Chewing leaves for red lips
People in South Asia have been using a tried and tested beauty routine for hundreds of years. All they do is chew betel leaves, and it wasn’t long before their lips were dyed bright red. However, that was just the beginning. The leaves also stain people’s teeth and saliva, meaning people’s entire mouths quickly turn red.
Sadly, the leaves also lead to tooth decay and can cause various types of cancers related to the mouth and throat. That doesn’t stop people from still chewing the leaves today. They are often mixed with other ingredients, and people claim that it gives them a buzz similar to energy drinks. There are now large campaigns to try and warn people about the dangers of chewing betel leaves.
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