A brief history of lipstick. Lipstick history from antiquity to matte and long-lasting lipstick The color of the world's first lipstick

Today, in the arsenal of any fashionista there is at least one red lipstick, but the old days when red lips were banned at the legislative level. What's the story fashion trend in a time frame?

origins

Historians cannot agree on who is to be thanked for the creation and first use of scarlet lipstick. Some claim that the ancient Sumerians are its creators, because many historians attribute the very first inventions in the field of beauty to them. And others believe that it is worth saying thanks to the Ancient Egyptians for red lipstick. The inhabitants of the Nile Valley, both men and women, mixed wax, red ocher and carmine, getting the first red lipstick.

In ancient Greece, the red color of the lips meant that a woman belonged to the number of courtesans who were forced to paint their lips in this color in order to indicate their professional status. But in ancient Rome, citizens of both sexes, on the contrary, covered their lips with scarlet lipstick, emphasizing their status, despite the fact that the ingredients that make up such lipstick were toxic.

Dark Ages, but not for red lipstick

Red lipstick in the Middle Ages was at the peak of popularity and most women sought to use it, regardless of status and social status. Wealthier citizens covered their lips with bright pink lipstick, but less fortunate girls were content with earthy shades of red.

Devil's red marks

The ministers of the church in the 16th century were categorically opposed to the use of red lipstick, believing that bright lips are a manifestation of the devil. However, Elizabeth I had a different opinion, covering her lips with crimson lipstick, which in turn propelled bright shades of lipstick to the top of popularity in English society.

After 100 years, the situation has not changed: the clergy were not enthusiastic about red lips, and the color of English society - venerable gentlemen and beautiful ladies used bright lipstick with might and main.

red lipstick ban

In the Enlightenment, wearing red lipstick in Britain meant publicly confessing to witchcraft and being punished for it. But in some states of America, a man could officially annul the marriage if the wife painted her lips with red lipstick without obtaining consent from her husband.

And yet yes!

In the 19th century, red lipstick began to regain popularity. Guerlain started producing red lipstick in 1860. But still, not every girl decided to use such lipstick. The new climax in the use of decorative cosmetics is the appearance in public of Sarah Bernhardt with provocatively bright lips.

But at the beginning of the 20th century, red lipstick symbolized the protest of women defending their civil rights. So in 1912 in New York, suffragettes took to the streets of the city with bright red lips. A little later, thanks to the policy pursued by American cosmetic companies during the Second World War, red lipstick became a must-have for any conscious US citizen.

In the 70s of the 20th century, bright lipstick gave way to a natural color palette, but with the advent of the disco era, cherry lipstick won the championship. These days, for many women, red lipstick is a favorite and the standard of feminine sensuality.

How to choose and where to buy red lipstick?

Today, any girl can put her lips in red, going to the theater, to a party, a festive event, and possibly a date. Remember, if you want to focus on the lips, do not overdo it with eye makeup and overly bright details in the bow.

If you are going to a restaurant or theater, opt for a rich, juicy red lipstick. Slightly tint the eyelashes and eyebrows, or draw thin arrows. Pinkish hues are more appropriate for a walk and a day trip to a cafe, and fuchsia lipstick or a cheeky scarlet shade will help make you the star of the party.

Buy quality red lipstick famous brands you certainly can in the online store of perfumes and cosmetics bomond.com.ua. Online shopping is the best way to help save your time, and you can also save your money by getting a certain percentage of the purchase amount to your account.

Everyone can conquer and fall in love with themselves with red lipstick!


What is lipstick? Now it is hard to imagine a person who does not know what it is. Only a small number of people know what it is for, when it appeared and what it is made of. is not only famous for its purpose, to decorate the image of a woman, but also has a useful moisturizing property for lips. After all, the lips are the only place where there are no sebaceous glands.

History of lipstick

First lipstick, like large quantity similar cosmetics, was invented in Egypt. At first, lipstick was made from red ocher, as well as from natural iron oxides of the brightest and darkest shades. She gave her lips subtlety and elegance.

Women in Egypt loved their lipstick so much that they always wore it with
herself, and even after death, lipstick was placed in the tomb so that the woman had the opportunity to be beautiful in the other world.

