The quest for eternal youth and flawless looks is nothing new, but the methods used a century ago were far more... industrial. In the 1920s, '30s, and '40s, the burgeoning beauty industry embraced what can only be described as mad science, designing contraptions that look less like a relaxing facial and more like tools for a medical interrogation. Before the era of gentle serums and non-invasive treatments, people willingly endured these bizarre devices. Think vacuum-pumped masks for removing wrinkles, elaborate heating helmets for hair perms, and strange electrical currents for curing acne. These 23 gadgets offer a fascinating, slightly terrifying glimpse into a time when the pursuit of beauty was a truly mechanical, often painful, ordeal.
#5 Special Mask That Guaranteed A Rosy Complexion Reducing The Air Pressure And Allegedly Substituted For A Walk In The Mountains, 1940
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7points
#8 A Full-Faced Swimming Mask Helped Protect Women’s Skin From The Sun, 1920s
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5points
#12 Rita Perchetti And Gloria Rossi Try Out Their New Portable Bathhouse So They Can Change Their Clothes After Sunbathing On Coney Island Beach, 1938
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4points
It’s hard not to wince at some of these designs, which required genuine courage (or perhaps a serious level of desperation) to use. While the sheer bulk and complexity of these contraptions seem absurd today, they speak to a relentless human desire for physical perfection. As we continue, prepare yourself for more bizarre inventions that redefine the concept of "suffering for beauty."
#14 Taking Precise Measurements Of A Beautiful Young Woman's Head And Face With A Contraption Like An Instrument Of Torture, 1933
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4points
#16 In 1949, The Breathing Balloon Promised To Help You “Develop Your Form”
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4points
