When my daughter was about 6 years old, I fetched her from school one afternoon, and when she saw me, she asked: ‘Mom, are you tired, angry, or are you just not wearing lipstick on today?’ Even at that young age she knew what a difference lipstick could make to her mom’s overall appearance! No wonder Liz Taylor advised ‘Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together!’ Fortunately, the situation changed when Guerlain began to manufacture lipstick by the end of the 19th century, and by 1921, Londoners could legally wear lip colour.

Throughout the 19th century, respectable women wearing cosmetics were frowned upon. Lipsticks were used by prostitutes and actors, using home-made cosmetics, including lipsticks. However, wearing lipstick in 1770 was not without its hurdles – in 1770 a British law was proposed to the parliament that a marriage should be unnuled if the woman wore cosmetics before her wedding day. Since ancient times, women have been highlighting their lips, and lipstick is a major component of the cosmetics industry. When lips are full and well defined, they evoke a sense of youth, health, and attractiveness. It is interesting to know that small amounts of visual information, such as the appearance of the lips has a major effect on how the aesthetic impressions of an individual and on the overall attractiveness of the face. This has many origins above all, the lips are a very sensitive erogenous and tactile organ. Lips are often viewed as a symbol of sensuality and sexuality. ‘A foolish man tells a woman to stop talking, but a wise man tells her that her mouth is extremely beautiful when her lips are closed’ – Anonymous. Lipstick has always been an essential cosmetic product because full and well-defined lips evoke a sense of youth, health, and attractiveness.

Bonnie bell lipstick commercial script