The lipstick borrowed by the Greeks gained no less popularity among Greek women. Evidence of this is the famous myth of the "apple of discord". According to the myth, three goddesses - Athena, Aphrodite and Hera started a dispute "Which of them is the most beautiful." Zeus ordered the Trojan prince Paris to judge the girls. Paris preferred Aphrodite, but the dispute was not considered fair, since Aphrodite used the forbidden "reception", she made up her lips with lipstick.

But in the Middle Ages, women used lipstick to increase their strength when practicing magic. Lipstick was declared by the church as a sign of witchcraft diabolical power, and those women who could not refuse to use lipstick were burned at the stake.

With the onset of the Renaissance, the popularity of decorative cosmetics only increased, because this era was famous for the cult of human beauty.

In the 17th century, cosmetics were used with such force that, in England, a law was passed that a man had the right to divorce his wife if she was not as beautiful as she seemed before the wedding.

In the time of Louis 16, men could also paint lips, lipstick, made by French masters only from natural products, made the contours of the mouth more visible and noticeable from under the beard and mustache.


The appearance of modern lipstick occurred in 1903, at a worldwide exhibition in Amsterdam, a novelty was presented, which became a real sensation. In composition, it was very similar to the lipstick that has come down to our times, the main component was deer fat. Such a tool was appreciated by women, among whom was the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt. This lipstick was in a small box, it was necessary to apply it on the lips with a finger or a brush.

The first lipstick in a tube belongs to the well-known company GUERLAIN. And in 1915, lipstick appeared in the USA in metal packaging, which became much more convenient to use and this gave rise to a new “lipstick boom”.

The composition of lipstick

Production of high quality products gives us achievements modern technologies. Over the past 20 years, lipstick has been produced, predominantly in saturated shades, the base was firm and adhered well to the lips. Compared to modern lipsticks, the former contained mostly soluble dyes.

Eosin is a synthetic substance, soluble in fat and oil. Dyes that dissolve in fat are not used in their pure form, because there is a danger of fixation in superficial tissues and a “red lips effect” is obtained after removing lipstick.


Carmine was the first historical dye used in lipsticks. Color palette it can vary, from gray to purple. This coloring matter is obtained from dried red-brown cochineal bugs or false shields. The habitat of these bugs is on the lands of Armenia, Honduras, El Salvador, Azerbaijan.

Powder with chemicals makes a bright scarlet color, so it is, carmine dye. It is considered safe for humans and provides a lasting color.

The perfume substances included in the composition require careful handling, as they are perceived by taste.

Fat, wax, natural and synthetic oils are the basis that determines the consistency of lipstick.

The most popular wax is without a doubt beeswax.
It gives the mixture properties of compatibility with other constituents, determines the shape, hardness or tenderness.

Spermaceti obtained from sperm whale oil. Plasticity will come, restoration of the delicate structure of the skin of the lips.

Hydrocarbons, liquid and solid paraffin are some other substances used in the manufacture of lipstick. They are chemically stabilized and inactive when stored for a long time.

Castor oil is the best vegetable oils for lipstick, it is resistant to oxidation and has nutritional properties.

Thanks to the movie stars of the 20s and 30s Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, lipstick entered the everyday life of women, ceasing to be a lot for the elite. Now most ladies can afford to carry lipstick in their bags.

Hundreds of different tones and color variations of lipstick have been known for a long time.

Lipstick is still the most common cosmetic used by most women around the world.

Have you ever wondered what makes a woman's lips seem juicy and attractive? Well, of course, this is a luxurious color and texture of lipstick, which give the lips shine, volume and expressiveness.

Many women, for sure, would be interested to know the history of the creation of lipstick.

The history of lipstick goes back 5,000 years and may have been invented by Mesopotamian women. They used crumbs of semi-precious stones to adorn their lips and even the area around their eyes. The women of the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed around 3000 BC, painted their lips with red clay, iron oxide (rust).

The ancient Egyptians used a purple-red dye taken from seaweed, with the addition of iodine and bromine. Since bromine was poisonous, it was called the "kiss of death". The Egyptians also used henna. And to make the lipstick shimmer, fish scales were added.

Cleopatra's lipstick was made from crimson beetles and ant eggs as a base.

