Why Were Fake Eyelashes Invented In 1882 - T-Tees - Your Answers Await, Life's Questions Unraveled

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The claim: A prostitute invented fake eyelashes to protect her eyes from semen

On social media, a viral claim is forcing false eyelash wearers to confront the beauty accessory’s alleged lewd history: Several popular images inaccurately claim a 19th century prostitute invented the cosmetic accessory to protect her eyes from bodily fluids.

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“Did you know … that in 1882 London prostitute Gerda Puridle invented elongated eyelashes or ‘cumbrellas’ to block semen from getting in working girl’s eyes that are worn today as common fashion?” claims a meme, which was shared as early as Jan. 29.

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The false claim is accompanied by an image of contemporary French actress Alice Regnault. Regnault did not invent false lashes and she was not a prostitute.

Another viral image shows a screenshot of a Google search for “elongated lashes 1882,” which generates results that furthered the false claim. The search results appear to come from the meme website Americas Best Pics and Videos, where the meme was shared in late January.

While Googling that phrase may have generated those results, that does not make the meme’s claim true.

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Fake eyelashes were patented by Canadian inventor in 1911

Throughout history, societies have coveted long eyelashes, and individuals have tried many techniques to meet these beauty standards.

According to Marie Claire magazine, women and men in ancient Egypt darkened their eyelashes with kohl and ointments to protect their eyes from the desert sun.

Women in ancient Rome followed similar practices, believing long eyelashes indicated virtue.

The first cosmetic mascara was invented in the Victorian era by Queen Victoria’s perfumer Eugene Rimmel.

Canadian inventor Anna Taylor secured a U.S. patent for “artificial eyelashes” similar to those used in cosmetics today on June 6, 1911.

Use your fingers, tweezers, or a designated fake eyelash applicator to place the band of lashes on your eyes.

American film director D.W. Griffith was falsely credited with the invention, after he ordered a movie wigmaker to use hair to embellish silent film actress Seena Owen’s eyes during production of the 1916 film “Intolerance.”

USA TODAY could find no record of Gerda Puridle or any prostitutes using fake eyelashes for the purpose stated in the meme.

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Our ruling: False

There is no evidence to support the tale that a 19th century London prostitute invented false eyelashes. Canadian inventor Anna Taylor patented false eyelashes similar to those worn today in 1911. We rate this claim FALSE.

Our fact-check sources:

Nikki Lauria, Jan. 29, Facebook Post
GalleriBalder, accessed Feb. 7, “Portraits (1885 – 1900)”
Lively Lashes, Feb. 2, Facebook Post
paperboy713, accessed Feb. 7, America’s Best Pics and Videos Post
Marie Claire, Mar. 3, 2015, “The History of Women and Their Eyelashes”
United States Patent Office, June 6, 1911, ANNA TAYLOR, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA. ARTIFICIAL EYELASH.”
The New York Times Magazine, Jan. 18, 2013, “Who Made Those False Eyelashes?”

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