Lipstick… is something (almost) every woman has in her possession. And in case you didn’t know, last Monday was National Lipstick day. People celebrate it by wearing their favorite or best color. I have a few favorites – from the cheap yet amazing quality of Wet N’ Wild‘s “Raging Red” to Nouba‘s Liquid Lip Color (that I use so sparingly because I think the color I like is discontinued *sigh*). Some people pick a shade of lipstick to match their clothing, mood, or just the scenery. Some use it to complete their makeup, while others use lipstick as their only makeup. When I was reading about how people celebrate National Lipstick Day, I stumbled upon it’s interesting and slightly shocking history.
Here is something you may not know about lipstick. Once upon a time, wearing it was considered deceitful, sinful, and in some cases illegal… Holy cow, what?! I mean, come on, it’s just some colorant I smear on my mouth to complete my look… how could such a tiny thing arouse so much controversy?
In the early days of Christianity, any attempt to change the way a woman looks was considered “an act against God” and was punishable by law. By the 1400 – 1500s, you could actually divorce your wife if she wore makeup, because it was seen as lying or violating the “truth”. Later on in the 1700s, it was against the law to wear any cosmetics in England. It was seen as an act of “seduction” and women who wore it were punished the same way witches were punished for practicing witchcraft!
Over time, the attitude toward lipstick changed. During World War II, it became symbolic of bravery, patriotism, and feminine strength. Women who wore it felt liberated and empowered. Have you ever seen old photos of pin-up girls from the 40s? Notice the bright red lipstick that seemed to be the common denominator for all of the pin-ups of that time.
Nowadays, lipstick is just lipstick. It’s not so symbolic anymore, and is worn mostly just for aesthetic purposes. Now that I know about it’s rich and controversial history, I’m actually kind of proud to wear it.
– Brigette Rose