In the 16th century, under the reign of Elizabeth I, lipstick became quite popular in England. She introduced the trend of chalky white faces and blood red lips. At this time, lipstick was made from wax and red dyes of vegetable origin (dried flowers such as rose, geranium).

In 1770, the Parliament of England passed a law against lipstick, stating that "artificial" women were witches who tried to seduce men into marriage. They could be burned at the stake. In 1800, even Queen Victoria spoke out against makeup and lipstick and exiled her to the level of women of easy virtue.

However, actresses were still allowed to wear makeup, but only on stage. In the 1880s, some actresses, such as Sarah Bernhardt, began wearing make-up in public.

At this time, the lipstick was not yet in the tube. The dye was applied to the lips with a brush. It was expensive and middle-class women could not afford such a luxury.

In 1884, the first modern lipstick appeared in Paris, which was wrapped in paper and silk and contained deer fat, Castor oil and wax. But such lipstick could not be carried in a pocket or purse, which means that women could apply makeup at home, but there was no way to fix it.

Around 1915, lipstick began to be sold in lidded metal containers with different retractable tubes. The first swivel tube was patented in 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee. This allowed lipstick manufacturers to offer their products in stylish and convenient packaging. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, hundreds of lipstick tubes were patented, and they all had the same function of rotating or pushing the tube to open the lipstick tube.

The 1920s is the era of dark red lipstick, which has remained one of the most popular shades for several decades.

The film industry stimulated the demand for lipstick. Women wanted to look like Louise Brooks, Clara Bow and other movie stars. Brands such as Max Factor and Tangee promised women they could look like movie stars with makeup.

Photography has also contributed to the growth in demand for lipstick. Since women naturally wanted to look good in pictures, they began to wear make-up for photography and then in everyday life.

In the 1930s, Hazel Bishop introduced long-lasting lipstick. At this time, lipstick contained waxes, softeners, pigments, and various oils. In the same period, Max Factor created lip gloss.

Helena Rubinstein was the first to advertise a lipstick with sun protection ingredients. Fashion Vogue declared lipstick the defining item of the twentieth century and urged women to take it seriously: "paint lips like you're an artist."

During World War II, essential ingredients for lipstick, such as oils, were not available. So lipstick was not enough. Also, the metal body of the lipstick was replaced with a plastic one. However, it was still in production. In America and Europe, it was believed that makeup is psychologically important for women. Lipstick has become a symbol female power in wartime. The rivalry of brands stopped and they focused on the release of cheap lipstick.

By the 1950s, deep red lipstick was back in fashion thanks to actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. During these years, the biggest brands were Revlon and Hazel Bishop.

Lipstick colors really started to change in the 1960s when trends in clothing and other cosmetics changed. Instead of the deep colors of the 1950s, manufacturers began to sell light, matte lipsticks in colors like pale pink, lavender and even white, contrasted with an emphasis on dark heavy eye makeup with eyeliner and mascara.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a trend towards more natural lip colors. But in the late 1970s, with the punk movement, black and dark purple shades became popular. At the same time, glam rockers like David Bowie defied cultural norms with lipstick. Thus began the era of "manstick" (lipstick on men).

In 1973, Bonne Bell created a colorless lip gloss with a strong, usually fruity, scent. Glitter was a big hit with teenage girls.

The lipstick of the 1980s was usually bright orange, coral, fuchsia and red, which was paired with bright eye shadow, mascara and heavy blush.

Lipstick shades changed throughout the 1990s. They were originally matte and dark, contrasting with more light makeup eyes and facial skin. In the mid-1990s, browns and other neutral tones were more popular. Lip gloss was more used by young girls. Together with lipstick, a lip pencil began to be used.

Also in the 90s, lipstick began to include fashionable natural ingredients and more gentle formulas. Many lipsticks contained vitamins and herbs.

Today you can find many shades of lipstick from pale pastels to crimson blacks. dark colors more popular during the evening, and neutral and gentle - during the day. modern trend is the use of organic products in lipstick, without chemicals.

Modern lipstick contains castor oil, cocoa butter, jojoba, beeswax, petrolatum, lanolin, vitamin E, aloe vera, amino acids, collagen, UV filters, various color pigments. Women's choice of lipstick various types(cream, liquid) and properties.

