Arsenic Baths for Pale Skin
Poet involved
What happened
In the mid-19th century, Victorian women began taking arsenic baths and ingesting arsenic to achieve a fashionable translucent pallor. This dangerous beauty trend reflected societal ideals of femininity and health during the Victorian era. The practice highlighted the extremes to which individuals would go for beauty and raised awareness about the risks associated with toxic substances in cosmetics.
Literary impact
The use of arsenic baths for pale skin in 1850 echoed in Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian poetry, romanticizing fragile beauty. Poets like Christina Rossetti explored themes of vulnerability and the societal pressures surrounding femininity, critiquing the lengths to which individuals would go for societal acceptance.
Source: Wikipedia
