Beauty standards have evolved in some pretty shocking ways over the centuries. Many cultures have gone to strange and sometimes downright painful lengths to look “beautiful.” From the extreme to the uncomfortable, these beauty practices can make our modern trends seem tame! While some of these trends reflect a different view of beauty, others are almost hard to believe were ever a part of everyday life. Here are 18 of the most bizarre beauty trends from history—prepare to be amazed, and maybe a little horrified.
1. Ancient Egyptian Eye Makeup
Ancient Egyptians believed that heavy eye makeup protected them from evil spirits and the harsh sun. Both men and women lined their eyes with thick, dark kohl, creating an exaggerated almond shape that sometimes stretched out toward the temples. The makeup, made of lead and copper ore, probably exposed them to toxic metals, but the look was considered divine.
2. Medieval European Pale Skin
In the Middle Ages, pale skin was a sign of nobility because it showed that you didn’t have to work outside. To achieve this look, women would use mixtures of vinegar and lead, and they’d even go as far as bloodletting to drain color from their faces. The use of lead powder, however, was poisonous and could lead to terrible health issues.
3. Elizabethan Plucked Hairlines
In Elizabethan England, a high forehead was seen as the height of beauty. Women would pluck their hairlines to create an expansive forehead, which symbolized intelligence and high social standing. They would often go overboard, plucking eyebrows and even parts of the scalp to achieve the look.
4. Italian Belladonna Drops
During the Renaissance in Italy, women used belladonna drops in their eyes to make their pupils larger, which was thought to give them a dreamy and inviting look. Belladonna, also known as “deadly nightshade,” is actually a poison, and using it in this way could cause blurry vision and even blindness.
5. Victorian Arsenic Complexion Pills
In the Victorian era, pale skin was highly prized, and some women took arsenic pills to achieve it. Arsenic could whiten the skin but at a high cost—it’s a toxic poison that could cause cancer, organ failure, and death with prolonged use. Women often didn’t realize the full danger, as beauty advertisements assured them it was safe.
6. Chinese Foot Binding
One of the most infamous beauty practices, foot binding was practiced in China from the 10th century until the early 20th century. Little girls’ feet were tightly bound to keep them from growing, resulting in tiny, pointed “lotus feet.” This practice was excruciating and could lead to lifelong disabilities, but small feet were considered beautiful and a sign of high status.
7. Japanese Ohaguro Teeth Blackening
In Japan, a black smile was a symbol of beauty and maturity from as early as the 8th century until the late 19th century. Women would dye their teeth black with iron fillings and vinegar to protect them from decay. Known as “ohaguro,” this practice was especially popular among married women and the samurai class.
8. Georgian Lead and Vinegar Face Powder
In 18th-century Europe, men and women wanted a flawless, pale face, which they achieved by applying lead-based face powder. Combined with vinegar to create a paste, the powder caused long-term skin damage, hair loss, and even death, as lead poisoning became a serious problem among the wealthy.
9. Ancient Roman Sweat Scraping
Roman gladiators were the ultimate symbols of masculinity, so their sweat was actually collected and sold as an aphrodisiac for women! Women would apply gladiator sweat to their faces as a beauty treatment, believing it would make them more attractive and alluring.
10. The Beauty Patches of the 18th Century
In Europe, small, adhesive patches called “beauty marks” were used to cover up blemishes or scars left from smallpox. These marks, often shaped as stars, hearts, or other symbols, were stuck to the face as a style statement and came to represent different meanings depending on their placement.
11. 19th-Century Corsets
Corsets in the 19th century weren’t just for shaping; women wore them so tightly that they could displace organs and restrict breathing. Some women fainted regularly due to how tightly their waists were bound. The goal was to create an “hourglass” figure, often with severe health consequences.
12. Victorian Leeches for Bloodletting
In Victorian times, leeches were sometimes used as a beauty tool to drain “excess” blood from the body. The idea was to achieve a faint, delicate appearance. This process, called bloodletting, was painful and dangerous, leading to infection and sometimes death due to blood loss.
13. Renaissance Egg and Vinegar Hair Treatment
To achieve silky, shiny hair during the Renaissance, women applied egg yolk mixed with vinegar. While eggs contain protein that’s good for hair, the mixture could also leave a foul smell that lingered until the next wash, making the treatment less glamorous than it sounds.
14. Ancient Roman Unibrow Beauty
In ancient Rome, women valued a connected eyebrow, known as a “unibrow,” as a mark of intelligence and beauty. Some women who couldn’t naturally grow a unibrow would darken the space between their brows with makeup or even glue animal hair in place.
15. The 17th-Century Poisonous Beauty of “Ceruse”
“Ceruse” was a mixture of white lead and vinegar that women in the 17th century used to make their skin look smooth and white. This toxic mix, however, caused skin discoloration, muscle paralysis, and severe health problems, as lead poisoning was common.
16. Edwardian Hair Rats
In Edwardian England, large, voluminous hairstyles were popular, and women would save their own hair from brushes and combs to make “hair rats.” These bundles of hair were used to create height and volume. While it might sound resourceful, the hair rats attracted lice and other hygiene issues.
17. Plaster Masks in the 19th Century
In the 1800s, women applied plaster masks to smooth wrinkles and reduce sunspots. They were left on overnight, and though they seemed to work, the process was highly uncomfortable. If the mask dried too tightly, it could even crack or damage the skin underneath.
18. The Flapper-Era Lipstick Stencil
During the 1920s, bold, exaggerated lips were all the rage, so women used metal stencils to shape their lipstick just right. These stencils made applying lipstick much harder than it needed to be and often caused irritation as they pressed against the skin.
Ellen has been obsessed with logic puzzles, jigsaws, and cryptograms since she was a kid. After learning she was taught how to play chess wrong by a family friend (so they could win), she joined her school chess club and the rest is history.
