126. Beautiful Forever: The Trials of Madame Rachel

About this episode

This episode explores the life and trials of Madame Rachel, a con artist in Victorian London who promised eternal youth to the wealthy.

Victorian London, where beauty came at a price and secrets could cost a fortune. Behind the doors of an exclusive salon, promises of eternal youth lured the wealthy and the curious alike. Charm, deception, and scandal unfold in this story of ambition, cunning, and survival. About Us Macabrium is a podcast exploring dark history, crime, lore, & legend, and is part of the Southern Gothic Media Podcast Network. The show is hosted by actors Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloe Kibbe. Connect with Us Visit our socials, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@macabriumpod. You can learn more about us by visiting our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support Us You can support Macabrium by joining our Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This will help toward our goal of podcasting full time which means bringing you more Macabrium, more often! Content Warning Some episodes may contain content that some listeners find disturbing or potentially triggering/ Please take care while listening. Source Material & Further Reading The extraordinary life of Madame Rachel by Cornell University Press Madame…

People in this episode

Hosts: Megan Alda, Derek Stephen Brown

Topics covered

• beauty
• deception
• scandal
• Victorian era
• true crime
• ambition
• survival

Keywords

• Madame Rachel
• Victorian London
• beauty
• con artist
• eternal youth
• scandal
• true crime

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The extraordinary life of Madame Rachel, Madame Rachel: The Con Artist Who Sold the Fountain of Youth to London’s Gentlewomen, Madame Rachel: A Victorian Era Con Artist, Beautiful For Ever: The True Story of Madame Rachel of Bond Street

Places: Victorian London

More episodes of Macabrium

• Proxies: The Faceless Man · June 10, 2026 · 58 min
• Into the Triangle: The Devil's Sea · June 3, 2026 · 1h 10m
• The Recipe: Blood and Lye · May 27, 2026 · 28 min
• Boogeyman: The Hook-Handed Stranger · May 27, 2026 · 37 min
• England's Most Haunted: What the Stones Don't Tell · May 22, 2026 · 44 min
• Borrowed Faces: Forty Million in Two Minutes · May 20, 2026 · 52 min