The History of Red Lipstick

Photo by: Getty Images

Late Nineteenth Century

By the late 1800s, Queen Victoria pronounced makeup to be impolite and it became unfashionable during her reign. However, in France, actress Sarah Bernhardt was known to wear red lipstick and even apply it in public-a major taboo during that time. In the U.S., lipstick was first advertised in the 1890s in the Sears Roebuck Catalog. By that time, lipstick was colored with carmine dye extracted from ... more 

Photo by: Getty Images

Late Nineteenth Century

By the late 1800s, Queen Victoria pronounced makeup to be impolite and it became unfashionable during her reign. However, in France, actress Sarah Bernhardt was known to wear red lipstick and even apply it in public-a major taboo during that time. In the U.S., lipstick was first advertised in the 1890s in the Sears Roebuck Catalog. By that time, lipstick was colored with carmine dye extracted from cochineal insect scales.

MORE:
Tips for Brighter Skin, Teeth, and Hair
16 New Hairstyles to Try This Fall
less