The Spooky History of Makeup

Whether you’re planning on being an adorable cat, a creepy skeleton, or a ghoulish zombie this Halloween, it’s likely your costume won’t be complete without makeup. Your getup—which may include face paint, glitter, or fake blood—will probably be the wildest look you wear all year. But no matter how extreme your trick-or-treat makeup is, it probably can’t compare to the dangerous cosmetics people applied in the past. Back then, the harmful ingredients people used were more disturbing than any Halloween monster.

Many historical beauty products were made with substances that could cause terrible side effects. People painted their faces with toxic powder, ate poison, and wore hats dyed with cancer-causing materials. Surprisingly, some of these ingredients are still used today. Read on to learn about the chemistry behind a few of history’s most dangerous beauty products.

You might plan to be a cute cat, a creepy skeleton, or a spooky zombie for Halloween. But your costume will probably include makeup. It may be your wildest look all year. You could use face paint, glitter, or fake blood. But even if your trick-or-treat makeup is extreme, it probably can’t compare to the dangerous cosmetics of the past. Back then, people used harmful ingredients. They were scarier than any Halloween monster.

The substances in many historical beauty products could cause terrible side effects. People painted their faces with toxic powder and ate poison. Some hats were dyed with cancer-causing materials. Believe it or not, some of these ingredients are still used today. Read about the chemistry behind some of history’s most dangerous beauty products.

Throughout history, people have made powders, paints, and lotions out of materials from the natural world. They stained their lips with colorful pigments from flowers or crushed bugs and smoothed their faces with animal fat. They also made beauty products with minerals that contained incredibly dangerous elements, or chemical substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

Mercury (Hg) for example, is a neurotoxin that can damage the body’s nervous system. In its pure state, mercury is a shiny, silver liquid. But in nature, when it combines with sulfur (S), it forms a blood-red mineral called cinnabar. In ancient Egypt, Peru, and Rome, crushed cinnabar was sometimes used as a rouge, or blush, to give color to the cheeks. Even though this mineral form of mercury is much less toxic than its pure, liquid form, exposure to cinnabar could still cause itching, swelling, and muscle weakness.

One of the most common ingredients in ancient cosmetics was lead (Pb). When absorbed into the bloodstream, this extremely toxic metal builds up over time and poisons the brain, liver, kidneys, and bones. In ancient Greece, Rome, and China, people would smear their faces with white lead. The waxy substance “blurred any imperfections,” says Alicia Schult, a cosmetics historian in Wisconsin. But consistent use would cause the eyes to grow watery and swollen, the skin to wither and gray, and teeth to fall out. Despite these side effects, lead face paint remained popular until the late 1800s. “The dangers of lead makeup were documented long before the 2nd century,” says Schult. “Even though people knew it was toxic, some decided to brave the warnings for beauty’s sake.”

People have used natural materials to make powders, paints, and lotions throughout history. They stained their lips with colorful pigments from flowers or crushed bugs. They smoothed their faces with animal fat. And they made beauty products from minerals. Some of these minerals contained extremely dangerous elements. These are chemical substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

For example, mercury (Hg) is a neurotoxin. It can damage the body’s nervous system. In its pure state, mercury is a shiny, silver liquid. But in nature, it combines with sulfur (S). Together, they form a blood-red mineral called cinnabar. Crushed cinnabar was used as a rouge, or blush. People in ancient Egypt, Peru, and Rome put it on their cheeks. This mineral form of mercury is much less toxic than its pure, liquid form. But exposure to cinnabar could still cause itching, swelling, and muscle weakness.

Lead (Pb) was one of the most common ingredients in ancient cosmetics. It’s an extremely toxic metal. When lead enters the bloodstream, it builds up over time. It poisons the brain, liver, kidneys, and bones. In ancient Greece, Rome, and China, people smeared white lead on their faces. The waxy substance “blurred any imperfections,” says Alicia Schult. She’s a cosmetics historian in Wisconsin. But regular use caused side effects. Eyes grew watery and swollen, skin withered and turned gray, and teeth fell out. Still, lead face paint stayed popular until the late 1800s. “The dangers of lead makeup were documented long before the 2nd century,” says Schult. “Even though people knew it was toxic, some decided to brave the warnings for beauty’s sake.”

