When you think of influencers, you’d think of people on TikTok or Instagram – right?
Well, one influencer lived long before the internet …
In fact, in the 16th century.
Her name was Queen Elizabeth I of England.
In 1562 Queen Elizabeth I contracted smallpox…
Which almost killed her.
Although she survived the smallpox it had left her with terrible scars all over her body…
With such a high profile, she needed to seem beautiful and regal to the masses.
She started a trend to wear makeup to cover blemishes and other flaws on the face…
… It was a concoction that consisted of lead and vinegar that created a white paste.
What was known as “Venetian ceruse” a potential killer…
(Seems kinda crazy eye?)
That was regularly applied to her face. For a while, she only used it to conceal the scars on her face.
But it didn’t take long for this to catch on…
… and before you knew it more and more women began to copy her.
Being so well recognized meant that many women started to use makeup just like Queen Elizabeth.
That started a trend crossing the classes…
And having a perfectly white face came to symbolize youth and wealth…
What’s more, if the makeup didn’t kill you then most likely the facial cleanser used to remove the makeup probably would have.
It consisted of rosewater, mercury, honey and eggshells…
and to top it off Elizabeth used bright red pigments or lipstick that contained heavy metals…
I know what you’re thinking!
And no, not the rock band type, hahaha – the toxic or
poisonous sorts at low concentrations.
Can you imagine living in those times and a woman approaching you looking like Ronald McDonald? Lol.
Zaf.
P.S. If you’re looking for something less toxic to your health then take a look at this FREE video:
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