Red lipstick
17.08.2020
They say the only true and faithful companion to the woman is lipstick. Many can go to out without money, but not without the lipstick. Red lipstick was a symbol of beauty through history, and then symbol of witchcraft and prostitution before becoming a symbol of glamour and elegance.
In Mesopotamia, women crumbled a stone to get a red color to dye their lips. The Egyptians did not go much further - they made red from iodine and bromine, but this also led to the death, called "Kiss of Death", because toxins from these components caused poisoning of women, but also those who kissed them.
In the Middle Ages, Islamic traders perfected a technique of making lipsticks, however, in Europe, makeup was not as popular as it was in the East, because the church banned the use of any lip colors. The coloring of the lips was considered a crime and was linked to witchcraft and prostitution.
The unpopularity of lip-coloring did not last long, Elizabeth I made red lips fashionable. In this time the look of Snow White, from a fairy tale of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, was popularized – white tan and bright red lips. Elizabeth loved coloring her lips so much that she ordered her lips to be colored when she died.
At the beginning of the 18th century the use of all cosmetic and lip color was pronounced unacceptable for "decent women", again being associated with prostitution, and it was considered that only poor women and prostitutes beautified themselves in this way. It's interesting that the British Parliament in 1770. adopted a law under which marriage could be annulled if there was evidence that a woman is using some cosmetics or used them before the wedding.
The French brand Guerlain, at the end of the 18th century, introduces the lipstick which had the base of tallow of the deer and, finally, from 1920. women were increasingly using lipstick thanks to mute films. Namely, actresses in these films used red lipstick to emphasize their lips in black and white movies.
Elizabeth Arden made history when in 1910. she introduces red lipstick on the market. In those years, women used a red lipstick as a symbol of the independence of women, but also the challenge and the escape from the prejudice - that only women of the weaker morals use red lipstick. Red lipstick compared to other shades of lipstick remains a symbol of power to date.
After a major economic crisis, in the thirties, red lips represented the symbol of resistance. The research conducted during that period in America showed that 58% of women, despite the difficult economic conditions, have at least one red lipstick and at that time the cosmetic industry has progressed better than some other industrial branches. When men went to war and women entered the factories, the lipstick were becoming more accessible, as women were making money, and it was quite normal to see a woman in a worker's jumpsuit, but with red lips.
In the fifties, Hollywood actresses like Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe set the foundations for red lipsticks forever. It suddenly became a symbol of glamour, sophistication and sensuality.
In the sixties, with the appearance of the hippie movement, other shades of lipstick became popular. It was not unusual to see the woman with the orange, purple, blue or green lips but the red lipstick remained a classic.
Red lipstick remained unique!
Author of text: Denic Saska
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