By the late 1800s, more companies began mass-producing makeup—and some of their products featured strange and dangerous ingredients. In 1898, physicist Marie Curie discovered radium (Ra). This element is radioactive—it breaks down over time, releasing high-energy particles and rays in the process. Medical journals “reported that radioactive elements were changing the color of hair and removing skin disorders and discoloration,” says Lucy Jane Santos, a historian who studies the science and history of cosmetics. Companies began adding radium to creams, toothpastes, and face powders. One even sold radium-infused hats! We now know that exposure to high doses of radiation damages human cells, which can cause cancer. Thankfully, these products rarely contained enough radium to be harmful, says Santos.

Between the 1880s and 1920s, companies in the United States sold products made with arsenic (As)—a deadly poison. Women would nibble on candylike arsenic wafers or apply lotions containing this toxic element to remove pimples, warts, and other blemishes. “What customers did not realize was that it, too, was poisoning them,” says Schult. Exposure to arsenic can cause nausea, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea. Over time, it also discolors, thickens, and cracks the skin. “At the time, medical professionals backed these products,” says Schult. “Science is constantly evolving, and this is a perfect example: What was acceptable in the past is now found dangerous in the present.”

By the late 1800s, more companies began mass-producing makeup. Some of their products had strange and dangerous ingredients. In 1898, physicist Marie Curie discovered radium (Ra). This element is radioactive. Over time, it breaks down and releases high-energy particles and rays. Medical journals “reported that radioactive elements were changing the color of hair and removing skin disorders and discoloration,” says historian Lucy Jane Santos. She studies the science and history of cosmetics. Companies began adding radium to creams, toothpastes, and face powders. One even sold radium-dyed hats! Now we know that exposure to high doses of radiation damages human cells. That can cause cancer. Thankfully, these products rarely contained enough radium to be harmful, says Santos.

Between the 1880s and 1920s, companies in the United States sold products made with arsenic (As). This element is a deadly poison. Women ate candylike arsenic wafers. They applied arsenic lotions. These products were designed to remove pimples, warts, and other blemishes. “What customers did not realize was that it, too, was poisoning them,” says Schult. Exposure to arsenic can cause nausea, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea. It also discolors, thickens, and cracks the skin over time. “At the time, medical professionals backed these products,” says Schult. “Science is constantly evolving, and this is a perfect example: What was acceptable in the past is now found dangerous in the present.”

Makeup products sold today aren’t guaranteed to be free of toxic ingredients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is supposed to ensure the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics sold in the United States. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have many rules limiting harmful substances in makeup. The European Union has banned or restricted about 2,500 chemicals in cosmetics. Meanwhile, U.S. law limits only 11 substances in beauty products.

That means some cosmetics—especially cheaper stuff like costume makeup—can make it to store shelves without being fully tested for safety. In 2016, the Breast Cancer Fund tested 48 Halloween face paints sold in the U.S. More than half contained at least some heavy metals, or toxic metals that affect people’s health. These include cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr), in addition to lead, arsenic, and mercury. Cadmium can interfere with how calcium builds up in our bones, and some forms of chromium are linked to cancer. Many cosmetics also contain chemicals like parabens and phthalates, which can disrupt the body’s hormones—the chemical messengers that control your organs—and cause cancer.

So be sure to be careful when using Halloween face paint and other makeup—check labels, do research before using unfamiliar products, and avoid cosmetics with especially dark or intense colors, since these are more likely to contain greater amounts of heavy metals. As history shows, it’s important to know exactly what you’re putting on your face!

Today’s makeup products might not be free of toxic ingredients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees food, drugs, and cosmetics sold in the United States. Its job is to make sure these products are safe. But it doesn’t have many rules about harmful substances in makeup. The European Union has banned or restricted about 2,500 chemicals in cosmetics. But U.S. law limits only 11 substances in beauty products.

That means some cosmetics aren’t fully tested for safety, but they can still be sold in stores. This happens especially with cheaper stuff like costume makeup. In 2016, the Breast Cancer Fund tested 48 Halloween face paints sold in the U.S. More than half contained at least some heavy metals. These toxic metals affect people’s health. They include cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr), as well as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Cadmium can interfere with the buildup of calcium in our bones. Some forms of chromium are linked to cancer. Many cosmetics also contain chemicals like parabens and phthalates. They can disrupt the body’s hormones, the chemical messengers that control your organs. And they can cause cancer.

So if you use Halloween face paint and other makeup, be careful. Check labels, and do research on unfamiliar products. Avoid cosmetics with very dark or intense colors. These are more likely to contain greater amounts of heavy metals. As history shows, you should know exactly what you’re putting on your face!