With evocative names such as “Dragon Girl” and “Cherries in the Snow” and worn by the likes of Cleopatra and Taylor Swift, red lipstick has endured as a timeless emblem of beauty and power. The recent discovery of trace pigments—a mix of vegetal wax and powdered minerals—resembling modern lipstick recipes in a 4,000-year-old vial from Iran only adds to its legacy.
Today, red lipstick continues to be a statement of confidence and glamour, but its meaning is fluid and diverse. For some, it represents classic femininity and sophistication; for others, it’s a bold assertion of individuality and defiance. Its allure lies not just in its hue but in the myriad interpretations and emotions it evokes.
The ancient origins of red lipstick
Red lip coloring dates to 3500 B.C. when ancient Mesopotamia’s Queen Puabi (aka Shubad) used a concoction of white lead and crushed red rocks to stain her lips to symbolize her status in power. The trend caught on: archeological excavations revealed that many wealthy Sumerians were buried with lip colorants stored in cockle shells. Aristocrats of ancient Egypt favored red ochre mixed with resin to fashion bold red lips. Queen Cleopatra preferred carmine, a deep red pigment extracted from cochineal bugs.
In ancient Greece, red lips were associated with sex workers, who risked punishment for “improperly posing as ladies” if they appeared in public without their designated lip paint made from ingredients as various as mulberries, seaweed, sheep sweat, and crocodile excrement, according to Sarah E. Schaffer, author of “Reading our Lips: The History of Lipstick Regulation in Western Seats of Power.”
(The idea of beauty is always shifting. Today, it’s more inclusive than ever.)
By the Roman Empire, lip coloring was commonplace again, with vibrant shades indicating higher status. However, as Schaffer writes, expensive ingredients like mercury-laden vermillion were “potentially deadly poison; those poor persons who had to rely on red wine sediment for their lip color likely fared better in the end.”
From royalty to witchcraft
During her reign in the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I popularized the use of red lipstick among the aristocratic class in England.
Photograph by Philip Mould Ltd, London/Bridgeman Images
Schaffer writes that during the Middle Ages, “when the Crusades reintroduced Western Europe to the extensive Middle Eastern use of cosmetics, lipstick acquired a slightly wicked allure.” Christians considered makeup to be in opposition to religious teachings that emphasized humility and natural beauty as part of God’s design.
In England, red lipstick was thought to possess the power to repel malevolent spirits. Queen Elizabeth I, a fervent believer, famously adorned her lips with a custom crimson hue made from cochineal, gum arabic, egg whites, and fig milk. Her regal endorsement sparked a trend, and red lipstick surged in popularity during her reign (1558-1603).
(A royal obsession with black magic started Europe’s most brutal witch hunts.)
However, with the reign of her successor, James I (1603-1625), societal fears surrounding witchcraft cast a shadow over cosmetic practices. By 1770, a law was passed stating that any woman deemed to be using makeup as a means of tricking men into marriage could be tried as a witch.
Women marched through New York City during the suffrage movement of 1912 with bold, red lips in defiance of the patriarchy.
Photograph by Bridgeman Images
The color of rebellion
Red lipstick took on new significance during the 1920s suffragette movement, symbolizing the fight for women’s rights. Beauty entrepreneur Elizabeth Arden inspired women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Emmeline Pankhurst to wear red lipstick as a badge of courage when she distributed lipstick tubes to suffragettes in 1912.
Over the following decades, red lipstick became increasingly popular. Vogue declared in 1933 that “if we were perpetuating the gestures of the 20th century for posterity, putting on lipstick would head the list.”
While wearing a belt of 50-calibre shells, Phyllis Cotter applies lipstick at the Douglas Aircraft Company manufacturing facility in Santa Monica, California in this circa 1943 photo.
Photograph by Tom Stimson, FPG/Getty Images
By World War II, red lipstick evolved from a symbol of rebellion to one of patriotic femininity and resilience, with shades like “Fighting Red!” and “Victory Red!” becoming popular. Schaffer writes that red lipstick was “a vital part of the war effort.” Arden produced a shade to match the bright crimson trimmings of the female Marines’ uniforms, and factory dressing rooms were stocked with lipstick to boost workers’ morale. Hitler, apparently, hated it.
(Five “Rosie the Riveters” share wisdom for navigating life in challenging times.)
The bold red lip remained a classic choice after World War II, as Hollywood icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe made it a fashion staple. Its legacy is seen in modern-day celebrities like Taylor Swift, who often sports scarlet lips.
Throughout her career as a singer-songwriter and pop icon, Taylor Swift has frequently been seen sporting scarlet lips, making it an integral part of her image.
Photograph by John Shearer, Getty Images
But its timeless appeal continues to captivate and empower individuals, reaffirming its status as an emblem of rebellion and strength. In 2018, the #SoyPicoRojo campaign in Nicaragua featured men and women wearing red lipstick protesting the nation’s dictatorship. In 2019, thousands of women in Chile donned red lipstick to denounce sexual violence, proving the bold red lip has never truly gone out of style.
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