Lipstick Throughout History

Early History

Lipstick history goes back thousands of years, almost to the beginning of time. While exact dates are unknown, there are relics of humans using cosmetics as early as the Sumerians. Scientists have found evidence and even early recipes for red lip paint containing crushed bugs and shards of crushed gems mixed with waxes The mix was used by wealthy women and helped to indicate their status throughout early society. This idea of cosmetics showing class in society would continue for hundreds of years, and is a running theme found in any research on lipstick histor

Both Greek and Roman societies had laws that any person involved in sex work was required to wear bright lip paint to identify themselves. This started the stigma for lipstick being scandalous and sexual that would not be broken for hundreds of years. The ingredients for lip paint were also considered repulsive as they tended to contain human saliva, and different animal feces depending on the region.

campaign against the product By the late 1700s, in many countries including England and the United States, it was not uncommon for a woman to be charged with witchcraft if found altering her appearance in any way, especially while in a courtship with a man For three centuries, lipstick stayed reserved almost exclusively for for actors and the sex industry.

In a d for prim alty. No m nted their lips in red or orange waxes made with distasteful ingredients such as crocodile feces and crushed ants. Some lipsticks still contain remnants of crushed bugs today. However, it was not long after that the idea of gender and makeup soon began to associate with each other, Citizens in ancient Greece scorned the wearing of cosmetics, especially lipstick, for the bold and loud appearance it gave its wearer.

The taboo for lipstick and other cosmetics peaked in the middle ages A woman wearing any sort of makeup could be seen as making a deal with the devil. The idea of altering someone ' s face with a makeup product was said to challenge god and was punishable by death in England. The Church of England went as far as to ban makeup altogether. Discrete makeup became very popular, a trend that was not shaken till almost the 21st century. Women were supposed to be dainty and sweet, and have a natural beauty, not alter their faces This led to popular trends like biting red ribbons and rubbing them on one ' s lips to create a natural tint without using makeup

In the 16th century, It started to become socially acceptable for women to wear makeup, and red lipstick was first popularized by Queen Elizabeth Her signature look included heavy white makeup and a striking red lip, which started a trend of red lipstick being associated with power and strength. However, with the rise of lipstick also came an increase in disdain towards it. After Elizabeth's death, the church started to heavily

Common Lip Tints:

Bitting ribbons in the hope that the pigments would rub onto thier lips

Rubbing Beetroot or Strawberry Juice on the lips

Homemade Recipes made of Flower Petals and Waxes

Dabbing Spices or Powders such as Cinnamon or Cocoa to create a Dark Tint

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The Victorian Era brought about strong opinions on women ' s societal roles and cosmetic use. A women ' s "value" at the time depended largely on her natural beauty, and many men felt threatened by the rise of cosmetics. Many of them spoke out about how cosmetics deceived them and tricked them into overestimating a women ' s worth, (showing the extreme misogyny of this time period) Most prominently was the social ban on lip color, most likely because it was the most predominant cosmetic women could wear at the time. Even though there were no legal restrictions on the product, the social repercussions were large. According to Schaffer of Harvard, Queen Victoria furthered the hate against cosmetic products by declaring makeup "Impolite "

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For this reason, cosmetics including lipstick became much more popular in America many years before they would become acceptable in the rest of the world. This was due largely to the growing population of actresses who would promote the product. French actress Sarah Bernhardt created one of the biggest scandals of the time by choosing to apply bright red lipstick in public instead of behind c which shocked and disgus amount of the population H helped to prompt more women to wear the product

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Commercial Use

By the 1880s and 90s, it bec acceptable for women to we in public. The first c produced lipstick was invent by a perfume company call in 1884. It contained d beeswax, and a red pigment. was sold in a cake wrapp and applied using a sm However, just because l commercially produced does was a product that coul advertised. Nudes and light still the go too, and lipstick be applied in public circumstances. Newspapers figures continued to warn m temptation of lipstick, and who wore the product. I common to only be acc married women to wear because an unmarried wom the product could provide temptation to men

