aging’ or ‘skin lighting,’ if you see the words ‘mercury’ listed on the label, you should immediately stop using the product. You should avoid using skin creams, cosmetics, and antiseptics that contain mercury, as they will damage your skin. Being exposed to mercury can have serious health consequences. If you use these products, people around you might breathe mercury vapors, some people, particularly pregnant women, nursing babies, and young children are especially vulnerable to mercury toxicity. Mercury was highly recommended during the Victorian Era as a night eye treatment. The perverted aesthetic of death is horrible.
During the Victorian Era, cosmetics contained poison, which is strictly banned nowadays. We are lamenting horrible and unnecessary deaths, and at the same time, we get to know that people need healthy skin tones, unique styles, and diversified aesthetics. But this should never be at the cost of your body. Pay attention to the ingredients of cosmetics and become a lively, positive, energetic person.
Sources
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian era
2. //www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-poisonous-beauty-advice-columns-of-victorian-englandhttps
https://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-victorian-makeup/