Elizabeth I’s Iconic White Makeup: The Underlying Dark Truth

Using Different Toxic Substances

Of course, mercury is toxic, so using it as cleaning would have further harmed the skin. It’s unclear whether Elizabeth herself used it, although there were plenty of other strange beauty rituals popular throughout her reign. Some women, for example, used toxic compounds like turpentine, mercury, and sulfur to remove freckles and other perceived flaws.

Using Different Toxic Substances