5 Surprising Facts About Lipstick You Probably Didn’t Know

by John Griffith Mar 30, 2023 @ 14:57

Lipstick has been a makeup staple for centuries, but how much do we really know about this cosmetic marvel? This beautiful little product can help give you confidence and totally change your look. The bolder brighter hues can help make a statement, whereas the more subtle and sultry shades are a great way to add a touch of glamour. No matter what shade of lipstick you wear, it’s a must-have in every girl’s makeup bag. Lipstick has come a long way since it’s ancient origins and is a fascinating product with a long history behind it. That’s why today we want to share with you some fascinating facts about lipstick.

This beautiful little product can help give you confidence and totally change your look

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Surprising Facts About Lipstick
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Surprising Facts About Lipstick

Lipstick has been an integral part of women’s (and men’s) lives for thousands of years. Yet, there are so many things we do not know about this magical product. If you are interested in learning more about lipsticks, then you have come to the right place. Today we will share with you some of our favorite lipstick facts that you probably didn’t know. Are you ready? Let’s check them out.

Lipstick has been an integral part of women’s lives for thousands of years

#The very first lipstick

The very first lipstick was actually lip paint. And it was first used in the Sumerian region, which is now known as Iraq and Kuwait. This lip paint was used around 5000 BCE. This lip paint was made by crushing gemstones and was also used around the eyes as a way to decorate their faces.

The very first lip paint was used around 5000 BCE

#Toxic lipstick

Ancient Roman lipsticks were made with a formula of ochre, iron ore, and fucus with is a common type of brown algae. While the formula worked great, it was quite toxic. This is because fucus contains a ton of mercury, which meant that this makeup product was very hazardous to their health. Thank God the formula has changed since them!\

Ancient Roman lipsticks were made with a formula of ochre, iron ore, and fucus

#Britain banned lipstick

Thankfully, this was a long time ago. The English parliament managed to ban lipstick in the 1770s as according to them women were tricking men into matrimony by wearing lipstick and makeup in general.The parliament also managed to link lipstick with witchcraft and went as far as to nullify any marriages that were caused by lipstick. Crazy, we know, but at least this law is no more.

The English parliament managed to ban lipstick in the 1770s

#Cleopatra’s lipstick

According to ancient Egyptians, make up (including lipstick) was for everyone – men included. Both genders wore lip colors with bold hues like blue, orange, and magenta. So, it’s no surprise that Cleopatra was also a fan of this daring makeup product. However, she ordered that her lipstick were custom-made with some rather unusual ingredients. Her iconic red lipstick was created with crushed beetles, as well as red ocher, fish scales and flowers.

Both genders wore lip colors with bold hues like blue, orange, and magenta

#Greek values

In contrast to ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks were not fans of lipstick. Most women were discouraged from wearing it at all. However, this did not apply for ladies of the evening. They were encouraged to wear it, so they can easily be identified. There were even laws and threatened punishments for such ladies who appeared in public without it. Ancient Greek lipstick was apparently made from crocodile dung (yes, you read that right), sheep sweat, and red dye.

Ladies of the evening were encouraged to wear lipstick, so they can easily be identified

These were some of the most interesting facts about lipstick you probably didn’t know. We hope you found this article interesting. Now you know more about your favorite makeup staple.

These were some of the most interesting facts about lipstick you probably didn’t know

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.