Applying daily cosmetics has historically involved rubbing known poisons, toxic chemicals, and unusual bodily fluids directly onto the skin. While makeup is used to accentuate features, it has functioned as a potentially fatal game. The pursuit of specific aesthetic standards drove consumers to use substances that caused organ failure and mental decay.
From crushed beetles and mercury to infant foreskins, the documented ingredients found inside makeup jars reveal a dark reality. The contents of these formulas caused widespread health crises spanning thousands of years.
Ancient Egyptian and Roman Poisons
In Ancient Egypt, men and women heavily lined their eyes with kohl. Manufacturers created this dark cosmetic by grinding galena, which is lead sulfide. Continuous exposure to this lead-based makeup caused high levels of irritability and severe mental problems. The wealthy women and prostitutes of Ancient Rome applied even harsher substances. To achieve a pale complexion, Roman women coated their faces in white lead, sulfur, vinegar, animal urine, poultry fat, and excrement.
This corrosive makeup actively ate away at the flesh, creating a snowball effect that forced the wearer to apply thicker layers to hide the damage. To create light pink cheeks, Romans applied cinnabar and red lead. Cinnabar is an ore of mercury. Daily application caused violent tremors, profound confusion, and death, while long-term exposure to mercury vapors resulted in Mad Hatter’s disease.
French Lead and Italian Nightshade
By the 18th century in monarchical France, the heavy use of white face paint continued to poison the upper classes. Medical advisors explicitly warned women against using these lead-based cosmetics. The heavy metals caused lung diseases, severe acne, permanent blackening of the skin, and physical paralysis. In Italy, women placed drops of Belladonna directly into their eyes. This extract from the deadly nightshade plant artificially dilated their pupils to make them appear seductive.
Modern Chemical Additives
Contemporary formulas still rely on harsh chemicals. Synthetic cosmetic colors are derived directly from petroleum or coal tar sources. Products also contain sodium laureth sulfate, a detergent that causes eye and skin irritations. Formaldehyde appears in nail polishes, eyelash glues, and hair gels, causing nosebleeds, eye irritations, and breathing difficulties. Manufacturers also utilize Triclosan, a synthetic antibacterial ingredient registered by the EPA as a pesticide. Animal studies showed Triclosan alters hormone regulation and contributes to antibiotic resistance, leading Minnesota to ban the agent in 2014.
Beetles, Minks, and Human Tissue
The industry heavily sources ingredients from animals and humans. Cosmetic companies extract mink oil from the fur trade to manufacture moisturizers. The red coloring carmine is produced by boiling and crushing beetles. Facial creams also utilize fibroblasts harvested from the leftover foreskins of circumcised infants to promote skin regrowth. Mascaras utilize fish scales for shine, and skin hydrators use urea. The promotion of foreskin-based products sparked protests against Oprah Winfrey by anti-circumcision activists in 2013.