As for why Elizabeth sported such an unnatural appearance, it was a result of her coming down with smallpox in 1562. Elizabeth nearly died from the disease, and her skin was scarred from the illness, so she covered the pockmarks with heavy white makeup made of white lead and vinegar, which slowly poisoned her over time.

Elizabeth’s iconic heavy white makeup wasn’t a standard beauty look of the time as many commonly believe: it was actually a form of camouflage, an attempt to cover up her bad skin, which had been left scarred after a near-death illness.

Queen Elizabeth I’s liberal applications to her skin of a white lead and vinegar mixture called Spirits of Saturn, also known as Venetian Ceruse, helped to define her era. This trend wasn’t her invention; pale skin was seen as a sign of wealth, nobility and good health in the 16th century.