Over time, ideas about female beauty have changed, and sometimes the words "beauty requires sacrifice" had the most literal meaning. What women did to themselves to be considered beautiful today can shock. Before you - dozens of examples from the past, which confirm that you should not chase changeable fashion and, most importantly, it is still health.
Chopin
Girls in the 15th-17th centuries had to wear chopins (also zoccoli or pianella). So they protected their beautiful outfits from the dirt that covered the streets and demonstrated their high social status. Chopin height could reach 50 centimeters. It is not surprising that the ladies had to resort to the help of the maids who were always there to support their mistress and prevent her from hitting her face in the mud. Literally.
1939 make-up protection
In this way, women of fashion tried to protect their makeup from rain and snow. The bad news is that this strange device fogged up pretty quickly from the breath.
Dimples
In the 20th century, there was a time when the femininity of the image was considered insufficient if the girl did not have charming dimples on her cheeks. In 1923, a special device was patented, which, according to the inventors, was able to bestow beautiful dimples on anyone. The device was put on the face, fixed behind the ears and on the chin, and two protruding rods pressed hard and painfully on the cheeks. After some time of such use, the desired dimples appeared on the face.
Renaissance: high forehead, no eyelashes
During this period, naturalness was not particularly appreciated, people began to actively use cosmetics, and the female body was elevated to a cult. A high, rounded forehead was especially fashionable, and the higher the hairline was, the better. Therefore, many women shaved their forehead hair to meet this beauty standard. In addition, women of fashion certainly got rid of eyelashes by plucking them out with tweezers.
17th century in England: white skin
A product containing mercury and vinegar was used to whiten the face. The skin did become whiter, but over time it turned yellow, and this process was irreversible. Queen Elizabeth I of England was an ardent fan of whitening cosmetics. Her face has reached such a degree of whiteness that in history it is remembered as a "mask of youth."
17th century in England: translucent veins
To highlight their high origins, women used a blue pencil to draw a venous pattern on their neck, chest and shoulders.
Victorian era: lip biting
Queen Victoria of England forbade women to use cosmetics, but this did not stop them from looking for a way out of the situation. Instead of applying lipstick and blush, they pinched their cheeks and bit their lips.
19th century: arsenic on guard of beauty
In the 19th century, it was fashionable to ingest arsenic in order to "give the face a blooming appearance, the eyes - shine, and the body - an attractive roundness." However, there were also side effects: arsenic accumulates in the thyroid gland, which can provoke the formation of goiter and lead to death.
Victorian Era: Poisonous Green Dresses
In the Victorian era, green dye was invented, and bright fabrics dyed with it became popular among fashionistas. This shade was called Scheele Green. To achieve this, a mixture of arsenic and copper was used. The poisonous substance gradually killed those who wore a dress made of fabric dyed with this dye. On contact with mucous membranes, the paint caused irritation and gradually penetrated the skin. By the way, the wallpaper was painted with the same dye, so that green walls in rich houses concealed a mortal risk for the owners and their guests.
Europe, XVIII century: flies
At that time, people used cosmetics without hesitation, and special importance was attached to artificial moles - flies. They have become not only a way to decorate the face, but also a tool for flirting. For example, a fly in the shape of a crescent meant an invitation to a night date, a cupid fly meant love, a carriage meant consent to a joint escape. A fly above the upper lip meant that the girl was free and open to marriage proposals. If an artificial mole was located on the right cheek, this meant that the woman was already married. Widows wore flies on their left cheek.
See also: Combs, babets and model haircuts: what happened in beauty salons in the USSR, Slaughter beauty: why sometimes it is better to entrust makeup to professionals
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