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With the slow popularization of lipstick, more stores started to realize that the product could be profitable for them to invest in. In 1890, the Sears Roebuck catalogs, (a magazine known for selling everything from gardening tools to houses), put out an add for lip and cheek rouge This was one of the first makeup advertisements While the original advertisement has been lost to time, we can use other Sear's Roebuck ads to speculate it would have looked something like this: 3:Schaffer,"ReadingourLips"4: Komar,"TheFascinatingHistoryofRedLipstick"5:Welsch,Axiology

Small and Large tins, sold in your local department counter for pennies on a dime

A Glimpse of Color: 1900s-1910s

Overview Natural Beauty

The Cinema: A revolutionary new technology that swept America like a storm, and changed the culture in the likes which history had never seen before. Along with the popularization of the cinema came the popularization of the actors and actresses which graced the screens, and their unique fashion. However, a common theme amongst women on the screen was the idea of natural beauty, and dramatic makeup was not popular

women continued to use the product, though it could quickly turn rancid on their lips. These tubes made the product expediently more popular, as it became much easier for women to carry lip color around because it would not spill or smear in their purses

Symbolism

One major problem lipstick did face was the lack of regulations on cosmetic products, meaning poisonous and harmful ingredients such as lead were commonly found in facial products, especially lip color Regulations on cosmetics were not cracked down upon until the late 1920s. It started to become acceptable for women to have obvious makeup such as lip tint on, but natural pinks and tans were still the most popular for around 2 decades. You could find little tins of red and pink pigment at any department store and commonly convenience stores that would be applied all over the face. The goal was to not be seen as "painted." Products such as cinnamon and cocoa were also popular to create staining and achieve a rose-like effect.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman popularized wearing a bright red shade while protesting, giving the cosmetic its name for standing out and rebellion. However, for many, this meant bright cosmetics would be shunned by societal members with more traditional values. 7

Between 1911 and 1915, the first metal lipstick tube became available to buy to the public The most common early type was made by Maruice Levey, and was advertised as a mess-free opinion of the previous paper-wrapped cakes or tins The original formula included standard ingredients such as insects, beeswax, and oil, and was not sustainable Even despite this fact,

In the 1910s, lipstick first started to take back its name as a symbol of strong feminism and empowerment. This symbolism will continue to be a theme until modern times. One of the first examples of lipstick symbolizing women in power happened in 1912, during the New York Suffragette Rally. Leaders

High grade fine metal tube containing stunning lip rouge for the fine lady Simply applied and no mess with the product easily rising to the top Shipping weight, 4 ounces.

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TheRoaring20's: Lipstick'sRiseto Acceptance

The '20s are known for being revolutionary for many industries, after all, there is reason they are called the Roaring 20s. This revolution also carried over to cosmeti especially lipstick. Cinemas and theaters reached the height of popularity, and fa flock to shows to watch their favorite stars in black and white. The popular push-u lipstick tubes would give way to swivel tubes that created less mess, and safety law for cosmetics after World War 1 continued to put more safety regulations on t products.

A large influence in makeup came from flappers, who were extremely popular an created many trends of the decade. "Flashy" Makeup started to become more popul for actors and actresses in Hollywood, along with showgirls. For this reason, brig makeup was still associated with "non-respectable" women but did not stop the rise i

buying and wearing cosmetics For this reason, dramatic mascara but still neutral lipstick was very popular in the 1920s Actresses started to popularize the " vamp " lipstick look, using dark colors (typically in the purple or dark red range) to create small and "bee-stung" lips To achieve this look, two fingerprints of lipstick were placed on the cupid's bow, and the rest of the lips were shaped to be small and round Gold lipstick was also common for actresses, as it would translate to natural-looking colors on a black-and-white screen Makeup artist Max Factor started to use grease paint on several notable actors so their cosmetics would not melt off in hot studio lights, which started the need for indelible and waterproof lipsticks Flappers started to take the vamp style as their own, and it is still associated with them today While several women did wear lipstick, especially bright reds, in a rebellious manner, it became increasingly more popular for it to be an everyday staple in a women ' s wardrobe.

