*This post is sponsored by Elizabeth Arden. The red lipstick I am wearing is a limited-edition release, with each tube designed by Reese Witherspoon for the brand. It is the iconic cosmetic company's signature Red Door shade. This particular campaign is meant to celebrate women's achievements and encourage them to support each other. Toward this aim, the company pledges to donate $1 million to UN Women to advance women's issues worldwide.
I've been wearing a lot of red lately. Sometimes it's been a pop of red lipstick or red nails. Sometimes it's my entire outfit, from my lipstick all the way to my bag. No other color represents love, strength and passion the way red does. It is the color of extremes. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the color of fire and blood -- energy and primal life forces –- and most of red’s symbolism today arises from its powerful past associations. Red is also often perceived as mystical, even religious, color.
It symbolized godlike heroism to the Greeks and is the color of the Christian crucifixion. Red was almost as rare and as expensive as purple in ancient days –- a fact that may explain its magic and power. (Color Matters)
In the Philippines, the color red is a symbol for valor and patriotism. In the Philippine flag, the color red represents the eagerness of the Filipino people to shed blood in defense of their country. In precolonial warrior culture, no natives were allowed to wear red until they had established a reputation for skill and bravery by killing another warrior. (Wikipedia)
When it comes to red lipstick though, it was the ancient Sumerians who invented the now-classic adornment, about 5,000 years ago. They used crushed gemstones, mixed it with lead and used the paste to decorate their faces, usually placing the mixture on their lips and around their eyes. Ancient Egyptians like Cleopatra used crushed insects to create a red color for their lips. Royalty and the upper class wore color on their lips as a display of social status rather than gender, which is why you'd also see men decorating their faces. (Hello Gorgeous! Beauty Products in America '40s-'60s)
Though red lips were a sign of wealth and status in ancient Egypt, the Greeks saw red as a color of shame, and the color was assigned to prostitutes. This led to the first known regulation related to makeup, which deemed that prostitutes could run into trouble with the law if they were not branded by their trademark red lips. "Prostitutes were expected to use lip colors and obvious makeup in public, or else they would be punished because it implied that they were deceitfully posing as ladies." (Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup)
During the Middle Ages, makeup was considered a sin, and women had to tell of their lipstick use during Christian confession. Images of devils applying lipstick to women's faces were common. Ugh.
In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I of England did not care what the church thought about the use of cosmetics. It was rumored that she loved her red lip color so much that she believed they had magical powers and could ward off death and sickness. Pretty ironic considering one of the main ingredients was lead, which would slowly poison and disfigure the wearer until she or he eventually died of lead poisoning. But after the queen's death, the church swung back to treating lipstick as an issue of morality and discouraged the use of cosmetics. It was once again considered deceitful to men and sinful, and England even had a law making it punishable as witchcraft. (The Artifice of Beauty: A History and Practical Guide to Perfumes and Cosmetics)
The first and most famous public demonstration of red lipstick was performed by suffragettes as they poured into New York City streets in protest in 1912. In fact, Elizabeth Arden herself was handing out lipstick to marching suffragettes. While the explicit intention of the suffragists was votes for women, the implicit message was that whether they were "new women" riding bikes in bloomers or elegant ladies in big hats and bright lipstick, women should be free to choose what they want to look like and who they want to be. This was quite revolutionary for its time and something women still fight for to this day. (Compacts and Cosmetics)
While lipstick was still ascribed to unruly suffragettes, the stigma against a bright red pout began to fade away thanks to the influence of Hollywood and silent film stars like Clara Bow. Women soon wanted to emulate their favorite actresses. They became the model of what was attractive for women, so it was easy to use their likenesses to sell product. (Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup)
Fast forward to World War II. Adolf Hitler hated red lipstick and would not allow any woman around him to wear it because he claimed it contained animal fat from sewage. So, of course, red lipstick became hugely popular and a symbol of patriotism in America. Women were actively encouraged to paint their lips bright red and glossy to keep up morale. Rosie the Riveter became a wartime icon for a generation of women with her lipsticked mouth, painted red nails and muscular arms. Elizabeth Arden created a makeup kit for the American Marine Corps Women's Reserve that included a red lipstick that matched elements of their uniforms. (Face Paint)
These days, red lipstick still makes a bold statement. If you go with a red lip, you probably won't feel a need to wear much else on your face. In fact, I like it best when paired with some big sunglasses, a cool hat and a casual outfit like jeans and a t-shirt. Pro tip: When searching for the perfect shade of red for your skin tone, try it on with no other makeup on. If it still looks good when you're bare-faced, you've found your shade.
Recent Posts
Follow Me On Instagram!
- Aesthetic Distance: A Brief History of Red Lipstick
- Britt and Whit: Floral Dress for Spring + Giveaway
- Cammeo Head to Toe: Spring Break Mommy & Son Throwback
- Fashion to Live: VIP Media Event at Fresh Kitchen Westshore + Cute Spring Blazer
- Frugal Shopaholics: Wardrobe Essentials Worth the Splurge Pt 2
- Girl in Betsey: Spring Fashion: 10 Budget Finds Under $50
- I'm a Norbyah: Styling The R Collective
- Lady Goodman: Ultra Slim Shady
- Lambassadrice: How To Land A Fashion Job Interview With Just One Simple Step
- LunaVida Blog: Spring It On | Cardigan + T-Shirt Dress + Ankle Boots [& oNecklace Giveaway!]
- Sifa's Corner: How to Be Charming: 5 Qualities of a Natural Charmer
- The Borrowed Babes: The Borrowed Babes' Guide: Bag Borrow or Steal
SPONSOR: Amazon's Shopbop, Hudson, Miu Miu Sunglasses, ASCENO Clothing, Carolina Santo Domingo, Gul Hurgel, Miaou, Clean Denim, Activewear, Day to Night Dresses, Men's Aer
I usually do a write up of the events I’ve organized or hosted and my most-read articles at the end of the year. This was an unusual year (obviously, there is no need to go into it here) so I didn’t bother. Instead I want to highlight a project of mine that I am particularly proud of — it’s my new podcast show, Unverified Accounts, that I cohost with my frequent collaborators, Chris Jesu Lee and Filip Guo. If you're a big movie/TV/book buff, have leftist sympathies, but can't stand 'wokeness' dumbing down our culture, then we're the podcast for you. So far in our 25 episodes, we’ve covered a range of contentious topics.