Random Phenomenally Stupid Beauty Trends From Around The World During Victorian Era (9 items)

(#8) They Administered Nightshade Eye Drops

Nightshade is considered to be one of the most poisonous plants in the world. It also causes the pupils of the eyes to dilate, or become larger. Women during the Victorian Age believed that large pupils were more attractive, so they would place nightshade drops in their eyes before going out.
(#3) Facial Makeup Contained Lead And Radium

The ideal upper class Victorian woman had facial skin that was unblemished and as white as possible. If their skin was imperfect, they applying lotions, face paints, and even powders. The only problem was this makeup contained things like lead and radium. Of course, they didn't realize lead could cause severe poisoning when leached into the skin, or that radium was radioactive.
(#1) Tuberculosis Beauty Was The Newest Fad

Tuberculosis, a fatal disease during the Victorian Era, causes nodules to grow in the lungs. Eventually, these nodules affected breathing to the point that the patient died. However, during the Victorian age, women appreciated the beauty that tuberculosis caused - the pale skin, thin waist, and red lips and cheeks of those infected. This quickly became a trend that led to women purposely contracting the disease in order to look beautiful.
(#5) Corsets Impaired Breathing And Moved Around Vital Organs

The ideal Victorian woman had a curvy, hourglass figure. Of course, most women aren't built that way, so corsets were created to give the illusion of a very thin waist. When combined with the large hoop skirts of the era, an hourglass figure was created. The only problem was wearing a very tight corset for hours on end every single day could cause permanent deformities, shortness of breath, and even suffocation if the lungs couldn't get enough oxygen.
(#4) Lip Paints Were Made Of A Carmine And Ammonia Blend

Red lips were a hugely popular beauty trend during the Victorian Era. Before commercialized lipstick became common, women had to either make the lipstick compound themselves, or purchase lip paint from their local pharmacy or general store. The main dye used to make red lip paint was composed of carmine from the crushed bodies of cochineal insects. The pigments weren't deadly on their own, although some did cause allergic reactions. What really made lip paints poisonous was the ammonia mixed into them when the insects were boiled and crushed.
(#2) Women Bathed In Arsenic

Arsenic, which we now know is a dangerous poison, caused a woman's skin to become very pale. This was the beauty ideal, as upper class women didn't need to go outside and work in the garden - they had servants to do that for them. In order to make all of their skin extremely pale, women would go (under a parasol to prevent the sun's rays from hitting them, of course) to special spas that had arsenic spring baths.