SHOCKING Discovery! Queen Elizabeth's Toxic Makeup

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✦ Credits ✦
Written by Erin Parsons

✦ References ✦
The Mask of Youth Clip Credit to Royal Museums Greenwich
The Face of Queenship by Anna Riehl
The Queens Bed by Anna Whitelock
LBCC Historical

✦ Tags ✦
#queenelizabeth #toxic #cosmetics

[callmesaina]

Netfix needs to commission you for a series, this is soooo good!

[seyda]

If there's a makeup case, you're the true detective🫡❤️ LOVE IT⭐️

[Chamomile]

I'm an artist and I use lead white oil paint, lead paint is actually very translucent. Its often used for sfumato which is a glaze of lightening. To get opaque thick white you use titanium white. Makes complete sense that lead makeup would have the same translucent effect as the paint.

[Mrs.AlbaRamos]

You deserve a makeup geek show on Netflix! I would totally watch but here on YouTube is good enough too cuz I’m subscribed to your channel and love these videos where you go into depth and history, and research experience! 10/10 ✅

[sarabachmann]

I really appreciate this perspective on the Queen's imagery. You don't think about it being any different than what was depicted in the movies. And then you think about she most likely had a pale complexion, being a red head, and it was fashionable at the time to look as pale as possible as a sign of nobility.

[bluebagelman]

I am a global history teacher and am blown away by the amount of research you do for your videos. I’ve even brought you up in my classes when discussing makeup.
This video is incredible! Thank you!!

[J_Mock]

I remember watching a video with Lisa Eldridge talking about the continued fascination with lead makeup, even though lead was a known toxin. I can't remember exactly what happened, but I remember Lisa going to see a chemist who made both a modified version of an old lead recipe (it had lead, but other ingredients like spermaceti were swapped for more modern equivalents) and lead-free versions using different white pigments. It wasn't applied to skin, but even spreading it on glass or plastic, it was so obvious how much more translucent and prettier the lead version was. The lead-free makeup looked like straight up clown paint in comparison to the softer and more ethereal brightening effect the "modern" lead makeup had. It was wild. I can't wait to see part two of this!

[theothercrypt]

Theres a tv mini series i love called “A Stitch in Time” where fashion historian Amber Butchart goes into deep research and examination of a significant/famous historical fashion item and shows a modern recreation of it using historical methods.
This gives me the same vibes, just with makeup! This is so deserving of its own tv mini series!!

[samanthawilliams]

Yes! As a historian and a woman, no woman would be caught dead in public looking like a clown. I love this so much! Great work!

[iseley]

THANK YOU for doing your part in correcting this false depiction of Elizabeth I. Sixty-five years old is a pretty long run for a woman in her time, and the Hollywood depictions of her looks have always made my eyes roll. This is such a wonderfully presented video. It's fascinating to finally see what this makeup would really look like.

[Rye_Toast]

Even geisha's makeup isn't perfectly white and masklike, it has a translucence and a pearl effect to reflect dim light and make their faces more brilliant at night.
Shame on youtube for hiding your channel from me until now, instant subscription!!

[elizabethmurray]

That was really interesting. It threw yet another perspective on the make-up of Elizabeth 1st. Pity a lot of historians focus on her looks and love life. After all, her reign was named the golden age.

[BeeKool__]

Helen Mirren in around 2006 was in a really great mini series called simply as "Elizabeth I". She was not overly made up with the heavy white makeup. A little rogue and a slight mask of youth. It's my favorite depiction of Queen Bess on screen.

[CheeseCoat]

This is absolutely incredible. Not only the information about the makeup itself but the history of why these lies may have been created about her. I’m so excited for part 2 and I hope you do more videos like this. You need a whole Netflix series ❤

[wy]

I'm not particularly interested in makeup or history, but Erin, you make it SO fascinating! This format where you do a mixture of storytelling, experimenting, and traveling is so perfect! It's truly shocking to learn what the true effects of lead makeup is, and it makes Elizabeth's pale portraits make a lot more sense. How is it that multiple Hollywood productions with massive budgets keep getting it wrong? Anyway, I can't wait for your part two!

[laurareneehall]

I’m so excited for Part 2! From your fans who refuse to get TikTok, THANK YOU for finally posting again on YouTube! Please please could you bring your TikToks to YouTube?? You could run them all together back to back & even if it were hours long I’d watch every second again & again! ❤❤❤❤❤

[makeupforeverimmortal]

I love this series and love that you are sponsored, but I just wanted to bring some awareness that betterhelp takes advantage of therapists, they don't get paid much at all and they don't receive all that much support when they have issues from betterhelp. My MIL is a therapists and has had issues with them before and so do many of her colleagues!

[chicagosusieq]

I always assumed it would be similar to a thick, white zinc paste. Almost sunblock like, the way it's always been portrayed, anyway. What you've shown is so subtle and lovely! 🥰 I love makeup and history so thank you for all your hard work!😘

[mabel]

The white lead make up in the 16th century was called Venetian Ceruse and a fine powder. I have read that it was translucent and not thick and in the first few times of it being used looked good, but this was what made it insidious because it started to erode the skin and give it a grey hue.

[vix..]

I was literally searching history videos this week on Elizabeth I. Specifically, more about her skin and face. Crazy! Great coincidence!