A Short History of the Red Lip

People have been colouring their lips red for thousands of years, using pigments from crushed minerals, plants and, memorably, insects. The shade has meant different things at different times: status, rebellion, glamour, defiance, or simply a good Tuesday.

The modern lipstick arrived in the early twentieth century, when the metal tube with a swivel mechanism made it portable for the first time. Within a generation it had become an everyday object. During hard times it was one of the few luxuries that stayed affordable, and the colour became a quiet form of morale.

What has not changed is the effect. A red lip focuses a face. It asks for attention without asking for much else, which is why it keeps coming back. The best advice remains the oldest: find the red that suits your undertone, apply it with a brush if you have the time, and blot once.