Women have always known that beauty requires sacrifices, and were ready to go for them. At best, these victims were legs tired from walking on incredible heels. But many decided on more dangerous adventures that led to health problems, and some even threatened to take the coquette's life.
Radioactive cosmetics
In 1932, a line of women's cosmetics called Tho-Radia began to be produced in France. The powder and face cream contained radium, which was then attributed to miraculous properties. According to the developers, Tho-Radi cosmetics made the skin clean and healthy. Thorium chloride and radium bromide contained in these products were supposed to activate the processes in the cells, smooth the skin from wrinkles and get rid of minor defects. Instead, women received mild radiation sickness for 15 francs per 155 grams. Despite the fact that radium was recognized as dangerous, sales of Tho-Radi cosmetics continued until the 1960s. Foot bandage Foot bandage is a Chinese tradition with a thousand-year history. Women's feet less than ten centimeters long were called "lotus legs" and were considered a sign of femininity. To form such a “flower”, women had to endure terrible pains throughout their lives. When the girl was seven years old, they broke all her toes (except for the big ones) and pulled her to the heel as tight as possible so that the foot became like a curved bow. The bandaged leg needed constant care: the compression of the vessels worsened blood circulation, and necrosis and abscesses could begin due to ingrown nails. Men believed that "lotus legs" make a woman extremely sexy, but at the same time, it was indecent to see women's legs without shoes and bandages. This is not surprising, given the look they had. We will not attach a photo, this sight is not for the faint of heart. The communists who came to power eradicated this custom by introducing a ban on bandaging. It is still in effect. The last factory for the production of lotus shoes closed in 1999, the remains of the goods were transferred to the ethnographic museum. Arsenic At the end of the 19th century in Europe and the USA, arsenic was known as a miraculous cosmetic agent. It was believed that it gives a healthy shine to the eyes, and a noble pallor to the face. It was necessary to take arsenic little by little, gradually increasing the portion. Accumulating in the body, it caused thyroid diseases and often deaths. Therefore, especially cunning cosmetologists offered women an alternative - arsenic-based face masks. They were considered safer than ingestion of the poison. But in reality, there is no difference. The fashion for drops was introduced by Italian aristocrats. A couple of drops of belladonna dilated the pupils, made the eyes shine, made them more expressive. At the same time, vision rapidly deteriorated and, with prolonged use, led to complete blindness. Nevertheless, the fashion for this "drug" passed only at the beginning of the XX century. Tapeworms In the 20th century, the fashion for thinness reached its peak. Many women were ready to do anything for a quick and noticeable result, even if it meant voluntarily settling a parasite in their bodies. Capsules with bovine tapeworm larva had to be taken orally. Once in the body, the parasite began to absorb nutrients. The lady was losing weight, and the worm, on the contrary, grew, sometimes reaching 50 centimeters. When the desired effect was achieved, the worm was removed using special preparations or by surgery. This "diet" had a significant disadvantage - the likelihood of death. The bovine tapeworm did not just feed with its host, it also actively reproduced. So there was no guarantee that, having got rid of an adult, a person would get rid of his offspring. See also: Eerily uncomfortable shoes of medieval women, What inspires people for wild outfits and hairstyles: cleaning brush, string bag, and broken phone