⚠️This fact has been debunked
This is a persistent historical myth. No such law was passed in 1770 or any other year. The alleged 'Hoops and Heels Act' does not exist in parliamentary records. A law librarian's research found no mention of this legislation in British parliamentary archives (JustisOne database). The earliest reference appears in an 1879 book 'Art of Perfumery,' which was then cited by Encyclopedia Britannica, giving the fabricated story undeserved legitimacy. Additionally, by 1770, the Witchcraft Act of 1735 had already established that witchcraft didn't exist, making prosecution for 'cosmetic witchcraft' legally impossible.
In 1770, the British Parliament passed a law condemning lipstick, stating that “women found guilty of seducing men into matrimony by a cosmetic means could be tried for witchcraft.”
The Lipstick Witchcraft Law That Never Existed
You've probably seen it shared on social media: "In 1770, British Parliament banned lipstick, declaring women who used cosmetics to seduce men into marriage could be tried for witchcraft." It sounds deliciously scandalous, perfectly capturing period anxieties about feminine wiles and deception. There's just one problem: it never happened.
No such law exists. Not in 1770, not ever.
Chasing a Ghost Through History
The myth typically references the "Hoops and Heels Act" of 1770, which supposedly stated that any woman caught using "scents, paints, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-heeled shoes, or bolstered hips" to trick a man into marriage would face witchcraft charges. Marriages secured through such "deception" would be voided.
When law librarian Dean Willard investigated, he found absolutely nothing. No parliamentary records, no debates, no legislation. He searched JustisOne, a comprehensive legal database containing British acts dating back to 1707. Zero evidence.
The earliest reference Willard found appeared in an 1879 book called Art of Perfumery. From there, the story was picked up by Encyclopedia Britannica. Once two such reputable sources cited it, the fabrication took on a life of its own, spreading through books, articles, and eventually viral internet posts for over 140 years.
Why the Story Doesn't Hold Up
Beyond the missing records, the claim falls apart on its own terms:
- No witchcraft prosecutions in 1770: The Witchcraft Act of 1735 had already established that witchcraft didn't exist. By the late 18th century, Britain had moved on from witch trials.
- Wrong era for moral panic: While the Puritans of the 1650s might have railed against cosmetics, Georgian England of 1770 was far more permissive. Makeup was fashionable among the upper classes.
- Legal impossibility: You can't prosecute someone for practicing something your legal system declares doesn't exist.
What Actually Happened (Sort Of)
There was a bill introduced on June 7, 1650—a full 120 years before the alleged ban. A Puritan member of Parliament proposed legislation against cosmetic "deception," but the council of state never pursued it. It died without even receiving a proper reading.
That failed 17th-century proposal, combined with general historical anxiety about women's appearance and artifice, likely morphed over time into the 1770 "witchcraft" myth we know today.
Why We Fell for It
The story persists because it feels true. Historical sources document real anxieties about makeup during various periods. Cosmetics were associated with prostitution, vanity, and deception throughout much of Western history. The myth taps into documented attitudes, even though the specific law is fiction.
It's a reminder that viral historical "facts" need verification, no matter how many times they've been shared or how authoritative their sources seem. Sometimes the most believable stories are the ones that never happened at all.