© Shutterstock

Lead - Lead known as Venetian ceruse was a popular skin whitener in earlier centuries.

© iStock

Elizabeth I of England - Someone who was believed to be a fan of the poisonous stuff was pale-faced Elizabeth I of England.

© iStock

Lead - The dangerous element had nasty side effects, including damaged skin, gray hair and hair loss, and even led to lead poisoning, which resulted in the death of many people.

© Shutterstock

Arsenic - Later came arsenic, which was also used as a complexion whitener in the Victorian Era.

© iStock

Arsenic - The toxic component kills red blood cells.

© iStock

Arsenic - This, in turn, led to paler skin and eventually death. A high price to pay for perceived notions of beauty.

© iStock

Mercury - Scarily enough, mercury is another element that can still be found in some skin products today.

© Shutterstock

Mercury - The hazardous element is easily absorbed through the skin and used to combat blemishes.

© Shutterstock

Mercury - But the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against its dangers and says to watch out for signs of poisoning, which may include depression, a tingling sensation, and tremors, among others.

© Shutterstock

Belladonna - Atropa belladonna is an herb plant that can be extremely fatal.

© Shutterstock

Belladonna - In cosmetics, it was used in eye drops to dilate pupils to make women appear more seductive, like anime characters.

© Shutterstock

Belladonna - Eventually, extended usage caused women to go blind.

© Shutterstock

Radium - For treating wrinkles, actual radiation was used in the 20th century.

© Shutterstock

Radium - It was also commonly used and found in toothpaste, hair creams, and other items because of its supposed curative abilities.

© Shutterstock

Radium - Exposure to radiation can easily lead to cancer and other ailments. Therefore, it is no longer used in cosmetics.

© Shutterstock

X-ray hair removal - Before hair removal creams, sugaring, and waxing, people depilated with X-rays if you can believe it.

© Shutterstock

X-Ray hair removal -

X-rays were discovered in the 20th century and were quickly put to use. In some cases, patients undergoing this disastrous method for hair removal had to remain under an X-ray for up to 20 hours.

Once the side effects of this damaging procedure were revealed, it was a little too late. Many women had suffered from wrinkles, skin thickening, and cancer later on in life.

© Shutterstock

Lard - In the 1700s, when stiff hair and curly wigs were in vogue, people used to put this gunk in their hair to keep it in place.

© Shutterstock

Lard - And it would keep for days! While there is nothing inherently dangerous about this odd beauty fad, was it totally unsanitary and disgusting? You bet.

© Shutterstock

Eyelash extensions - So apparently in 1899, eyelash extensions involved rubbing cocaine on the lower border of the eyelid.

© Shutterstock

Eyelash extensions - Hair was taken from the head and threaded through the edges of the eyelids.

© Shutterstock

Eyelash extensions - Supposedly, it was a pretty painful process!

© Shutterstock

Brazilian Blowout - Fast forward to recent times: in 2011 the FDA sent a note to Brazilian Blowout, which offers professional smoothing treatments, to end the usage of one of its hair-straightening products.

© Shutterstock

Brazilian Blowout - It contained formaldehyde, which the brand falsely labelled as 'formaldehyde-free.'

© Shutterstock

Brazilian Blowout - The compound is known as a human health hazard and banned in many countries around the world.

© Shutterstock

Bizarre Brazilian tanning trend -

And finally, there's the ladies in Brazil doing something super strange to obtain the perfect tan lines.

They are actually making for themselves the teeniest bikinis out of nothing but masking tape for the most impeccable and enviable "marquinhas."

© Shutterstock

Bizarre Brazilian tanning trend - With the exception of potentially unsafe UV rays from a strong sun, this is another craze that isn't too risky (with the right amount of sunscreen protection, of course). But weird? For sure!

© Shutterstock