We know a lot of ladies are die hard fans of wearing lipstick. After all, a good lipstick is a great mood and look lifter no doubt. Most women also say it boosts up their confidence, and makes them feel empowered.
“If you are sad add more lipstick and attack”- Coco Chanel
Besides being a basic makeup necessity, lipstick today has become a must for most women before they step out of the house. So with all the hype around this one product today, can you imagine that women would almost kill themselves in the past to get that sexy coloured pout?
“If I had to teach someone just one thing about lip color, it would be this: Find a lipstick that looks good on your face when you are wearing absolutely no makeup.”- Bobbi Brown
Lipsticks have always been the favourite cosmetic for women of all eras around the world except wearing a lipstick was never this easy, and more importantly ‘safe’ as it is now. Women from ancient ages had their own ways to colour their lips. Read on to find out!
In 3500 B.C.
Men and women, both were recorded wearing lip colors in Mesopotamia which is the modern day Middle East. Just like nail colors, lipsticks were also used as a status symbol back then. Royals and aristocrats would wear lip colors made of red clay, henna, seaweed, iodine, and even toxic compounds like bromine mannite to show how wealthy they were.
Even until 1930, there were no regulations for the production and usage of lip colors, and use would have various detrimental effects including skin infections, painful rashes and cancer.
In North Africa one of the most iconic women the world has ever seen, Cleopatra VI
I was famous for her vibrant red lips made up carmine which is a red dye, crushed ants, and crushed beetles. Imagine if you were born in that era, you would have been wearing crushed bugs on your lips too!
In ancient Greece lipsticks were associated with prostitution. Ahem. In middle ages lipsticks took a giant leap from being associated with extremely high status to extremely low status when women who wore lipsticks considered as incarnation of Satan!
In mid 16th century
Elizabeth I supported the look of pale face and bold lips. The ingredient used in lipstick production was crushed flowers (thank God not something creepy this time)! People in this era used to believe that makeup could wear off illness and death, which is why Queen Elizabeth I wore half an inch of lipstick while she was on her death bed to keep death at bay. If lipstick could save us from death, we would all have been immortal queens!
Red lipstick was worn to show a rebellious nature and free spirit. Bold women used it to feel empowered, and were judged heavily for doing so.
In 20th century
Lipsticks entered consumer culture, from being controversial to being a staple, by 1950s lipsticks had successfully made their place into every woman’s bag!
Would you rather…. never wear lipsticks OR use toxins to tint your lips? Let us know in the comments below!