5 Beauty Trends From History That Were Actually Poisonous

Tho-Radia Radium Cream — The Glow-In-The-Dark Face

In 1930s France, a brand called Tho-Radia sold face creams, toothpaste, and even suppositories infused with radium—the same radioactive element that killed Marie Curie. The founder allegedly chose the name partly because the “glow of radium” sounded luxurious. Users had no idea they were rubbing a carcinogen into their skin every night. The products were eventually pulled, but not before thousands of people had exposed themselves to radiation poisoning in the name of beauty.