The first swivel tube was made and patented by James Bruce Mason in 1923, and quickly overtook the metal push-up tubes in popularity due to being less messy and made of lighter, cheaper plastic. Many patents were invented for lip products in the 20s, but three notable entries were waterproof lipstick, flavored lip products, and lip gloss. These all still come in and out of style today. In 1925, approximately fifty million American women used lipstick, and it continued to grow in number. Cosmetics became the United State's fourth biggest industry following Hollywood, cars, and liquor.

Tangee created one of the most popular makeup products of all time, a color-changing lipstick that looked orange in the tube but appeared a light pink color on the lips. The low pigment causes the color to seem to shine and reflect a user ' s natural skin tone. The ad campaign heavily advertised a natural look stylish for respectable women. The lipstick would go on to become the most-sold cosmetic product between the 2 world wars and is still sold today.

VictoryforLipstick:1930'sto 1940's

Following the boom in popularity lipstick and cosmetics faced, also came a boom in cosmetic regulations The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic act was signed into place by Franklin D Roosevelt, and demanded that any cosmetic that was designed to be put on the face was required to go through proper regulations and contain non-toxic ingredients With the 30s came the Great Depression, making cosmetic sales dwindle along with almost every other product on the market Due to cutting costs, cosmetic companies created cheaper components and used cheaper ingredients, making lipstick a less costly product that many women felt was a luxury during hard times This made cosmetic sales skyrocket, as lipstick became extremely popular during the depression. However, while the acceptance of lipstick became more mainstream, there were not many innovations during this time period due to the lack of resources throughout the depression and World War 2. Despite this, lipstick continued to be one of the most sought-after products, and its popularity continued to grow. Because it was a luxury woman could have to make them stand out, fashion trends rose to include dark and overdrawn shades Dark reds and plums were seen on most celebrities of the 1930s and became mainstream

Red Lipsticks Rise to Popularity:

When War World 2 started, the last thing on most Americans' minds was cosmetics. Factories that made metal and plastic lipstick components switched to making materials for war, and cosmetic sales dwindled. However, due to a speech made by an opposing side's commander speaking on how lipstick was preposterous and disgusting, American women start to see red lipstick as patriotic, and a way they could do their part in speaking out and standing up for the war effort Women's Activist and makeup artist Elizabeth Arden created a specific color for the cause called Montezuma Red, which was extremely bright and bold, matching the trim on many military uniforms. Women in the military were actually issued a kit of the lipstick along with a matching nail color. Popular posters and ionic female war figures such as Rosie the Riveter started to sport red lipstick, and lipstick sales start to spike, Arden then made a shade of lipstick called "Victory Red," probably the most iconic lipstick color of all time. This shade was found everywhere, and almost every woman at the time sported the shade, leading to red's lipstick role as an empowering symbol for women. Due to the rise in spirits and the lipstick brought, the US war protection board declared it vital and it continued to be produced during the war.

After the war, the impact lipstick had on American women would never be the same. Gone were the days in which wearing lipstick was considered disgusting, (as long as it was a respectable shade of red or pink,) and lipstick became an everyday item for almost all American women. In 1947, Vouge started to take off as one of the most popular magazines ever read. Their marketing strategies helped to sell hundreds of cosmetics including lipsticks. Some success stories included "cigarette case " lipstick, which came in a can resembling a lighter, making it more discrete for public appliances. The glamor of cosmetics started to come back, lipstick being a proud member among them.

