I’m a firm believer that a bold, timeless red lip can make a huge statement on your going-out aesthetic. Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, among others, are iconic for their red lips and I’m all here for it, but did you know red lipstick has a history of rebellion, witchcraft, and women’s femininity?
Here’s the perfect red lipstick match to help define each era of this cosmetic’s rich history!
The Lip Suede Matte Lipstick by Westman Atelier
Shade: Le Rouge/Bright Tomato
This lipstick by Westman Atelier in this shade is a creamy red. The first recorded lipstick usage was from the era of the Mesopotamians and Sumerians. They would use their natural resources to paint their lips, including crushed gemstones or bugs as their tint. The crushed bugs would produce an easy-to-spread red dye.
Wearing lipstick was common in both men and women! They were trendsetters, and soon after, Syrians, Babylonians, and Persians began to paint their lips. The first recorded pioneer to use lipstick was Sumerian Queen Puabi of Ur in 3500 B.C. When I think of this historical era, especially the Mesopotamian era, I think of the importance of their significant use of natural earthy resources, such as insects and clay.
This lipstick perfectly embodies that creamy feeling while keeping a traditional and natural-looking shade of bright red.
The Rouge Velvet Matte Lipstick by Louboutin
Shade: Epic Brunette 318M
I mean, first of all, this packaging! Doesn’t it scream royalty? This is exactly why I’d give this lipstick by Louboutin to royals.
Fast forward hundreds of years to Egyptian rule and a couple more hundred to Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, red lipstick symbolized power, class, and status. Only the top of the top used red lipsticks. For the Egyptians, it was regardless of gender. At this time, lipstick was made using lead, unknowingly poisoning themselves for beauty and class.
Cleopatra famously used lipstick, and Queen Elizabeth I brought the trend back to Elizabethan England. She used a mix of beeswax and plants for her iconic crimson, and only wealthy women of England would wear this tint. This gorgeous red royal lipstick would be a perfect shade for aristocrats.
The Fenty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick by Fenty Beauty
Shade: H.B.I.C. Deep Garnet Red
As with most fashion trends, the classy red lip died with the downfall of the Egyptians but rose again with the Greeks in the opposite manner! The red lip was meant for prostitutes only. This lipstick by Fenty Beauty is a seductive, liquid red. It’s an irresistibly hot color, and I’m sure the plebians of Greece would’ve used it to woo someone over.
The rich red of this lipstick would look fabulous on witches as well. As the first reign of Elizabethan ended, the church believed those with red lips spoke the words of the devils and that a red lip was too seductive and luring for men. Hence, it was outlawed and deemed witchcraft in England to wear red lipstick.
Who knew bewitching people with charm and style could get you called a witch? Talk about being arrested for being too hot!
The Rouge Dior Forever by Dior
Shade: Forever Daring
Entering the 20th century, the red lipstick trend returned with a roar during the Roaring Twenties. Movie stars and housewives alike used red lipstick. The iconic Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities used dark red lips so they’d still appear in black and white films.
This lipstick by Dior is something I could envision that would pop through a movie screen, and other women would use it too. It accidentally became a symbol of the women’s suffrage movement not just in the United States but in Britain, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
At a rally, a woman passed out lipstick to the women protestors, resulting in women applying and wearing red lipstick during the march despite it not being her initial intention! The bold, dark red lip was trending in the 20s, so I envision a shade like this Dior would be perfect for the women of that era.
The Cake Batter Semi-Matte Liquid Lipstick by Pound Cake
Shade: Raspberry
Just two decades later, the world entered World War II. At this time, Adolf Hitler was in command, and he despised a red lip, believing that women should be all-natural. In addition, he was a vegetarian (who knew), and during that era, lipsticks were taken from animal fat.
So, what did ladies around the world do? Wear a bright red lip as a symbol of protest. This shade from Pound Cake is a loud red, perfect for this piece of history. Upon finding out this information, anti-fascist propaganda took the opportunity and ran with it. They made the red lip an arsenal for the women at home and military alike, and it even became part of military uniform. It was also an era where women replaced men in factories, so to feel feminine, women would fashion their red lips. These ladies were the first office sirens.
Who knew your hot red lipstick had so much power? I hope this article offers insight into some gorgeous red lipsticks you can buy, and I hope you also remember the history and all the amazing women who pioneered this fashion statement the next time you apply it!
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