People Didn’t Know Much About Lead Poisoning
At the time, many women would keep a product like this on their skin for days before washing it off. When Elizabeth passed away, she was covered in an inch-thick layer of cosmetics. Despite the fact that we now have a greater grasp of the effects of lead poisoning, most people in the 16th century were unaware of the dangers.
It Ruins Your True Beauty In The End
As if dying for opulence wasn’t bad enough, Venetian ceruse also made you less attractive in the long run. The chemical not only encased the wearer’s skin in the toxic lead but also darkened and lined her skin. To top it off, Elizabeth is likely to have used the same procedure to remove the combo as many other ladies of her time. As a result, there was a mercury-containing combination, which was a red flag.