White Poisonous Pigments of the Past

In the past, wearing white foundation sped up eventual demise. To be honest, it's the same concept today however with white lead foundation makeup from the past, we have the benefit of hindsight. We have to wait many years to understand what our makeup today is doing to our bodies.

Just as today we are somewhat blissfully unaware of the true effect that certain chemicals have on us, so were our ancestors both recent and distant. When technology and science were taking off, new inventions came onto the market to feed our instincts of social acceptance, beauty and greed.

One of those inventions was the use of white lead-based pigment which was discovered fairly early on in societal history and used in many applications. One of these was makeup.

White Makeup by Perveen Kaur

White Lead Pigment

White lead was one of the oldest artificially produced pigments in our history. Lead was placed over vinegar and the fumes reacted with the metal, producing a bright white powder. This powder produced an opaque white colour. It was relatively easy to handle, and the pigment lasted. It was discovered early on that it was poisonous because the labourers who were producing it, became unwell and died.

The pigment was so good however that it remained in production for a long time. It was used in paints, art and cosmetics and it traversed the globe from Ancient Greece, to Japan and later on in Medieval Europe.

Timeline of Production

20,000 years ago - Cave Art

White has been found in cave art and was made from chalk. Early versions of paint were simple. Grinding up the stone and mixing it with a binder such as water, oil, blood or urine. The paint was then applied using sticks, plants or fingers onto the walls. It is unclear whether white was used for body decoration but chances are reasonable. 

4,300 Years Ago

‘Lead white’ pigment was first made in Anatolia. The ancients knew it was poisonous. Originally it was produced by placing lead shavings over a bowl of vinegar. Fumes would attack the lead and leave deposits of white lead carbonate. The process did poison and kill many workers during the ancient times but like anything, if demand is there, it will be made no matter the cost. 

17th Century 

In the 17th century, the Dutch invented a new method to mass produce the pigment. However the workers would experience serious symptoms and eventually be poisoned to death.

Early 1900s 

A synthetic version was finally created. ‘Titanium white’ is made from titanium dioxide and came into use as a pigment. It is brighter than the lead pigment, has better coverage and isn’t poisonous. It’s still in use today. 

White Lead Makeup

White foundation had many names. In Europe at the time of Queen Elizabeth I (late 1500s) it was known as Venetian Ceruse. The product itself was made of mixing white lead, vinegar and some water into a paste. It was then applied to the face in layers using various applicators. Queen Elizabeth I was famously known for wearing white foundation and as she got ill with the lead poisoning, it began to ruin her skin and to compensate, she would apply more, in a vicious cycle of maintaining appearances. The foundation was actually meant to be left on for around a week, just touching up everyday as it began to crack.

In Japan, geisha women wore white makeup and unknowingly transferred the lead to their infants through breastfeeding. Some studies estimated that the children of geisha women had abnormal levels of lead in their bones, sometimes up to 50 times the normal amount.

Today's Chemical Makeup

We have new chemicals today that we are applying to our faces, breathing-in through various items in our homes and pollutants in the atmosphere and of course, the things we cook in and eat. Just like our ancestors, we are learning today that the chemicals that seemingly make life easier in the moment, have disastrous long term consequences on our health.

White lead pigment was banned in the US in only 1977, which is quite startling given what was known about it. How long into the future do we need to wait before today's chemicals are banned?

This blog is part of the area of study, Human Nature. It explores individual human traits, with all the instincts, impulses, contradictions, and capacities that shape how we think and behave. From creativity and curiosity to fear, addiction, ego and cruelty, these patterns sit beneath systems and history and repeat across cultures and time. This area of study asks not how we should be, but why we so often act in certain ways and why these patterns repeat across time and place.