5 Dangerous Beauty Trends Regency Women Actually Followed

The Regency era was a time of stringent social expectations for women. From a young age, women in the upper echelons of society were ferried through a complicated set of courtship rituals designed to land them husbands, which the TV show Bridgerton dramatizes and often romanticizes. Just like in the show, this process involved a complex web of traditions, rituals, and highly specific practices.

Many of these involved conforming to certain beauty standards. Women have always been subject to extremely specific and often dangerous expectations regarding beauty, of course, and it’s quite easy to see how arbitrary some of these expectations are if you look at how much they’ve changed across time.

Many of these Regency-era beauty standards were excessive at best and outright deadly at worst. Fortunately for the women of this era, Regency-era fashions were beginning to move away from the heavy makeup and powdered trends of the century prior towards more natural and often less-toxic looks. Still, beauty practices of this time often involved a hefty dose of chemicals and poisons, and could be quite risky in their own right. 

1. Lead-Based Makeup
2. Mercury-Filled Skincare
3. Arsenic-Based Dyes
4. Belladonna Eye Drops
5. Tuberculosis

Lead-Based Makeup

Pale, smooth skin was all the rage in the Regency era, and many women relied on a type of cosmetic called Venetian ceruse to achieve the era’s popular “porcelain” look. Unfortunately, the makeup was a mix of vinegar, lead carbonate, and sometimes other toxic substances.

Lead, as we now know, is a neurotoxin that can have many adverse health effects, including nausea, hair loss, and cognitive decline. It has also been linked to higher levels of violence and lower impulse control. Lead-based makeup has even been suggested as a possible cause of Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603.

Though the substance was classified as a poison in the 16th century, it remained in use until the Victorian era, when the preference for natural beauty looks that began in the Regency made it less common. Meanwhile, cosmetic products that contained lead remained popular until the early 1900s.

Mercury-Filled Skincare

Skincare products of the Regency era were even more unregulated than they are today, and many of them happened to contain mercury—a chemical known to lead to damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, and the immune system. During the Regency era, mercury was suggested for acne, freckles, and other skin issues, and was even proposed as a cure for syphilis, often with unfortunate consequences ranging from memory loss to insanity.

Arsenic-Based Dyes

If the Regency era’s multitude of skincare products filled with lead and mercury wasn’t bad enough, the era also saw many women rub arsenic on themselves in order to whiten their complexions. Hair dyes of that era also sometimes included a blend of arsenic and cadmium. 

Things escalated in the Victorian era with the widespread distribution of edible, arsenic-laced products like Dr. Campbell’s Safe Arsenic Complexion Wafers, which were branded as safe-to-eat supplements that could supposedly lead to clear skin.

Of course, arsenic is a poisonous substance—and it was known to be one even during the Regency era. By the Victorian era it had become an infamous method of murdering people, but it still remained in wallpapers, cosmetic products, and other substances until the 20th century.

Belladonna Eye Drops

Another Regency beauty standard was sparkling, bright, or otherwise expressive eyes. This effect was sometimes achieved through natural methods like proper sleep habits, but some historians believe that women of this era may have put belladonna droplets into their eyes in order to dilate their pupils. Belladonna is a toxic plant that, unfortunately, could sometimes cause blindness. 

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis was a common ailment in the 19th century, but some historians believe that around the Regency era, it may have become an actual fashion trend as well. Some women even may have sought to emulate the thin, pale, waifish effect created by the disease by avoiding sunlight, dieting, and other tactics, which may have led to other issues like fainting and weakness.