For Beginners
Welcome to the Humanistic Cosmetology community!
Why do we need to know the "horror stories" of the past? 🧠
Before we begin discussing radiance, rejuvenation, and modern treatments, I want to give you one very important 'vaccination.' It is a vaccination against ignorance and blind trust in marketing. 🛡️💉
In my 30 years in the beauty industry, I have realized one thing: history always repeats itself. What is hailed as an 'innovative breakthrough' today may end up on the list of toxic poisons tomorrow—just as it happened with lead, mercury, and radium. 🧪📉
This lesson is not just a collection of historical anecdotes. It is the foundation of your critical thinking. We study the mistakes of the past so that you can learn to ask the right questions today. We will learn to see the real risks behind beautiful packaging and loud promises. 🧐🔬
Are you ready to discover the price women have paid for beauty over the last 2,000 years and why 'new' does not always mean 'safe'? Then let’s go; we have much to discuss..." 🏛️☢️
In my 30 years in the beauty industry, I have realized one thing: history always repeats itself. What is hailed as an 'innovative breakthrough' today may end up on the list of toxic poisons tomorrow—just as it happened with lead, mercury, and radium. 🧪📉
This lesson is not just a collection of historical anecdotes. It is the foundation of your critical thinking. We study the mistakes of the past so that you can learn to ask the right questions today. We will learn to see the real risks behind beautiful packaging and loud promises. 🧐🔬
Are you ready to discover the price women have paid for beauty over the last 2,000 years and why 'new' does not always mean 'safe'? Then let’s go; we have much to discuss..." 🏛️☢️
Welcome to our lesson,
'The Dark Pages of Beauty History.' 🧛♀️📖
'The Dark Pages of Beauty History.' 🧛♀️📖
Part 1: Ancient Civilizations and Toxic Traditions
Let’s begin with the history of using toxic and hazardous substances 🧪, just so you don’t think that women only decided to experiment on themselves and risk their health for the sake of beauty today, in the 21st century 🔬. This has been our long-standing "favorite pastime" 💃.
In ancient civilizations such as Egypt 🏺 and Rome 🏛️, women used cosmetics containing substances that were extremely dangerous to their health ☠️.
In ancient civilizations such as Egypt 🏺 and Rome 🏛️, women used cosmetics containing substances that were extremely dangerous to their health ☠️.
Toxic Substances in Ancient Cosmetology
В Египте 🇪🇬, например, широко применялись краски для глаз 👁️, содержащие сурьму 🧪. В связи с этим женщиIn Egypt 🇪🇬, for instance, eye makeup 👁️ containing antimony 🧪 was widely used. As a result, women suffered from chronic conjunctivitis 🩹 and characteristic skin rashes 🧼.
Note: Red Lead (Minium): It was often called "false rouge" because it was cheaper than natural cinnabar, yet even more toxic due to its high concentration of lead ☠️.ны страдали конъюнктивитом 🩹 и характерными кожными высыпаниями 🧼.
Note: Red Lead (Minium): It was often called "false rouge" because it was cheaper than natural cinnabar, yet even more toxic due to its high concentration of lead ☠️.ны страдали конъюнктивитом 🩹 и характерными кожными высыпаниями 🧼.
In Ancient Greece 🏛️, the use of lead powder for skin whitening began ⚪. Ancient Greek women are considered the pioneers of using face-whitening agents based on white lead (ceruse) 💄. They also introduced mercury sulfide 🧪 into cosmetic use, which was later replaced in rouges by red lead due to the high cost of the former 🎨.
These substances caused serious illnesses, systemic poisoning, and damage to internal organs 🚑. Lead, in particular, led to anemia 🩸 and severe damage to the central nervous system 🧠.
Notes:
These substances caused serious illnesses, systemic poisoning, and damage to internal organs 🚑. Lead, in particular, led to anemia 🩸 and severe damage to the central nervous system 🧠.
Notes:
- Pliny the Elder: In his "Natural History," Pliny indeed documented these recipes. Ant eggs were used to darken eyelashes and eyebrows, while exotic animal components (bat blood, hedgehog ash) were standard—albeit questionable—remedies of the time ✅.
- Donkey Milk: The most famous example is Poppaea Sabina (wife of Emperor Nero), who took baths in donkey milk and mixed it with chalk to create face masks 🥛✨.
- Hair Colors: Although Roman women most often chose golden or reddish hues, during the decline of the Empire and under the influence of wig fashions, bolder colors appeared, including blue (often a sign of courtesans or extremely eccentric ladies) 🏛️🎨.
From Greece to Rome: The Evolution of "Deadly" Beauty
The traditions of lead-based skin whitening migrated from Greece to Rome 🏛️. To achieve a pale complexion, Roman women also used common chalk ⚪ mixed with donkey milk 🥛.
Pliny the Elder wrote that ant eggs 🐜🥚 were used to tint eyebrows. For hair removal (depilation), they used even more bizarre ingredients: the brains and blood of bats 🦇, as well as ash from burnt hedgehogs 🦔🔥.
Roman women were also known for dyeing their hair in exotic colors, including vibrant blue 💙. As for lipstick, they used the roots of various plants 🌱, some of which were highly toxic 🧪.
The traditions of lead-based skin whitening migrated from Greece to Rome 🏛️. To achieve a pale complexion, Roman women also used common chalk ⚪ mixed with donkey milk 🥛.
