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The claim: a prostitute invented false eyelashes to protect her eyes from semen
On social media, a viral false eyelashes forces to confront the beauty accessory’s alleged lewd history. Several popular images inaccurately claim that a 19th century prostitute invented the cosmetic accessory to protect her eyes from body fluids.
“Did you know … that the London prostitute Gerda Puridle invented elongated lashes or ‘cumbrellas’ in 1882 to prevent semen from getting into the working girl’s eyes which is worn as usual today?” claims a meme, which was already shared on January 29th.
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The false claim is accompanied by an image of the contemporary French actress Alice Regnault. Regnault did not invent false eyelashes and she was not a prostitute.
Another viral image shows a screenshot of a Google search for ‘elongated lashes 1882’, which generates results that promote the false claim. The search results apparently come from the meme website Americas Best Pics and Videos, where the meme was shared at the end of January.
Although the expression of the expression googled the results of Google, it does not fulfill the claim of the meme.
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USA TODAY reached out to several Instagram and Facebook users who posted the claim.
False eyelashes were patented in 1911 by the Canadian inventor
Throughout history, societies have coveted long lashes, and individuals have tried many techniques to meet these beauty standards.
According to Marie Claire magazine, women and men in ancient Egypt darkened their lashes with cabbage and ointment to protect their eyes from the desert sun.
Women in ancient Rome followed similar customs and believed that long lashes indicated virtue.
The first cosmetic mascara was invented in the Victorian era by Queen Victoria’s perfume Eugene Rimmel.
On June 6, 1911, Canadian inventor Anna Taylor obtained a U.S. patent for “artificial lashes” similar to those used in cosmetics today.
American film director DW Griffith has been falsely attributed to the invention, after ordering a filmmaker to use hair to beautify the eyes of silent film actress Seena Owen during the production of the film “Intolerance.”
USA TODAY could not find any record of Gerda Puridle or any prostitutes using false eyelashes for the purpose mentioned in the meme.
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Our verdict: False
There is no evidence to support the story 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 statement FALSE.
Our sources for fact checking:
- Nikki Lauria, January 29, Facebook Post
- GalleriBalder, visit on 7 February “Portraits (1885 – 1900)”
- Lively Lashes, February 2, Facebook Post
- paperboy713, Visited February 7, America’s Best Pics and Videos Post
- Marie Claire, 3 March 2015, “The history of women and their lashes”
- United States Patent Office, June 6, 1911, ANNA TAYLOR, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA. ARTIFICIAL EYE GLASS. “
- The New York Times Magazine, January 18, 2013, “Who Made Those False Eyelashes?”
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