Why are red lips an icon 0f female empowerment?

Are you a fan of red lips? Then you will be interested in knowing a little about their history, the symbolism around them, as well as tips for applying makeup and choosing the best lipstick for you.

What is the origin of red lips?

The origin of red lips is as old as the history of humanity itself. Women have been accustomed to wearing lipstick for many centuries. The first records date back to 5,000 BC within the Mesopotamian culture.

The women of this civilization painted their lips, although not with the lipstick that we currently know. What do you think they did it with? It is known that they pulverized intense red pebbles and covered their lips with the dust obtained. They also used mixtures of different substances, such as iodine or bromine, although they were in danger as they were toxic substances… Imagine being kissed and dying from it! Well this was common in those days.

Have you heard of Cleopatra? This woman was one of the most important in the Egyptian empire and she is remembered not only for her power, but for her love for her beauty. Her practices to look beautiful, without a doubt, leave us open-mouthed, such as bathing with milk every day, but you won’t believe what she did to put makeup on her lips… She crushed insects such as beetles and ants to obtain a paste in intense red tone!

While, in the Far East, in the country of Japan, the famous geishas also resorted to painting their lips; In their case, they did it with the crimson pigment that they obtained from flowers very famous for their vibrant red color.

Later, in the Middle Ages, the Church prohibited women from wearing red lipstick and it was not until the 16th century that Queen Elizabeth I made it fashionable again.

However, the rise of red lipstick came until the 20th century, thanks to the boost given to it by famous designers who proclaimed herselves a fan of this color and used it herself with pride.

What does a woman with red lipstick convey?

You will be surprised to know that painting red lips has had different meanings depending on the time! However, they all perhaps converge on the same and most important message: female empowerment.

As we told you, red on the lips has been used by important women in history, such as Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I, who used it in their outfit as a sign of her feminine power. However, it was not until the mid-20th century that various events popularized the use of red lipstick among the majority of women and catapulted it as the most tangible symbol of female empowerment.

For example, it is known that, during World War II, women used red on their lips to demonstrate their bravery by going out to earn a living while their husbands, fathers or brothers remained in combat. Therefore, with the passage of time, it also became a symbol of the conquest of their independence from the male yoke that they have suffered for centuries.

In the 60s, great celebrities of the American film industry, such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, among others, proudly wore the color red on their lips as part of their makeup during the filming of their films or in their I walk the red carpets. Since then, red lipstick has been a symbol of glamour, sensuality and beauty.

Currently, although various trends have emerged in terms of lipstick color, the truth is that red is a fashion classic that enjoys timelessness. This lipstick can be used by women of all styles to frame their personal confidence.

How to paint red lips and what lipstick to use?

We present the following guide so that you can paint your lips step by step and thus achieve sensational makeup.

How to paint red lips?

1. First of all, we recommend hydrating your lips by applying a moisturizing balm on them.
2. We advise you to line your lips with a lip liner of the same color as the lipstick you are going to use, with the aim of a more precise makeup.
3. To achieve a fuller appearance of your lips, you can use a concealer or highlighter pencil on the contour, especially in the V area.
4. It is time for you to apply the lipstick of your choice, you can do this with the help of a brush for better definition.
5. Using a tissue, remove any remaining lipstick and reapply another coat if necessary.

What are the best red lipsticks?

Now, let’s get to which lipstick you should use! You may wonder: why should I know which lipstick to use? Well, first because there is a wide range of shades of red; Second, because depending on your skin and lip tone, it is the tone of red that you should apply if you want to look spectacular.

So, do you already know what your skin tone is ? If not, we invite you to discover it by carrying out this simple test: look at the veins you have on the front of your wrists and identify their color; If they are blue, your skin tone is cold, while if they are green, your skin tone is warm.

For very light skin, also known as cold, the ideal is to opt for bluish-based tones, such as plum or raspberry red, these can be a good option.

If you are a brunette, don’t worry, in fact, you have a much greater range of options ranging from bright to darker shades. Wine red, tangerine or berry are indicated.

Finally, we believe that red lips are a woman’s best accessory. Boost your feminine power with them!

You may also like to read the foolproof trick that women used in the 50s to find the perfect lip shade that you should know