Pliny the Elder wrote that ant eggs 🐜🥚 were used to tint eyebrows. For hair removal (depilation), they used even more bizarre ingredients: the brains and blood of bats 🦇, as well as ash from burnt hedgehogs 🦔🔥.
Roman women were also known for dyeing their hair in exotic colors, including vibrant blue 💙. As for lipstick, they used the roots of various plants 🌱, some of which were highly toxic 🧪.
The Middle Ages: The Persistence of Pale Privilege 🏰
In the Middle Ages, white lead ⬜ continued to be in high demand 📈.
Note: During the Medieval era, pale skin remained a key indicator of high social status and "noble blood," as the aristocracy—unlike the peasantry—did not work under the open sun. This pressured women to continue using toxic formulations, despite strict Church prohibitions against excessive adornment.
Note: During the Medieval era, pale skin remained a key indicator of high social status and "noble blood," as the aristocracy—unlike the peasantry—did not work under the open sun. This pressured women to continue using toxic formulations, despite strict Church prohibitions against excessive adornment.
The Renaissance: The "Spirit of Saturn" and the Venetian Mask 🎨
In the Renaissance era, women from all walks of life were offered a fabulously expensive Venetian face-whitening paste 🎭. It was essentially the same white lead ⬜ mixed with vinegar 🧪. As always, everything "new" is just well-forgotten "old" 🔄.
Notes:
In the Renaissance era, women from all walks of life were offered a fabulously expensive Venetian face-whitening paste 🎭. It was essentially the same white lead ⬜ mixed with vinegar 🧪. As always, everything "new" is just well-forgotten "old" 🔄.
Notes:
- Venetian Ceruse: During the Renaissance, this was considered the finest and most expensive cosmetic in Europe 🇪🇺. It was known as the "Spirit of Saturn."
- Historical Context: This very paste caused severe health problems for many noble ladies of the time, including Queen Elizabeth I. It is believed that the "mask of youth" seen in her later portraits was actually a thick layer of this paste, used to hide skin deeply damaged and scarred by lead poisoning 👑🩹.
The 15th Century: Rice Powder and the Illusion of Safety 🌾
In the 15th century, rice powder became the height of fashion 🌾. It was used generously not only on hairstyles 💇♀️ but also on faces, necks, shoulders, and hands.
However, pure rice starch stubbornly refused to adhere to the skin. To solve this, the "cosmetologists" of the time added substances to increase its viscosity 🧴. Primarily, they used good old white lead ⬜, as well as bismuth salts mixed with arsenic 🧪. The concentration of toxic additives in rice powder sometimes reached a staggering 50% ⚖️.
The only real difference from the ancient period was that doctors had learned to diagnose lead poisoning 👨⚕️. They even attempted to use various antidotes, the most common being a mask made of milk and asparagus roots 🌱. They would soak bread crumbs 🍞 in this mixture and apply it to the face. Naturally, the effectiveness of such masks was highly questionable 📉.
It’s the same old story: first, we act; then we face complications; and finally, we scramble to find an antidote 🏃♀️💨.
Notes:
However, pure rice starch stubbornly refused to adhere to the skin. To solve this, the "cosmetologists" of the time added substances to increase its viscosity 🧴. Primarily, they used good old white lead ⬜, as well as bismuth salts mixed with arsenic 🧪. The concentration of toxic additives in rice powder sometimes reached a staggering 50% ⚖️.
The only real difference from the ancient period was that doctors had learned to diagnose lead poisoning 👨⚕️. They even attempted to use various antidotes, the most common being a mask made of milk and asparagus roots 🌱. They would soak bread crumbs 🍞 in this mixture and apply it to the face. Naturally, the effectiveness of such masks was highly questionable 📉.
It’s the same old story: first, we act; then we face complications; and finally, we scramble to find an antidote 🏃♀️💨.
Notes:
- Bismuth and Arsenic: Bismuth (in the form of subnitrate) provided a beautiful pearlescent sheen.
- Diagnostics: By the 15th and 16th centuries, physicians could clearly describe the symptoms of "lead colic" and the characteristic pallor (anemia) caused by cosmetics.
- Milk and Asparagus: These components are frequently mentioned in medieval treatises as "softening" and "cleansing" the skin of toxins, though they certainly could not cure systemic heavy metal poisoning 🥛🌿.
Toxic Beauty in the 19th and 20th Centuries 🎩
In the Victorian era, many cosmetic products continued to contain dangerous ingredients, such as lead ⬜ and mercury 🧪. Mercury caused severe damage to the kidneys 🩺 and the nervous system 🧠, but surprisingly, this did not deter its users 🤷♀️.
Notes:
Notes:
- The Victorian Era (19th Century): Although Queen Victoria officially deemed makeup "improper," women used it secretly on a massive scale. Products for removing freckles and whitening the skin (such as the famous Laird’s Bloom of Youth cream) contained enormous amounts of lead and mercury.
- Mercury: Mercuric chloride was a popular ingredient for "clearing" the skin of spots. This led to systemic poisoning, kidney failure, and profound psychological damage—this is the origin of the term "Mad Hatter," as mercury was used in the production of felt hats 🧪🚑.
Belladonna: The Deadly Gaze 🌿
A "novelty" of the Victorian era was Belladonna (or Deadly Nightshade) — a poisonous plant that is also medicinal, possessing potent M-cholinolytic activity 🧪. Essentially, it is atropine 🔬.
