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Empress Cixi's Unconventional Beauty Secrets Revealed

4/1/2026

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Story summary
  • Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908) reportedly used bird droppings and human breast milk in her skincare.
  • She rose from a low-ranking concubine to effectively ruling the Qing dynasty for 50 years, enduring the Boxer Rebellion and foreign imperialism.
  • An attendant noted that her skin remained youthful despite ongoing health issues.
  • Yuan Hongqi of the Palace Museum highlighted that Cixi regularly consumed ginseng, pearl powder, and a beauty powder called 'yurong powder'.