From Ancient Rituals to Modern Expression

Marilyn Monroe once said, "Put on some red lipstick and live a little." She knew that lipstick could make people feel confident and powerful. Have you ever wondered how this small tube of color became such a symbol of confidence? Let's go back in time and explore the history of lipstick.

Makeup is not a recent invention. People have been decorating their faces and bodies for centuries. This tradition dates back 7,000 years, with almost every society having some form of face paint. However, back then, they used makeup not just for decoration or fun, but also as protection against what they believed were evil forces.

They used natural pigments like black, yellow, and red ocher, which came from colored mud or dirt. So, when you get mud on yourself, you can call it makeup!

Over time, face painting became more about beauty. The first lip colors appeared in Sumeria, made from natural materials like fruit, henna, and clay. Mesopotamian women got creative, using precious gemstones to color their lips.

Ancient Egyptians were big fans of cosmetics. They believed makeup showed wealth and pleased the gods. Both men and women used makeup, including red Rouge for cheeks and lips, black coal eyeliner, white powders, and malachite eyeshadows.

To achieve vibrant makeup, Egyptians imported parasitic insects called kermis and crushed them for bright red pigment. They even used crushed ants. Cleopatra loved this red color.

Interestingly, the same red pigment from those bugs is still used in lipsticks today, along with some other products. Don't worry; it's safe now!

Egyptians also used harmful substances like lead in their makeup, which wasn't good for them. But red wasn't the only lip color they used; they also used fish scales for shimmery effects.

Egyptians even used makeup on their mummies because they believed it would make them attractive in the afterlife.

Ancient Chinese made the first lip balms using beeswax to protect their lips. They also wore lipstick in various shapes, even drawing flowers and butterflies on their lips.

During the Middle Ages, lipstick got a bad reputation in the West, but it made a comeback during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. She was a makeup enthusiast, especially for lipstick. She believed it had healing powers, despite it containing harmful ingredients like lead.

However, only noble women and actors could wear lipstick at the time. Queen Victoria, on the other hand, found lipstick impolite, and it fell out of fashion for much of the 19th century.

But by the late 19th century, lipstick started making a comeback, and the lipstick industry was born with the invention of the metal lipstick tube.

In the United States, as actresses moved from the stage to the movies, lipstick became glamorous rather than scandalous. Actresses wearing dark red or plum lipstick turned into style icons.

In 1912, women wore red lipstick to rallies as a symbol of solidarity and independence in their fight for the right to vote. In the 1920s, flappers publicly applied lipstick, which was groundbreaking at the time.

Lipstick became more affordable and accessible, moving from behind store counters to in front of them. In the 1930s, lipstick sales even rose during tough economic times, a phenomenon called the "lipstick effect."

Despite its popularity, many older people saw lipstick as rebellious. A 1937 survey revealed that over 50 percent of teenage girls argued with their parents about wearing lipstick.

But the Golden Era of Hollywood made lipstick even more popular, with stars like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Jane Mansfield. In 1951, about two-thirds of teenage girls wore lipstick.

Lipstick's only flaw back then was that it smeared easily, but in the 1950s, chemist Hazel Bishop invented the first non-smearing lipstick.

As time passed, lipstick colors and application methods changed with fashion trends. The '60s brought light pink, pastels, and nudes, while the late '70s introduced punk-inspired colors like deep purples and neon shades.

The '80s was all about glam and bold reds and pinks. The '90s embraced minimalism with various shades of browns and raisins. The 2000s brought glossy and plump lips into style.

Today, there are countless lipstick colors and finishes to choose from. Lipstick is a powerful way to express oneself. And now, excuse me, I need to remove my lipstick; it's everywhere!