Fashion Victims - Arsenic Dyes and the Victorians

[L Verge]

Years ago, I read an article about how ladies were judged on their position in society according to the color of their skin - hence the aversion of white ladies to getting a sun tan. Freckles were fought with mixtures of lemon juice and buttermilk. One source went so far as to say that some ladies took tiny doses of arsenic each day in order to achieve that white, delicate skin color. I think I would have stuck to the white, rice powder that others used to keep their faces white - that's about all that showed on a Victorian lady anyhow!