Venetian ceruse

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Pale faced Elizabeth I of England wearing Venetian ceruse
Pale faced Elizabeth I of England wearing Venetian ceruse

Venetian ceruse, also known as "spirits of Saturn", was a skin whitening cosmetic used in the 16th century with a base of white lead. It was highly prized and widely used (by Queen Elizabeth I of England, among others),[1] even though it was known that extensive use would cause lead poisoning, leading to severe sickness or even death.[2]

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