Belladonna was used to dilate the pupils 👁️, which gave the eyes a distinctive, alluring sparkle ✨. However, with regular use, it caused a very unpleasant side effect: total blindness 🕶️. What a pity... 🥀
Notes:
A "novelty" of the Victorian era was Belladonna (or Deadly Nightshade) — a poisonous plant that is also medicinal, possessing potent M-cholinolytic activity 🧪. Essentially, it is atropine 🔬.
Belladonna was used to dilate the pupils 👁️, which gave the eyes a distinctive, alluring sparkle ✨. However, with regular use, it caused a very unpleasant side effect: total blindness 🕶️. What a pity... 🥀
Notes:
- Pharmacology: The atropine contained in Belladonna blocks the M-cholinoreceptors of the iris sphincter muscle, leading to persistent pupil dilation (mydriasis).
- Medical Consequences: Prolonged artificial dilation of the pupil causes photophobia and, most dangerously, triggers the development of glaucoma due to impaired outflow of intraocular fluid. This eventually led to optic nerve atrophy and permanent blindness.
2,000 Years of Lead: The Longest Mistake 🧪
And what about lead? Lead continued to be used until the 1980s—for 2,000 years! 🧪 This is despite the fact that there is no safe concentration of lead for humans 📉.
In most cases, lead poisoning takes the form of chronic disorders, regardless of whether acute symptoms are present or absent 🩺. Over time, lead causes irreversible damage, such as anemia 🩸, cognitive defects 🧠, peripheral neuropathy 🧬, and progressive kidney dysfunction 📉.
For two thousand years, women used it and were satisfied 💃. It took two thousand years to finally ban lead in cosmetics 🚫.
Yet, today we often hear: "This technique has been used for 10 years already, so why are you bothering us with your 'possible long-term consequences'?" 🗣️🤨
Notes:
In most cases, lead poisoning takes the form of chronic disorders, regardless of whether acute symptoms are present or absent 🩺. Over time, lead causes irreversible damage, such as anemia 🩸, cognitive defects 🧠, peripheral neuropathy 🧬, and progressive kidney dysfunction 📉.
For two thousand years, women used it and were satisfied 💃. It took two thousand years to finally ban lead in cosmetics 🚫.
Yet, today we often hear: "This technique has been used for 10 years already, so why are you bothering us with your 'possible long-term consequences'?" 🗣️🤨
Notes:
- Timeline of Use: Even as developed countries began introducing bans in the mid-20th century, lead persisted in hair dyes and traditional cosmetics (such as certain types of kohl) until the 1980s. In some regions, it is still found today.
- Safe Concentration: From a scientific standpoint, the WHO officially states that there is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe for health.
- Medical Consequences: The full list—from anemia (lead blocking heme synthesis) to neuropathy and kidney damage—describes chronic saturnism (lead poisoning).
The Birth of Cosmetic Regulation: Science vs. Marketing 🔬
It was only in the second half of the 19th century that chemists and physicians seriously began analyzing cosmetic products 🔬. Skin care treatments were the first to be put under the microscope ✨.
Cosmetic manufacturers insisted that dry powders containing lead could not cause the same harm as liquid lead whites. Of course! 🙄 However, doctors proved that human skin releases acids through sweat 🧪. These acids react with the lead salts in dry powder, actively helping the metal penetrate the body 📉.
But manufacturers were not deterred. As soon as a particular powder or face cream was suspected of containing lead, it was immediately rebranded and sold under a new trade name 🏷️🔄.
The French were particularly "successful" in this type of commerce 🇫🇷. It reached a point where Germany 🇩🇪 strictly banned the use of French cosmetics 🚫. Meanwhile, in Russia 🇷🇺, every batch of imported cosmetic goods was subjected to mandatory chemical analysis 🔬.
Despite these efforts, toxic preparations continued to flood the markets across Europe 🌍📦. Notably, the Russian Empire had some of the world's strictest laws regarding the safety of cosmetic products at that time ⚖️📜.
Note: France vs. Germany: At the end of the 19th century, these countries were engaged in not only political rivalry but also a "war of standards." Germany was actively implementing pioneering state sanitary norms.
It was only in the second half of the 19th century that chemists and physicians seriously began analyzing cosmetic products 🔬. Skin care treatments were the first to be put under the microscope ✨.
Cosmetic manufacturers insisted that dry powders containing lead could not cause the same harm as liquid lead whites. Of course! 🙄 However, doctors proved that human skin releases acids through sweat 🧪. These acids react with the lead salts in dry powder, actively helping the metal penetrate the body 📉.
But manufacturers were not deterred. As soon as a particular powder or face cream was suspected of containing lead, it was immediately rebranded and sold under a new trade name 🏷️🔄.
The French were particularly "successful" in this type of commerce 🇫🇷. It reached a point where Germany 🇩🇪 strictly banned the use of French cosmetics 🚫. Meanwhile, in Russia 🇷🇺, every batch of imported cosmetic goods was subjected to mandatory chemical analysis 🔬.
Despite these efforts, toxic preparations continued to flood the markets across Europe 🌍📦. Notably, the Russian Empire had some of the world's strictest laws regarding the safety of cosmetic products at that time ⚖️📜.
