Historians have shed light on the reason behind the pale complexions of people in Victorian-era portraits. It's not because they had better sunscreen in the 1800s, but rather a combination of factors. Painted portraits from the era typically depicted wealthy individuals, which may explain the elaborate dresses and hairstyles. However, photographs from the same period, which became more accessible to the masses, show a different story. Early photographic emulsions were sensitive to blue light, resulting in washed-out skin tones and shadowed eyes. The black-and-white format of these images also conceals the true skin color of the subjects. In the 1800s, paleness was associated with higher social status, as it was believed to indicate a lack of outdoor manual labor. This notion became an unhealthy obsession, with people going to great lengths to maintain their pale complexions. The Romantic period further solidified this ideal, with beauty icons being depicted as extremely thin and pale. The pursuit of this unattainable beauty standard led to a rise in tuberculosis cases, as people would deliberately expose themselves to the disease to achieve the desired pale complexion. Historians have highlighted the dangers of this beauty standard, which prioritized appearance over health and well-being.