Quick Quiz: Can You Guess the Origin of Lipstick?

December 5, 2007

When you think of iconic beauty products, what comes to mind? For me it's lipstick. It's no surprise that lipstick is such a beauty icon considering it dates back 5,000 years. But it really became popular in the sixteenth century under Queen Elizabeth I, when it became a symbol of aristocracy.

Then, during WWII, movie stars made lipstick even more popular. Now 80 percent of women wear it. Did you know that more than 700 million lipsticks are sold throughout the world each year? That means that 22 lipsticks are purchased every second!

But here's my question: Back in the early years when tubes of lipstick weren't readily available, what do you think women used to stain their lips?

49 Comments

3 years 50 weeks

I thought the Quick Quiz question (heading/title) was "can you guess the origin of lipstick"? The answer is yes, though it is not a guess. The ORIGIN of lipstick occurred millennia ago. Professional prostitutes colored their lips: 1. to cause their mouth to appear more like a vagina (aesthetics). 2. to facilitate a penis' sliding in and out during fellatio (moisturizer). 3. to advertise their willingness and ability to perform fellatio(skill). That's why I love lipstick - and also the first thing to cross my mind when I see a woman wearing it! (And also why I would never permit a daughter to wear it!)

Karla Sugar 5 years 24 weeks

Berries seemed too easy — I thought it must be something gross! *lol*

foudini 5 years 24 weeks

ilanc13, the only thing I remember from romance novels or "bodice rippers," was the general page number for the "big scene" and more synonyms/descriptions for body parts than I could ever want. :-) LOL.

juliegal 5 years 24 weeks

i knew the answer...i said beetles just for fun!!! :-) ew smooshed beetle lips...yuck!

Snowbirdy 5 years 24 weeks

Cleopatra stained her lips with berries, long, long ago. I've always loved to wear lipstick!

Majorcat 5 years 24 weeks

I answered correctly!

sugarbecky 5 years 24 weeks

Got it! Almost went with beetles.

Allotrios 5 years 24 weeks

I guessed beetles. Though I suppose the correct answer depends on the time frame and, to some degree, the place at which you're looking. Berries, stones/minerals, beetles; it could be any of them. Blood was a bit of a long shot, though. ;D

barblong 5 years 24 weeks

I guess you use what is available!

halo0073 5 years 24 weeks

why did i think berries was too obvious and choose beetles..duh

ilanac13 5 years 24 weeks

sadly i think that i knew that answer from reading romance novels when i was younger

Candyhunnie 5 years 24 weeks

Got it; it seems the only sane answer. (;

gildthatlily 5 years 24 weeks

It's well-known that Cleopatra used crushed carmine beetles to make her lipstick, so there should be two correct answers.

oxRNxo 5 years 24 weeks

got it

Catipa 5 years 24 weeks

I guessed wrong, why I thought beetles, IDK.

justeve 5 years 24 weeks

Got it correct

n_i_k 5 years 24 weeks

Got it right! :)

terrywagner123 5 years 24 weeks

berries are so cool.

cliu810 5 years 24 weeks

yay!! that was pretty easy =)

sparkleluvr 5 years 24 weeks

I googled this question since I was undecided between two choices, and a page I found said that Cleopatra's first lipsticks were made from carmine beetles, so it looks like there is more than one correct answer. I personally can't imagine putting crushed up beetles on my lips.