Note: France vs. Germany: At the end of the 19th century, these countries were engaged in not only political rivalry but also a "war of standards." Germany was actively implementing pioneering state sanitary norms.
Home Laboratories: The Only Way to Survive 👩🔬🏠
The only way to preserve one's health was to master the skill of conducting chemical analyses at home 🧪🔬. In other words, to avoid dying for beauty, one had to become a amateur chemist and set up a mini-laboratory in their own house 👩🔬🏠].
For instance, in 1888, Polish specialists Wenda and Wera Gorski taught ladies how to identify powders and face whites containing harmful impurities and dangerous metal derivatives as follows]:
"If, upon shaking a test portion of face whites with ammonia, the mixture turns black, we have every right to assume the presence of mercury 🌑☣️]. If no such reaction occurs, acidify a new sample with common vinegar and add a small piece of potassium iodide 🧪].
The only way to preserve one's health was to master the skill of conducting chemical analyses at home 🧪🔬. In other words, to avoid dying for beauty, one had to become a amateur chemist and set up a mini-laboratory in their own house 👩🔬🏠].
For instance, in 1888, Polish specialists Wenda and Wera Gorski taught ladies how to identify powders and face whites containing harmful impurities and dangerous metal derivatives as follows]:
"If, upon shaking a test portion of face whites with ammonia, the mixture turns black, we have every right to assume the presence of mercury 🌑☣️]. If no such reaction occurs, acidify a new sample with common vinegar and add a small piece of potassium iodide 🧪].
- A yellow color indicates the presence of lead 🟡⚠️];
- An orange-yellow color, quickly turning into bronze-red, indicates bismuth 🟠🔴];
- The sample will remain white if the powder is pure, containing only talc, etc., or if it consists of zinc whites, which we consider a harmless additive ✨✅]."
The Price of Profit: Toxic Swaps 🧪💰
While analyzing the composition of rouges, chemists discovered 🔬 that human sweat makes mercury sulfide 🧪 particularly dangerous, despite it being poorly soluble in water 💧.
Since mercury sulfide was an expensive substance 💰 and the desire for higher profits was relentless 📈, the dangerous mercury sulfide was often replaced with red lead — which was even more poisonous, yet far cheaper 🎨☠️. This became a massive, widespread phenomenon of that era 🌍.
While analyzing the composition of rouges, chemists discovered 🔬 that human sweat makes mercury sulfide 🧪 particularly dangerous, despite it being poorly soluble in water 💧.
Since mercury sulfide was an expensive substance 💰 and the desire for higher profits was relentless 📈, the dangerous mercury sulfide was often replaced with red lead — which was even more poisonous, yet far cheaper 🎨☠️. This became a massive, widespread phenomenon of that era 🌍.
The "Blue Vein" Trend: Faking Fragility 💙🧪
A fashionable "feature" of the 19th century, alongside a sickly "consumptive" paleness, was the imitation of veins translucent through the skin—so-called blue vein tracing 💙]. For this purpose, aniline dyes were primarily used 🧪.
Since these dyes were a brand-new novelty at the time, doctors—lacking complete data on aniline but adhering to the principle of "Primum non nocere" (First, do no harm) 🕊️—advised avoiding them just in case, suggesting natural alternatives instead 🌱. They were absolutely right; in subsequent years, it was proven that aniline is capable of destroying hemoglobin 🩸📉.
We must maintain this position of caution and always treat all "innovations" with skepticism 🧐. In fact, it is strange to use the words "new" or "innovative" as competitive advantages for products, drugs, or procedures 🚫🏷️.
A fashionable "feature" of the 19th century, alongside a sickly "consumptive" paleness, was the imitation of veins translucent through the skin—so-called blue vein tracing 💙]. For this purpose, aniline dyes were primarily used 🧪.
Since these dyes were a brand-new novelty at the time, doctors—lacking complete data on aniline but adhering to the principle of "Primum non nocere" (First, do no harm) 🕊️—advised avoiding them just in case, suggesting natural alternatives instead 🌱. They were absolutely right; in subsequent years, it was proven that aniline is capable of destroying hemoglobin 🩸📉.
We must maintain this position of caution and always treat all "innovations" with skepticism 🧐. In fact, it is strange to use the words "new" or "innovative" as competitive advantages for products, drugs, or procedures 🚫🏷️.
The Deadly Cure for Freckles: Cyanide and Mercury 🧼🧪
However, products designed to remove freckles were even more dangerous at that time 🧼. As it turned out, the compositions of most of these preparations in beautiful jars ✨ consisted of two main components: bitter almond emulsion 🌰 and corrosive sublimate (mercuric chloride)—a terrifying poison 🧪💀.
Experts urgently recommended that young ladies seek medical advice 👨⚕️ or turn to folk remedies. The book "Secrets of the Ladies' Dressing Room" 📖 offered the following advice on the battle against freckles:
"There are many remedies and charlatan potions to banish them, but to avoid dire consequences, it is best not to use these means. The best and most harmless way is to rub the face with fresh cottage cheese" 🥛🤍.
But that’s not all. Analysis of some treatments for hyperpigmentation revealed that they contained potassium cyanide ☠️🧪.
Without a doubt, the 19th century was the era of the first great boom in the beauty industry 💄📈]. Today, we are experiencing the second.
