page_title: Venetian ceruse
hierarchical_section_title: Venetian ceruse
caption_attribution_description: English: Coronation portrait of Elizabeth I of England
context_page_description: Venetian ceruse, also known as blanc de ceruse de Venise and Spirits of Saturn, was a 16th-century cosmetic used as a skin whitener. It was in great demand and considered the best available at that time. It is similar to the regular ceruse, although it was marketed as better, more exclusive and expensive than the regular ceruse variant. The regular ceruse white pigment is a basic lead carbonate of chemical formula 2 PbCO
  ₃·Pb
  ₂ while the mineral cerussite is a simple carbonate of lead.
  A recipe from 1688 described the cosmetic as a mixture of water, vinegar, and lead. The cosmetic's use of white lead as a pigment caused lead poisoning, damaging the skin and causing hair loss. Usage over an extended period could cause death.
context_section_description: Venetian ceruse, also known as blanc de ceruse de Venise and Spirits of Saturn, was a 16th-century cosmetic used as a skin whitener.  It was in great demand and considered the best available at that time. It is similar to the regular ceruse, although it was marketed as better, more exclusive and expensive than the regular ceruse variant. The regular ceruse white pigment is a basic lead carbonate of chemical formula 2 PbCO
  ₃·Pb(OH)
  ₂ while the mineral cerussite is a simple carbonate of lead (PbCO
  ₃). 
  A recipe from 1688 described the cosmetic as a mixture of water, vinegar, and lead. The cosmetic's use of white lead as a pigment caused lead poisoning, damaging the skin and causing hair loss. Usage over an extended period could cause death.
caption: Some sources state that Elizabeth I of England may have used Venetian ceruse.[1]
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