What Makes You Beautiful Trivia Quiz

Answer: Smallpox scars

Smallpox was very prevalent in the 17th and 18th centuries, and survivors were often left with very bad facial scars. Beauty patches were used to cover the worst of these, as well as being used to draw attention to especially good features. It was not unusual for men to use make up at that time so patches were used freely by both sexes.

They came in a variety of shapes; hearts, stars, crescent moons. They were used more than once and were kept in special patch boxes. Some of these, especially those that belonged to the wealthy, were highly decorative and are now very collectible.

Answer: Red hair

Queen Elizabeth I was noted for her flaming red hair, and many people wanted to pay tribute to her by having their hair the same colour. Unfortunately bottles of hair dye weren't yet invented, so they came up with their own recipe to achieve the effect. Used too often, or in the wrong proportions, it certainly kept both the wig makers and undertakers gainfully employed.

Answer: Human urine

In fact they used specially imported Portuguese urine. They were not alone in this belief. The Chinese believed that urine from babies kept their teeth clean. There is a degree of truth in this. Urine does contain urea and ammonia, both of which fight germs and help prevent bad breath and gum inflammation. On balance I think I prefer toothpaste.

Answer: White lead

A paste of white lead was the way to achieve the fashionable look. Sometimes arsenic was also mixed in with it. Not surprisingly this led to scarring, which was covered with even heavier make-up, which led to worse scarring, and, if the process were not stopped, death.

Many suffered from nausea and headaches due to lead poisoning, and many did die from it. It was not until the early 1900s that the use of lead, arsenic and other dangerous compounds in cosmetics started to be outlawed.

Answer: Feet

The Chinese believed that small feet were beautiful and introduced the practice of foot binding for women. Starting from the age of about five the toes were forced to curl into the instep and were bound more and more tightly, until they stopped growing through lack of circulation.

It took about two years for the process to be completed. Such small feet were achieved by this method that the shoes worn by these women were smaller than would be worn by an average two year old now. They could barely walk without assistance. Only peasant women had unbound feet.

The practice did not stop until the early 20th century.

Answer: Neck

Starting at around the age of six, heavy brass coils are placed around the neck, and further coils are added at frequent intervals up to a maximum of around twenty. In fact these do not stretch the neck, the weight of them depresses and deforms the collar bone, which gives the neck an appearance of abnormal length.

This is considered a sign of beauty amongst this tribe. At one time outsiders thought that if the coils were removed the women would die as their necks would not be able to support their heads.

This is not the case. The coils are often removed and replaced without the women suffering any ill effects.

Answer: Cravat

Cravats, which were a large rectangular piece of linen worn round the neck, became a high fashion item in the 1810s and 1820s. Beau Brummel, a fashion leader of the day, would often discard a dozen or more before being happy with the effect achieved. The fashion became so absurd that some styles did not permit the wearer to move their head at all.

The cravat had to be snowy white and starched, and was changed anything up to three times a day.

Answer: Nightingale

This was originally used by Japanese actors and geishas, both to remove the traditional thick white make-up they used, and to lighten the skin. Since then it has gone on to be used world wide and is offered by some of the most exclusive beauty salons as a skin rejuvenation treatment.

These days the collected droppings are sterilised before being made into a usable, perfumed paste. In the old days they were just collected from where the birds had congregated, stirred into a paste and used as they were.

Answer: Nose

Genesis 24:22 says that Rebekah had a "golden earring" but the original Hebrew word used was shanf, which translates to nose ring. It is first recorded in the Middle East around 4,000 years ago. The practice is still carried out by nomadic desert tribes. The women are given golden nose rings by their husbands, and the size of the ring denotes their wealth. It is the property of the woman and is her security if she is divorced or widowed.

In India a stud is inserted at the side of a nostril, usually the left, and this is sometimes joined to an earring by a golden chain.

In western culture nose and other facial piercings became a sign of rebellion during the punk era.

Answer: Rancid animal fat

Rancid animal fat, often mixed with urine, feces and menstrual blood, was a cure all in ancient Greece and Rome. A paste of this awful concoction was good for everything from the common cold to baldness. Makes you think hair loss is not such a bad thing after all.

Crocodile droppings were used as a face paste for soft skin.