The history of lipstick is still being written. We will wait for new ideas from manufacturers.


For the first time, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia thought of highlighting lips against the background of the face. Their lipstick consisted of red pigment, animal fat and beeswax

For fashionistas who lived on the banks of the Nile many centuries ago, lipstick, blush and mascara were not a wonder. Then in the course was a lipstick of dark shades. Following the ideas of the ancient Egyptians about beauty, women tried not to enlarge their lips with lipstick, but rather reduce them so that they merge into an elegant thin lip.niyu. Received it from red ocher and natural iron oxides

Lipstick was loved by all women ancient egypt– from the simple to the empresses themselves! For example, Nefertiti preferred lipstick made from mother-of-pearl shells of sea mollusks, and Cleopatra from the same red ocher. But, unfortunately, such lipstick was not harmless ...

The Egyptian queen Hatshepsut in 1450 BC organized a large military campaign in the country of Punt in East Africa. The lady wanted to get a safe mouth paint there - carmine, which was made from small insects. They were boiled, ground with goat fat and poured into small clay kagans. Due to the deficiency of this expensive substance, the ancient Egyptians painted their lips with a mixture of beeswax and red lead - iron oxide. They also used cinnabar - mercury sulfide. The lips merged into a fragile thin line and acquired beautiful colour, but their kisses usually turned fatal. And, as you know, medicine at that time was not particularly developed ... But what beautiful lips you could get by making them up with this magical remedy !!! The Egyptians loved lipstick so much that they took it with them to the Underworld, so that even after death they would look beautiful ...

The women of ancient Greece were also subdued by lipstick.They kept it in small golden boxes, and painted on their lips with special sticks or a finger. Roman girls and matrons began to dilute carmine with white lead. The color of the lips became more natural, but because of such lipstick, women were often etched with lead salts. Roman physician Galen in the 2nd century. AD wrote that from lipstick in women, the breath becomes unclean, and the lips become covered with ulcers.

Antique beauties tinted their lips with colored oily clay. And in Russia, red girls enhanced the freshness and brightness of their already sugary lips with the help of natural products: beets, raspberries, strawberries

Today it is hard to believe that five hundred years ago, a young lady with painted lips was considered a sinner and a frivolous person. The use of lipstick could easily become a reason for convicting a woman of witchcraft. Therefore, even a slight make up often served as a pretext for the bloody torture of the Inquisition and the public burning of the culprit.

Lipstick began to be considered a sign of vulgarity. The great educators did not favor her and the Church angrily condemned her. In this connection, it is interesting historical fact. At the end of the 16th century, the English parliament issued a verdict: if a man after the wedding notices that his wife is not as beautiful as during the matchmaking period, because then she painted her lips and face, then the spouse has the right to divorce, leaving the deceiver not the slightest chance to “correct »

The revival in the field of cosmetics happened only in the Renaissance, when the cult of beauty began. The fashion for scarlet lips was revived by the English Queen Elizabeth I. She painted her lips with a mixture of fig juice, egg white and ground red cochineal grains, thereby shading the pallor of her face.

However, we still owe the appearance of lipstick in its current form not to a woman, but ... to a man - the French cardinal Duke Richelieu, who had a weakness for apple flavor.He loved it so much that he always kept apples in his desk drawer. Once a doctor prepared a fragrant ointment for Richelieu, which he called lipstick (from the French pomme - apple. - Approx. Aut.). His Eminence was very pleased: he began to lubricate the tip of his nose or upper lip novelty, enjoying your favorite scent. Of course, the cardinal's lipstick was colorless, but adding a coloring matter to a suitable oily base is mere trifles.

In France, in those days, lipstick was made only from natural products, and it was intended not only for women: for example, at the court of Louis XVI, men also painted their lips so that the contours of the mouth were visible and did not merge with the beard and mustache

And the lipstick based on deer fat that appeared in the arsenal of many noble maidens is associated with an anecdotal case. This cosmetics was brought to Amsterdam in 1803 by slave traders who noticed that some slave girls painted their lips bright scarlet. Subsequently, it turned out that in this way the inhabitants of wild African tribes informed their men about futile flirting due to critical days.