Venetian ceruse
Venetian Ceruse, also known as Spirits of Saturn, was a 16th-century cosmetic used as a skin whitener. It was in great demand and considered the best available at that time.
The cosmetic's use of white lead as a pigment caused lead poisoning, damaging the skin and causing hair loss. Usage over an extended period could cause death.
People thought to have worn it[edit]
Elizabeth I of England is popularly imagined to have been a notable user, although critics Anna Riehl and Kate Maltby have argued that little historical evidence exists to support this claim.[1][2][3]
Ceruse caused the death of Maria Coventry, Countess of Coventry, aged 27, in 1760.[citation needed] Ceruse caused blemishes, upon which she applied more of the substance, causing even more blemishes. Eventually she died of lead poisoning.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Not Panicking Ltd (13 March 2008). "h2g2 - Fashion Victims - Edited Entry".
- ^ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CrzHAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA13&dq=%22the+face+of+queenship%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAGoVChMIiL2bvLSGxwIVpGbbCh03eAsd#v=snippet&q=make%20up&f=false/
- ^ http://www.katemaltby.com/why-is-elizabeth-i-the-most-powerful-woman-in-our-history-always-depicted-as-a-grotesque/
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