Notes:
However, products designed to remove freckles were even more dangerous at that time 🧼. As it turned out, the compositions of most of these preparations in beautiful jars ✨ consisted of two main components: bitter almond emulsion 🌰 and corrosive sublimate (mercuric chloride)—a terrifying poison 🧪💀.
Experts urgently recommended that young ladies seek medical advice 👨⚕️ or turn to folk remedies. The book "Secrets of the Ladies' Dressing Room" 📖 offered the following advice on the battle against freckles:
"There are many remedies and charlatan potions to banish them, but to avoid dire consequences, it is best not to use these means. The best and most harmless way is to rub the face with fresh cottage cheese" 🥛🤍.
But that’s not all. Analysis of some treatments for hyperpigmentation revealed that they contained potassium cyanide ☠️🧪.
Without a doubt, the 19th century was the era of the first great boom in the beauty industry 💄📈]. Today, we are experiencing the second.
Notes:
- Potassium Cyanide: This is a shocking but confirmed historical fact 🧪. In the 19th century, cyanides were sometimes included in formulas for "chemical peeling" and whitening, as they effectively destroyed the top layer of the epidermis—along with the health of the woman using them.
Radioactive Cosmetics of the 20th Century ☢️✨
In the 20th century, the era of arsenic, lead, mercury, and potassium cyanide seemed to be over 🚫🧪. However, cosmetologists of the first half of the century had their own "sins" 😈.
Following the "progress" of the time, radioactive cosmetics emerged ⚛️🕯️. The radioactive beauty brand Tho-Radia was launched in late 1932, riding the wave of the then-popular fascination with radioactive elements 🌊☢️.
Radium had been discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie back in 1898 🔬🧪. Yet, for a long time, no one realized it was hazardous to health and life-threatening to humans ☠️🛑.
Notes:
Following the "progress" of the time, radioactive cosmetics emerged ⚛️🕯️. The radioactive beauty brand Tho-Radia was launched in late 1932, riding the wave of the then-popular fascination with radioactive elements 🌊☢️.
Radium had been discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie back in 1898 🔬🧪. Yet, for a long time, no one realized it was hazardous to health and life-threatening to humans ☠️🛑.
Notes:
- Chronology: The years 1932–1933 marked the peak of the Tho-Radia product line, which included creams, powders, lipsticks, and even toothpaste containing radium and thorium chloride 🧪🪥.
- Awareness of Danger: By 1932, scientists had already begun to suspect the danger—especially following the infamous "Radium Girls" case in the U.S. in the late 1920s. However, the commercial market and advertising ignored these findings for a long time, promoting radiation as a "source of eternal energy and radiance" 💡❌.
The Radium Fever: Marketing Above Life ☢️🍫
Radium, which was credited with rejuvenating properties, began to be added to a wide variety of products: chocolate 🍫, toothpaste 🪥, cigarettes 🚬, and even condoms 🔞. (I don't even want to say what I'm thinking right now... 😅).
A 100g jar of Tho-Radia cream contained $0.5$g of thorium chloride and $0.25$mg of radium bromide ⚛️🧪.
The products were in high demand largely because the company employed a certain Alfred Curie 👨⚕️. He shared the surname of the famous radium discoverers, and his name appeared on all the brand's advertising posters 🖼️✨. He was simply "hired" for his last name to legitimize the brand in the eyes of the public. It was a clever marketing trick; the surname acted as a powerful magnet for customers 🧬🧲.
By the way, I actually like the posters—there is a unique aesthetic to them ✨🎨.
Notes:
Radium, which was credited with rejuvenating properties, began to be added to a wide variety of products: chocolate 🍫, toothpaste 🪥, cigarettes 🚬, and even condoms 🔞. (I don't even want to say what I'm thinking right now... 😅).
A 100g jar of Tho-Radia cream contained $0.5$g of thorium chloride and $0.25$mg of radium bromide ⚛️🧪.
The products were in high demand largely because the company employed a certain Alfred Curie 👨⚕️. He shared the surname of the famous radium discoverers, and his name appeared on all the brand's advertising posters 🖼️✨. He was simply "hired" for his last name to legitimize the brand in the eyes of the public. It was a clever marketing trick; the surname acted as a powerful magnet for customers 🧬🧲.
By the way, I actually like the posters—there is a unique aesthetic to them ✨🎨.
Notes:
- Radium Products: It's hard to believe today, but it’s the absolute truth. The early 20th century was gripped by "radium fever" ⚡. There was Burk & Braun chocolate, Doramad toothpaste, and even radioactive drinking water. The remark about condoms (the Nutex brand) is also historically accurate—it was believed that radiation "strengthened" male health 🤦♀️🧪.
- Poster Aesthetics: The Art Deco style of these posters is very alluring. The irony is that they often depicted glowing skin that literally "shone" from within. Now, of course, we understand why... 🕯️💀].
The Aftermath: A Radioactive Legacy ☢️🕯️
For several years, Tho-Radia products were sold freely in pharmacies ⚕️. It wasn't until five years later, in 1937, when radium and thorium were officially classified as toxic poisons 🚫⚛️, that Tho-Radia instantly removed all prohibited substances from its formulas 🧼. However, they chose not to change the brand name 🏷️. Under this same label, the cosmetics continued to be produced until 1962 📅.
