What to know about lipsticks

I think it is very hard to write an article about lipsticks generally because there are many things to be said. I think it is best to start with a brief history of lipstick. It is said that the first traces of lipstick have been found in the city of Ur, near Babylon. Others say that the first to use lipstick were the ancient Egyptians. It is true that they were using lipstick and they have used it solely for aesthetic purposes.


The ingredients they used included plants, bugs and also some poisonous substances like iodine, bromide and mercury. Probably this is why the expression ‘kiss of death’ appeared. You might think that over the years people got more open minded, but actually for a long time lipstick has been associated with witchcraft and it has been forbidden by law to use it. Then it got fashionable to wear heavy makeup and then it got forbidden again because the queen said that it is impolite to wear lipstick. It has been so till the Second World War when people realized that women needed something to keep them happy and so they got allowed to wear lipstick. It has gained even more popularity with the evolution of film making and in 1930 it gained its form that we know today.

Although a long time has passed since the appearance of lipstick, the ingredients haven’t changed much. Most of the mass of lipstick is represented by wax and oils. Alcohol is used as a solvent and manufacturers also add pigments to the lipstick for color. Most of the chemical substances used have a bad smell and this is why most manufacturers add fragrance to the lipstick to cover the other smells. There are some alternative ingredients as well, like vitamins, aloe, shea butter, SPF and so on that are used to differentiate the lipsticks from each other. Some of the companies also use a substance called pearl essence that is made from fish scales to add shine to the lipstick.

Nowadays lipsticks are made by numerous companies. Some of them are more well known that others, like Revlon, Max Factor, Maybelline, Benefit, Wet’n Wild, Cover Girl, OPI, Chanel, MAC, Jane and many more. Lipstick has evolved over the years and while most of the lipsticks stain and mark, there are some that are kiss-proof and smudge-proof. This means that they don’t stain and they usually don’t bleed.

Other lipsticks are known for being long wearing. It has always been a problem that lipstick had to be reapplied and this is why some companies came up with the idea to create some lipsticks that don’t have to be refreshed. The disadvantage of these products is that most of the times they have a drying effect on the lips.

By now you know a lot more things about lipstick and I think there is some information that you heard for the first time. As I have mentioned before there are a lot more things to know about lipstick.

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