The Romans and ancient Egyptians used cosmetics that contained mercury and often lead.
Cleopatra had lipstick made from ground up cochineal beetles added to ant’s eggs as a base.
Egyptian woman also used henna for colour, to provide the shimmer to the lipstick, fish scales were also used.
The ancient Egyptians used a purple-red colour that was squeezed from Iodine and used to redden lips, this eventually became known as "the kiss of death".
When King Tut’s tomb was opened in 1922, cosmetics were found inside that were still fragrant and perfectly usable.
In Roman times, sheep’s fat was used as a base to colour lips.
The first recorded use of the word lipstick (lippa sticka) is from approximately 1000 A.D.
Many historians give credit to the ancient Arab cosmetologist and physician, Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (936–1013), (Arabic: أبو القاسم بن خلف بن العباس الزهراوي) for inventing the first solid lipsticks, which he described in his writings as perfumed sticks rolled and pressed in special molds.
In Japan, pigment for rouge was made primarily from safflowers, and applied to the lips, cheeks, and fingernails. Like face powder, a light application was regarded as a mark of refinement. Later on in the 1800’s however, there was a fad for heavier application of lipstick for an iridescent effect.
During the era of Queen Elizabeth 1st, it was popular to paint the face white and the lips red. When acting in Shakespeare’s plays no women were allowed to work as actors. Female roles were taken by young lads who wore women’s clothes and elaborate makeup. The lead content in the white makeup led to many early deaths by boy actors.
In 1653, lipsticks faced opposition from Thomas Hall, who led a movement proclaiming that painting of faces was the ‘Devil’s work’.
In 1770, the English parliament passed a law stating that any woman who seduced a man into marriage by wearing makeup could be tried as witch!
During the French Revolution, wearing lipstick could get you killed! You might have been seen as sympathizing with the aristocracy.
In the 19th century prostitutes were the main users of makeup and Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup improper, vulgar and acceptable only for use by actresses.
In 1884, the first modern lipstick was introduced by perfumers in Paris. It was wrapped in silk paper and made with deer tallow, castor oil and beeswax.
During the late 1890’s the Sears Roebuck catalogue offered rouge for lips.
Up until the 19th century, the pigment cochineal was used to colour lipsticks until synthetics were introduced in the latter part
of the 19th century.
In 1904, a perfumed lip salve would have cost you 25 cents.
By 1908, it was okay for women to apply lipstick at the table during lunch at a restaurant. It was not okay to apply lipstick at dinner.
In 1915, Maurice Levy of the Scovil Manufacturing
Company invented the metal tube container for lipstick, which had a small lever at the side of the tube that lowered and raised the lipstick. Levy called his invention the "Levy Tube".
In 1923, James Bruce Mason Jr. of Nashville, Tennessee patented the first swivel-up tube. This packaging made it easy for manufacturers to package and sell.
In 1928, a beauty parlour with a full line of lipsticks was installed in a New Jersey sanatorium. Putting on lipstick is used as a therapeutic technique even today!
During the 1920s, the flapper style came into fashion, which embraced dark eyes, red lipstick, red nail varnish and the suntan
by Coco Channel.
Lipsticks made a comeback in World War 11 with the popularity of its use in the movie industry. It became commonplace for women to "put their face on".
Except in Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler told women "that face painting was for clowns and not for women of the master race".
In 1930s, Hazel Bishop introduced the kiss-proof lipsticks.
In the 1930s, Max Factor invented lip gloss to be used on movie actors, however, it was soon worn by regular consumers
Many lipsticks contain fish scales, or rather, the "shimmery" substance of fish scales called "pearl essence". Pearl essence is
obtained primarily from herring and is one of many by-products of large-scale commercial fish processing.
Did you know that according to a 1996 survey by Shiseido cosmetics; 87% of American women admit to having left traces of
lipstick in unwanted places.
In Japan, in the Geisha world, the shape of the lipstick, whether it is just the bottom lip, the top lip, or both lips. How thin or full it is applied can signify how old the woman is, and how far along she is in her training. Whether or not she is a Hangyoku, a Maiko, or a Geisha.
During the Chinese festival of Qi Qiao Jie young women throw
make-up on the roof.
The average woman uses 2 – 4 kg of lipsticks in a lifetime
80% of American woman regularly wear lipstick.
32% of women surveyed during a 1998 poll claimed they owned more than 20 lipsticks.
Lipstick is one of the most commonly shoplifted items.
Lipstick sales go through the roof, especially in the time of recession.
In our era, lipsticks have expanded into the use of lip pencils, lip glosses, lip plumpers etc. But the lipstick tube is still number one.