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THE LIPSTICK WARS

The dark of World War 2 gave way to a brand became one of the largest growing in history Lipstick was worn by almost ninety-eight percent of ican women and could be found at almost any store In 1959, almost ninety-three million s were spent on buying lipstick, in America alone Many jobs started to require women to the product such as flight attendants and the marines Almost 62 million lipsticks were sold en 1950 and 1959, as it became more and more common to try different shades to match of one ' s outfit However, the largest boom in lipstick sales came from heavy marketing aigns from almost every cosmetic company at the time

ace to create the biggest and best product was on, and companies tried everything from k made of animal excrement to create a shiny waxy substance on the lips, to white lipstick, h took a brief spotlight before quickly falling out of fashion). Cosmetic companies started to tise to teenagers specifically for the first time, creating sheer and less bright products for g ladies, leading to the invention of the first lip glosses. Even with all the innovations in the ican cosmetic industry, makeup was targeted toward white women 90% of the time. The try exploded with a boom as the first companies started to make cosmetics specifically eted to other ethnic groups.

te being a terrible business strategy at first glance, Estee Lauder (a popular brand even ,) started to give away mini products such as lipsticks and powders with purchases despite all competitors laughing at them. However, after starting this they received a considerable jump in sales of the products they gave samples for. Many companies started to copy this idea, and today it is a staple of high-end cosmetic brands.

The success of the cosmetic industry led to a period of lipstick history dubbed "Th Lipstick Wars" in which makeup companies rushed to beat each other out, whether it b marketing specifically to teens or older women, or developing new products Lip liner were first launched, and major improvements were made to waterproof lipstick throug new advancements in science However, one of the most successful cosmetic campaigns o all time was made in 1952 by Revlon called Fire and Ice This ad changed the wa women viewed makeup, and how companies would advertise in the future. The a spread two pages, and was advertised for a woman who "Likes to flirt with fire an skates on thin ice." The lipstick was marketed for daring and "dangerous" women, an included a quiz with 15 questions such as "Would you streak your hair with platinum without consulting your husband?" or "Have you ever danced with your shoes off? While these questions seem tame and irrelevant today, it was a big deal at the time as rose the idea that makeup could be for a woman to feel daring and have the time o their life. It sparked the idea for many makeup and fashion companies to advertise fo women ' s confidence, not impressing a man.

The 1960s

With the 60s sweeping in came many trends in quick succession Modeling iconic looks of celebrities at the time, White lipstick started to come back, along with beige and frosted lipsticks Celebrities like Marylin Monroe continued to influence the makeup scene, wearing bright corals and hot red lipstick Due to advances in technology, regulations on lipstick became even more strict The Food and Color Additive Amendments went into effect at the beginning of the decade, putting strict limits on the colors and additives that were safe to be put on someone ' s face. In the 50s, there were around 200 commonly used colorants, but the amendments made that number go down to 34 legal dyes.

The television industry boomed, and with it came a larger following of celebrities and fashion styles. With John F. Kennedy coming into office, his wife Jacklyn quickly became a style icon of the decade as well. Celebrities such as Diana Ross and Audrey Hepburn popularized light pinks and nude lips lined in darker colors, along with shimmering eye looks, which were style icons to women everywhere. Glamorous looks were reflected on the cover of every magazine you could find of the decade

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The 1970s followed the 60's lead of innovation and change Lipstick's social implications once again started to shift, and it started to become a symbol of empowerment and rebellion again As it started to become more accepted for women to be independent away from a man, so did the cosmetic industry have to change the way it advertised. Many women and feminist activists would campaign for the downfall of makeup, as they found it to be objectifying. Advertisers had previously treated women as objects when it came to wearing makeup, and that would no longer be socially acceptable. The first brand to catch on to this was once again Revlon, who started to advertise a campaign featuring women in trousers for the new "Liberated woman. "

The explosion of punk music and culture bled over into every aspect of fashion in the 70s For the first time, gender concerning cosmetics was publicly pushed, and looks became more daring by the day Bright and Dramatic was in for all genders and looks included dark, traditional black lips and aggressive eyes, cheeks, and brows Major backlash occurred in response to this movement, which only encouraged daring and bold public statements. The first flavored lipsticks were created to be daring and nonconforming but later became extremely popular among teens in the form of "Lip Smackers" which are still popular today.

