by Jane H. Marchduk

Created on: February 14, 2008   Last Updated: August 31, 2010

Watch my lips: the history of lipstick.

What would women do without lipsticks? On our low days, a slash of color can perk us up instantly and on good days your favorite shade can make you feel fantastic.

And it's not just 20th century women who have succumbed to the irresistible allure of lipstick.

In fact, the use of lipsticks dates back to the Sumerian region of Ur in 5,000BC. The early Babylonians created their colorful adornments by crushing semi-precious stones and applying them to the lips.

Proving the adage that sometimes we have to suffer to be beautiful, Queen Cleopatra used lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles - this provided the deep red pigment. And the base? Made from ants!

The ancient Egyptians, also keen to look good, used a mixture of a plant dye, iodine and bromine mannite. This produced a lovely red color, but was unfortunately also quite toxic

Other popular ingredients included a red dye made from crushed cochineal beetles, and fish scales to achieve a pearly effect. Both of these are still used in commercial lipsticks and lip glosses today.

Different cultures and different generations show divided views of lipstick.

In Tudor times, Queen Elizabeth I favored blood-red lips, achieved by using a blend of beeswax and red stains from plants.

In the 1800s, Queen Victoria had quite a different attitude. She publicly declared make-up as vulgar and something that was worn by actors and prostitutes. It was strictly forbidden in most circles for women to wear make-up before marriage and even after marriage the make-up was subtle.

It was not until the twentieth century that lipstick gained widespread acceptance.

Lipsticks lift morale! This was recognized by governments during the Second World War and women who worked in munitions factories or were engaged in other war work were provided with lipsticks to keep spirits high. Lipstick was no longer associated with common' women.

Nazi Germany, on the other hand, banned its women from wearing lipstick so that their "superior" Aryan features were more accentuated.

Post-war, Hollywood played a huge part in establishing the popularity of lipstick, with glamorous heroines who inspired women all over the world to emulate their look.

These days, women are spoilt for choice. Lipsticks come in a huge range of shades. They are easily affordable and even the most inexpensive are well-packaged. At the higher end of the market, luxury, designer lipsticks have a compelling appeal.

Modern lipsticks are made from a combination of waxes (including beeswax), emollients, pigments and oils.

To protect our lips, we can also buy lipsticks with added moisturizers and sunscreens for outdoor protection

And if you want a lipstick made from natural ingredients, there's a huge variety here, too - just pop into any Bodyshop.

Cheap and cheerful, or the ultimate in designer style - lipstick remains a constant for all women as a quick and easy way to enhance their features.

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