18 Beauty Trends From the Past We Can’t Believe Happened
Here's a look back at bizarre, shocking, and sometimes dangerous beauty trends from history that reveal the extremes people once went to for appearance.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
Beauty standards have always shifted with time, and some of the strangest practices in history seem unthinkable today. From toxic ingredients like lead, mercury, and radium to painful rituals such as foot binding and corseting, people have risked their health for beauty. These past trends remind us how cultural values shape what is considered beautiful, no matter how unusual or dangerous it may seem.
1. Lead-Based Makeup
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In the 16th and 17th centuries, women in Europe used white lead-based makeup to achieve a pale, porcelain complexion. While it looked fashionable, the substance was highly toxic and caused hair loss, rotting teeth, and even death. Many noblewomen, including Queen Elizabeth I, are known to have used it despite the risks.
2. Belladonna Eye Drops
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During the Renaissance, women used eye drops made from the poisonous plant belladonna to make their pupils look larger and more alluring. Unfortunately, the drops caused blurry vision and could lead to blindness with repeated use. Beauty literally came at the cost of sight.
3. Victorian Arsenic Complexion Wafers
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In the 19th century, some women consumed arsenic wafers believing it would give them clear, radiant skin. Instead, it poisoned their bodies over time, leading to serious illness or death. The wafers were marketed as beauty enhancers despite the obvious dangers.
4. High, Shaved Hairlines
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During the 15th century, European women often shaved or plucked their hairlines to create the illusion of a larger forehead, which was seen as a mark of beauty. This style was popularized by noblewomen and even appeared in paintings of the time. The practice left many with permanent hair loss.
5. Black Teeth in Japan (Ohaguro)
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From the Heian period through the 19th century, Japanese women and some men dyed their teeth black as a symbol of beauty, maturity, and marital status. The dye was made from iron filings and vinegar, giving teeth a lacquered look. Though shocking today, it was once considered elegant and desirable.
6. Corsets for Body Shaping
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In the 18th and 19th centuries, tightly laced corsets were used to cinch waists into an hourglass figure. While admired for creating fashionable silhouettes, corsets restricted breathing, damaged organs, and even caused fainting. They show how far people went in pursuit of beauty ideals.
7. Mercury in Skin Lighteners
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For centuries, mercury was a common ingredient in creams designed to whiten skin. It gave a temporary glow but caused mercury poisoning, tremors, and long-term neurological damage. Many users had no idea they were slowly being poisoned.
8. Mouse Fur Eyebrows
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In the 18th century, when natural brows were plucked too thin or lost to age, some women glued strips of mouse fur above their eyes. The false brows could fall off during conversation, causing embarrassment. This unusual solution shows the lengths women went to for fashionable brows.
9. Foot Binding in China
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For nearly a thousand years, tiny “lotus feet” were a symbol of beauty and status in China. Young girls’ feet were painfully bound to keep them small, leading to lifelong disability. Despite the suffering, it was once seen as a marker of refinement and femininity.
10. Radium Beauty Products
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In the early 20th century, some skincare companies marketed products infused with radium, claiming it gave users a healthy glow. Consumers applied radioactive face creams and powders without knowing the long-term health dangers. Eventually, the practice was banned as cases of radiation poisoning emerged.
11. Elizabethan Egg White Facials
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Women in Elizabethan England used egg whites on their faces to create a tight, shiny appearance. While it temporarily smoothed skin, it also left a stiff, unnatural finish. Still, it was considered a quick fix for looking youthful.
12. The “Pomade Cone” Hairstyle of Ancient Egypt
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Egyptians often wore perfumed wax cones on their heads during celebrations. As the cone melted, it released fragrance into the hair, creating a long-lasting scent. While unusual by today’s standards, it was a luxurious beauty ritual of the time.
13. Tapeworm Diet Pills
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In the early 20th century, advertisements promoted swallowing tapeworm eggs to lose weight. The parasites consumed calories from within, but they also caused malnutrition, illness, and sometimes death. It remains one of the most shocking beauty fads in history.
14. Thick White Rice Powder in Japan
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During the Edo period, Japanese women powdered their faces with a heavy layer of white rice powder. It created an artificial porcelain look but often clogged pores and damaged skin. The pale, mask-like effect was highly fashionable in its time.
15. “Vinegar and Bellows” Skin Treatment
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In Victorian times, women sometimes had vinegar blown into their faces with bellows to give a fresh, pale complexion. The acidic fumes caused irritation and redness, which was mistaken for a healthy glow. This painful method reflects the extremes of beauty culture.
16. Tooth Sharpening Rituals
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In some Southeast Asian and African cultures, sharpening teeth to sharp points was seen as a sign of beauty and social identity. The painful process was often performed without anesthesia. While startling today, it was once a respected cosmetic choice.
17. Blue Vein Painting
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In 18th-century Europe, aristocratic women painted blue veins onto their décolletage to emphasize pale, translucent skin. This look symbolized wealth, since only the upper class could avoid tanning from outdoor labor. It was an artificial way to flaunt privilege.
18. Perfumed Gloves in the Renaissance
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Wealthy women in Renaissance Europe wore gloves soaked in strong perfumes to mask unpleasant odors and add to their allure. However, the gloves sometimes contained toxic ingredients that absorbed into the skin. This mix of beauty and danger was common in the era.