Several major lipstick and cosmetic trends happened in the 70s, almost complete opposites of each other Due to the pushback against makeup, if a woman was to wear cosmetics it was most likely very natural Sheer gloss was in style, or light pinks and nudes Campaigns for natural and healthy products helped to change ingredients Looks from the '20s also were very popular at this time, bringing back tinted rouge and an un-painted complexion

Influence of Music

Two music styles majorly influenced culture in the '70s: Disco and Punk. Disco created waves for dancing and the economy in general. It was fun, colorful, and had a major influence on fashion at the time. Iconic bands such as the Bee Gees led the way, becoming increasingly popular throughout the decade. Glimmer and glam was the name of the game, and dramatic and shimmery bronze was the highlight of lipstick. While not too bright, women who wore neutral looks during the day might reach for something a little more exciting to go out at night, such as a hot pink.

Into the 80s , 90s ,andToday

The '80s are known for being a crazy and wacky decade Neons are in, patterns are everywhere and celebrities like Madonna, Jannet Jackson, and Sydney Lauper are the peak of fashion The brighter and bolder you could be, the better. Puffy sleeves, shoulder pads, and huge hair dominated the fashion scene at the time, and makeup was not far behind it. In the 80s, sub-cultures really started to define trends at the times Different music genres had different followings with different preferences. Punk culture continued to be dark and bold, while pop icons made preppy looks and bright colors their thing. It was common for women to wear makeup every day, or not wear makeup It was up to them now, and gone were the ideals of the past.

For work, muted liners were blended into darker shades, while rainbow pastels dominated fashion magazines. Everything from sparkling turquoise to neon orange graced the covers of Vogue and ads on TV. Matching your lipstick to your outfit became extremely popular, and the nail polish market exploded as women started to match it to their cosmetics Women were powerful, and that was reflected in the bright daring cosmetics of the time.

As the 90's approached, backlash began to appear for the bright neon ' s of the 80s.

Muted shades became extremely popular, with dark browns and nudes taking the scene. Lips remained neutral for the most part, with light gloss. Most women wore red lipstick for office jobs, but it was uncommon outside of the work place. With the spreading of the internet and television, so many celebrities and companies were able to influence more people then they ever had before.

Everywhere you looked you could see a different style and a different trend. Brick red and brown were universally used for lips, then giving way to the glossy looks of the 2000s. Sitcoms like Full House and Friends were on the rise, along with movies like Titanic, which promoted natural and glowing skin along with light makeup Lipstick truly became about selfexpression and has continued to be to this day.

Today, gloss and shine are all the rage, with colors ranging from bright purple and neon orange to nudes and browns being seen on an everyday basis Celebrities come out with their own lines of cosmetics, and small businesses are more prevalent than ever before While it took a long time, makeup and cosmetics represent rebellion and passion. Makeup artistry is even considered an art form, as people find new ways to express themselves. Next time you pick up a tube of lipstick, whether you are a regular lipstick user or have never picked it up in your life, consider how it symbolizes more than just colored wax.

Today and the Future

Taking a dive through lipstick history really shows us the progression of not only cosmetics but follows a path through women ' s rights and rebellion The product may be thought of as nothing more than an everyday item, but the rich history behind it shows us just how much can change with effort. Lipstick is and always will be a symbol of power

A special thanks to:

Sophia Hyre: Page 1

Ava Evens: Page 3 and 4

April Lee: Page 3, 5, 7, and 9

Sarah Vassell: Page 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9

Myashia Hollomen: Page 5, 7, and 8

Annabel Helms: Page 6

Lillie Granger: Page 6