They say the graves of those beauties still glow to this day... 🕯️💀
Notes:
For several years, Tho-Radia products were sold freely in pharmacies ⚕️. It wasn't until five years later, in 1937, when radium and thorium were officially classified as toxic poisons 🚫⚛️, that Tho-Radia instantly removed all prohibited substances from its formulas 🧼. However, they chose not to change the brand name 🏷️. Under this same label, the cosmetics continued to be produced until 1962 📅.
They say the graves of those beauties still glow to this day... 🕯️💀
Notes:
- Chronology of Bans: In 1937, new regulations came into force in France, restricting the use of radioactive elements in consumer goods. The brand had to "pivot" on the fly, replacing radium with conventional ingredients while keeping the recognizable name that the public still associated with "energy".
- Brand Longevity: The Tho-Radia brand existed until the early 1960s, gradually losing popularity as public awareness of the dangers of radiation grew.
- The Legend of the Glow: From a physics standpoint, Radium-226 has a half-life of about 1,600 years]. While the idea of a visual "glow" from underground is more of a dark metaphor, the bone tissues of people who actively used (or worked with) radium do remain radioactive for centuries. It is a chilling yet profoundly accurate artistic image.
Unethical Human Experimentation 🧪👤
The second point that people prefer to forget is the history of unethical experiments on humans ⛓️🤐.
In the first half of the 20th century, in Europe, but even more so in the USA 🇺🇸, experiments were conducted on Black inmates ⛓️🏾, mentally ill individuals 🩺🧠, and even children 🧒—all without their consent 🚫📄. These experiments included the testing of new cosmetic products and procedures 🧴🔬.
Notes:
In the first half of the 20th century, in Europe, but even more so in the USA 🇺🇸, experiments were conducted on Black inmates ⛓️🏾, mentally ill individuals 🩺🧠, and even children 🧒—all without their consent 🚫📄. These experiments included the testing of new cosmetic products and procedures 🧴🔬.
Notes:
- Historical Fact: This is one of the darkest pages in the history of dermatology and cosmetology. The most egregious example is the experiments at Holmesburg Prison (USA), conducted by dermatologist Albert Kligman. From 1951 to 1974, he tested various creams, shampoos, deodorants, and even chemical detergents on inmates (the majority of whom were Black) on behalf of major corporations.
- Mentally Ill and Children: Unfortunately, before the emergence of the Nuremberg Code (1947) and the Declaration of Helsinki (1964), such "research" in psychiatric clinics and orphanages was considered acceptable for "scientific purposes." Consent was often either never requested or obtained under duress 🩺🛑.
- Consequences: It was these tragic events that eventually led to the strict ethical protocols (IRB) and the principle of informed consent that we have today.
Albert Kligman: The Dual Legacy of Dermatology 👨⚕️🎓
In the 1950s, the renowned dermatologist Albert Kligman from the University of Pennsylvania began his experiments. He conducted his research on the inmates of Holmesburg Prison ⛓️👤.
Notes:
In the 1950s, the renowned dermatologist Albert Kligman from the University of Pennsylvania began his experiments. He conducted his research on the inmates of Holmesburg Prison ⛓️👤.
Notes:
- The Figure of Albert Kligman: This name is a true "bombshell" for the professional community 💣. On one hand, Kligman is the creator of Retin-A (tretinoin), which we still use today, and the author of the term "cosmeceuticals". On the other hand, his methods at Holmesburg (1951–1974) were later recognized as deeply unethical.
- The Essence of the Experiments: Inmates (predominantly African Americans) were used to test everything: from deodorants and toothpaste to dioxin and psychotropic substances, all commissioned by major corporations 🧪. When Kligman first entered the prison, he uttered the now-infamous phrase: "All I saw before me were acres of skin... It was like a farmer seeing a fertile field for the first time."
The Dioxin Experiments: Agent Orange on Human Skin 🇻🇳🧪
During the Vietnam War years, the Dow Chemical company provided Albert Kligman with a $10,000 grant to study the properties of dioxin 🧬. The doctor injected this toxic substance into seventy inmates ⛓️👤. As a result, they developed horrific, non-healing ulcers 🩹🩸. The subjects were left untreated for 7 months 🚫🩺.
Notes:
During the Vietnam War years, the Dow Chemical company provided Albert Kligman with a $10,000 grant to study the properties of dioxin 🧬. The doctor injected this toxic substance into seventy inmates ⛓️👤. As a result, they developed horrific, non-healing ulcers 🩹🩸. The subjects were left untreated for 7 months 🚫🩺.
Notes:
- Dow Chemical and Dioxin: The company was the primary manufacturer of the defoliant Agent Orange, which contained dioxin. The research was conducted to understand the effects of this poison on human skin—specifically, the onset of chloracne 🧪🛢️.
- The Dosage: A terrifying detail—Kligman injected the prisoners with a dose 468 times higher than what Dow Chemical had initially requested. He wanted to find the "sensitivity threshold" 📈💀.
- Chloracne: Those "non-healing ulcers" were a severe form of chloracne caused by systemic dioxin poisoning. The skin became covered in cysts and pustules that did not heal for years, causing excruciating pain 🩹🆘.
Big Brands and Prison "Volunteers" 🏢🧴
Another of Kligman’s clients was Johnson & Johnson 🏢, a company well-known even today. They wanted to understand the effects their creams and powders would have on human skin 🧴✨. Thanks to these commissions, the prison "volunteers" were constantly applying various ointments and makeup 🩹🤡.
