Red carpets and deadly toxins go hand in hand

Awards season demands complexion perfection: no wonder some stars turn to a toxin seven million times more poisonous than cobra venom

Awards season is fast accelerating towards its glamorous peak, the Oscars. It will be a fabulous evening of gorgeous gowns and flawless complexions. Those on the red carpet will be scrutinised by millions. The pressure to look perfect must be huge.

Humans have been augmenting their appearance as long as there have been humans. In the past men and women have risked their lives with killer cosmetics such as white lead, and fatal fashions including arsenic-laced clothes, and much else besides. But surely nothing so toxic would be used today? And yet, I'm sure that at the very least one or two of the celebs seen gracing the red carpet have been dosed with the most toxic substance known.