The Long Form - You're Saying I Should Put That On My Face?
So, how often do you take something that’s been illegal for years and smear it all over your face the moment it becomes regulated? ‘Ha!’ - you must be thinking - but hear us out…
The chances are that you’ve probably adopted at least one new & hyped cosmetic ingredient over your consumer lifetime. In the spirit of this stigma-busting streak we’re on, let’s reminisce about a few cosmetic crazes of the past. We’re pretty sure that cannabis will seem like less of a stretch after you hear about some things people have done in the name of beauty.
While it may feel like we’re more vain than ever, beauty routines have been a part of every culture since time immemorial. Even in hunter-gatherer societies, the maintenance of skin and body is still an important consideration in the ability to contribute to the labour force; participate in social and family duties; and almost always an essential for survival in harsh climates.
Of course, you always have to be careful with helpful vs. hype in skincare. The more we evolve our understandings of science and technology, the more we expect out of products on shelves. Alas, we have not yet found the fountain of youth, but that certainly hasn’t stopped people from trying and claiming all sorts of things, both in the past and now.
Heard of Belladonna? From Italian, “Beautiful lady”, this flower’s nickname stemmed from its use amongst the women of the Venetian court in the 17th century. The poisonous flower was used in a tincture to give the ladies large pupils, which were considered attractive. They also rubbed the leaves on their cheeks for a flushed look. The painting below - ‘Woman with a Mirror’ by renaissance artist Titian - was created around the same time and place, and is thought to reference this trend. (The large round mirror behind the woman is a visual metaphor for the size of her pupils.)
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