Notes:
Another of Kligman’s clients was Johnson & Johnson 🏢, a company well-known even today. They wanted to understand the effects their creams and powders would have on human skin 🧴✨. Thanks to these commissions, the prison "volunteers" were constantly applying various ointments and makeup 🩹🤡.
Notes:
- Johnson & Johnson: The company was one of Kligman’s primary sponsors. In 2022, Johnson & Johnson (along with the University of Pennsylvania) officially issued an apology for participating in these experiments, acknowledging them as unethical and racist ⚖️🏛️.
- The Essence of the Experiments: Potentially allergenic and toxic components of powders and creams were applied to the inmates to test reactions on "living skin" before including them in mass-market products 🧪🧴.
Brands currently owned by Johnson & Johnson:
Johnson & Johnson is NOT cruelty-free or vegan.
Animal Cruelty in Research 🐾💔
Animal cruelty in cosmetic research is another dark chapter in the industry's history 🌑. Rabbits 🐰, mice 🐭, and other animals have been subjected to painful procedures 🩹 to test the toxicity and allergenicity of cosmetic products 🧪🧴.
Scientific Cruelty: The Draize and LD50 Tests 🧪🐰
These tests include methods such as the Draize test 🧪 for evaluating eye 👁️ and skin 🧴 irritation, which frequently leads to severe tissue damage in animals 🐰🩹.
Notes:
These tests include methods such as the Draize test 🧪 for evaluating eye 👁️ and skin 🧴 irritation, which frequently leads to severe tissue damage in animals 🐰🩹.
Notes:
- The Draize Test (1944): The most well-known and cruel test, where substances were applied to the eyes of albino rabbits]. Since rabbits do not produce sufficient tears, the substance would not wash away, causing tissue erosion 🐰🩹. Furthermore, the rabbits are fitted with special plastic collars or restrained so they cannot clean their eyes with their paws.
- Why is this ineffective? Beyond the ethical aspect, a rabbit's eye differs significantly from a human's (different corneal structure, lack of proper tear production), which often yielded false-positive or false-negative results 🧪📉.
- LD50 (Lethal Dose 50): A test to determine the dose that kills 50% of the experimental animals. For decades, this was the "gold standard" of the industry ⚗️💀.
The Rise of Ethical Beauty: Cruelty-Free Campaigns 📢🐾
Only in recent decades have active campaigns against animal testing gained significant momentum 📢🐾. This has led to the introduction of bans on the use of animals for cosmetic testing in many regions 🌍✅.
Notes:
Only in recent decades have active campaigns against animal testing gained significant momentum 📢🐾. This has led to the introduction of bans on the use of animals for cosmetic testing in many regions 🌍✅.
Notes:
- Historical Milestones: The year 2013 was a major turning point: the European Union implemented a full ban on the sale of cosmetics tested on animals, as well as on conducting the tests themselves within its borders 🇪🇺🚫.
- Global Movement: Later, countries like India, Israel, Norway, South Korea, and many others joined this movement. However, China and Russia have not yet fully joined these bans ✅.
- Modern Alternatives: Methods such as In Vitro (testing on cell cultures) and In Silico (computer modeling) are often even more accurate because they work with human biology rather than the biology of a rabbit 🧬✨.
Modern Challenges: The Mirror of the Past ⚠️
Cosmetology and the beauty industry still face significant problems today ⚠️.
The first issue is underground cosmetic procedures 💉🤫. This is a global problem; illicit cosmetology, much like other "shadow" industries, exists everywhere. It is condemned and regulated, yet the demand persists. The practice of performing injections (fillers, botulinum toxin) by unqualified individuals or even professionals in substandard conditions is a major pain point 🩺🩹. The market for illegal cosmetology and counterfeit products is catastrophically large, worth billions of dollars 💰📉.
The second issue is the mass adoption of legal procedures that are insufficiently studied 🧪⏳. They may be performed by professionals in proper settings, but we often only learn about the long-term consequences years later. Someday, our descendants might look back at us with the same horror we feel today toward lead, arsenic, and mercury 🏛️💀.
Many cosmetic companies and clinics continue to use unethical marketing practices 📈🤥, hiding true data about complications or making false claims about efficacy. This is not just hearsay—it is backed by research. Marketing craves sales, which often leads to manipulation and the distortion of reality 🔄🎭.
In recent decades, we have witnessed numerous scandals: low-quality silicone implants, Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) 🩺🩹, cases of botulism after injections, and Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA)—also known as Shoenfeld’s Syndrome—following filler injections 🧬🩹. The list goes on.
We live in the 21st century, an era of advanced science and strict regulation. Yet, in 2019, a study by the University of Notre Dame found that 56% of tested cosmetic products contained hazardous "forever chemicals" (PFAS) 🧪⚠️. How is this possible?
Furthermore, the production and disposal of cosmetics, drugs, and equipment significantly harm the environment 🌍🐢. But people prefer to ignore this. After all, who cares about nature when beauty is at stake? 🥀🚫
The history of cosmetology is full of dark episodes that highlight the vital importance of ethics and strict regulation ⚖️✨. From human and animal experimentation to modern unethical practices, these aspects underscore the need for transparency. Today, our greatest weapon is publicity and the accessibility of information 📢💻.
I believe that before diving headfirst into "beauty" 🧠🌊, one should study the issue, evaluate the indications and contraindications, weigh the risks, and make a sober decision—especially regarding serious, invasive interventions 🩺🛡️.
Notes:
Cosmetology and the beauty industry still face significant problems today ⚠️.
The first issue is underground cosmetic procedures 💉🤫. This is a global problem; illicit cosmetology, much like other "shadow" industries, exists everywhere. It is condemned and regulated, yet the demand persists. The practice of performing injections (fillers, botulinum toxin) by unqualified individuals or even professionals in substandard conditions is a major pain point 🩺🩹. The market for illegal cosmetology and counterfeit products is catastrophically large, worth billions of dollars 💰📉.
The second issue is the mass adoption of legal procedures that are insufficiently studied 🧪⏳. They may be performed by professionals in proper settings, but we often only learn about the long-term consequences years later. Someday, our descendants might look back at us with the same horror we feel today toward lead, arsenic, and mercury 🏛️💀.
Many cosmetic companies and clinics continue to use unethical marketing practices 📈🤥, hiding true data about complications or making false claims about efficacy. This is not just hearsay—it is backed by research. Marketing craves sales, which often leads to manipulation and the distortion of reality 🔄🎭.
In recent decades, we have witnessed numerous scandals: low-quality silicone implants, Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) 🩺🩹, cases of botulism after injections, and Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA)—also known as Shoenfeld’s Syndrome—following filler injections 🧬🩹. The list goes on.
We live in the 21st century, an era of advanced science and strict regulation. Yet, in 2019, a study by the University of Notre Dame found that 56% of tested cosmetic products contained hazardous "forever chemicals" (PFAS) 🧪⚠️. How is this possible?
Furthermore, the production and disposal of cosmetics, drugs, and equipment significantly harm the environment 🌍🐢. But people prefer to ignore this. After all, who cares about nature when beauty is at stake? 🥀🚫
The history of cosmetology is full of dark episodes that highlight the vital importance of ethics and strict regulation ⚖️✨. From human and animal experimentation to modern unethical practices, these aspects underscore the need for transparency. Today, our greatest weapon is publicity and the accessibility of information 📢💻.
I believe that before diving headfirst into "beauty" 🧠🌊, one should study the issue, evaluate the indications and contraindications, weigh the risks, and make a sober decision—especially regarding serious, invasive interventions 🩺🛡️.
Notes:
- University of Notre Dame: Research led by Graham Peaslee revealed that over 50% of popular cosmetics (mascara, lipsticks, foundations) contained toxic PFAS, which were not listed on the labels 🧪⚠️.
- Shoenfeld’s Syndrome: A medically recognized autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome triggered by adjuvants, including silicone and various fillers 🧬🔬.
- Botulism: It is important to note that cases of iatrogenic botulism are most often linked to the use of counterfeit or unlicensed toxins 💉🚫.
Conclusion: Awareness is Your Best Protection 🛡️🙌
We have finished our journey through the "Dark Pages" 📖🔚.
Right now, you might be feeling fear or distrust toward the industry. And that... is normal. This feeling is the beginning of your personal safety 🛡️🙌.
The history of cosmetology teaches us one vital lesson: your health is your responsibility. No marketer, and no "cosmetology farmer" who sees you as nothing more than "acres of skin," will care for you as well as you can care for yourself when you possess the right knowledge 🧠💡.
You are now part of our community. Humanistic Skin Care is about choosing transparency, ethics, and long-term health over a momentary effect at any cost 🌿✨. We stand for:
Congratulations! By completing this lesson, you have officially moved to a new level 🎓👑. Your internal filter is now set. You have arrived at awareness.
Ahead of us lie only proven, safe, and truly effective methods. But now you know what we have moved away from, and you will never allow history to repeat itself on your skin 🕊️🌊.
We have finished our journey through the "Dark Pages" 📖🔚.
Right now, you might be feeling fear or distrust toward the industry. And that... is normal. This feeling is the beginning of your personal safety 🛡️🙌.
The history of cosmetology teaches us one vital lesson: your health is your responsibility. No marketer, and no "cosmetology farmer" who sees you as nothing more than "acres of skin," will care for you as well as you can care for yourself when you possess the right knowledge 🧠💡.
You are now part of our community. Humanistic Skin Care is about choosing transparency, ethics, and long-term health over a momentary effect at any cost 🌿✨. We stand for:
- Studying ingredients instead of believing advertisements 🔬.
- Evaluating long-term risks instead of just instant results ⏳.
- Respecting nature and life (being Cruelty-Free, without animal testing) 🐰.
- Making decisions with a sober mind 🧘♀️.
Congratulations! By completing this lesson, you have officially moved to a new level 🎓👑. Your internal filter is now set. You have arrived at awareness.
Ahead of us lie only proven, safe, and truly effective methods. But now you know what we have moved away from, and you will never allow history to repeat itself on your skin 🕊️🌊.
It’s time to return to the bright present!
Our journey through the "Dark Pages" is officially complete. You have received a vital vaccination against marketing myths 🛡️ and earned the status of a Conscious Participant 🎓.
Don’t stay in the shadows of the past — your Time Capsule is warmed up and ready for liftoff. Click the button to return to the cozy atmosphere of our club, where confirmation of your new status awaits you.
Don’t stay in the shadows of the past — your Time Capsule is warmed up and ready for liftoff. Click the button to return to the cozy atmosphere of our club, where confirmation of your new status awaits you.
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