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 One of the indispensable and ever popular cosmetic items is the lipstick
that was used from the time immemorial by all women. Almost five thousand years
ago women in ancient Babylon
longed for the more vivid color of lips applying the special mixture of grinded
semiprecious stones to fine particles and even the powder. The women from
ancient Egypt
appreciated and loved bright lips to the extent that they would use the harmful
combination of bromide and iodine which was lately called as «the kiss of death».
The Queen Cleopatra was a great admirer of lipsticks and, just imagine,
her cosmetic means were as natural as possible. The red bugs crushed and mixed
with ant eggs were the base of her cosmetic products. And fish scale was used
to add some glittering to the lipstick as invented by ancient Egyptians.
The Arab -Andalusian healer Abu Al-Kasim Al-Zahravi who was acknowledged
as the founder of the current surgery, invented the first solid lipstick during
the times of the Gold Islam Epoch. The invention of Al-Zahravi was presented as
the bands of aromatic coloring agent in special forms. And Max Factor Comapny,
the brand well-known in cosmetic world, first launched the liquid lip-gloss in
1932 designed to add some color and volume to lips. Yet, the trendy lipstick
with liquid formula was invented in the 90s by the Lip-Ink International
Company.
In the XVI century lipstick was made from far less harmful substances. During
the reign of Elizabeth I in England,
who set the trend for the white complexion with bloody red lips, the lipstick
was made from the beeswax and extracts of plants and herbs that gave various
shades to the product. The lipstick enjoyed its popularity in the United Kingdom
for the shortest time, and in the year 1653 the English pastor Thomas Hall
founded the movement that declared against decorating the face comparing it
with the work of the devil. And in 1770 the Parliament of England passed the
fully effective law against the cosmetic products stating that a woman who
seduced a man with the help of cosmetics was subject to be judged as a witch. And
in 1800 even the Queen Victoria openly declared on rejection of the lipstick
claiming against the make up on the whole as the vulgar tool to apply by women.
In the XIX century the lipstick
was recognized as the obvious sign of flippancy of a woman, though in the 20s
the suffragettes applied the red lipstick to show the symbol of the strong
woman. And one of the lipstick admirers of that time was the legendary actress
Sarah Bernhardt who called the lipstick the «greatest discovery» of the world.
The lipstick eventually found its place in a woman's purse only in the early
XX century. On the threshold of the World War II the lipstick almost became one
of the claimed cosmetic products due to Hollywood
celebrities including movie stars Gloria Swanson, Asta Nielsen and Lana
Turner. In 1920 Helena Rubinstein launched the first tube of lipstick named Valaz
Lip-Listre; the lipstick by Rubinstein was like a revolutionary invention and
if earlier her cosmetic products were designed and affordable to women with
higher profit, the Valaz Lip-Listre became the exclusively available product
costing a couple of US dollars almost. In the thirtieth Hazel Bishop, the founder
of the same cosmetic brand, created another revolutionary invention, the kiss-proof
lipstick, while Elizabeth Arden opened her own Institute
of Beauty in Germany
providing access to the modern cosmetic products for all women. After the World
War II, in 1949, the first machines were designed in USA to produce lipstick as it is today,
put in metal or plastic tube. The automated process lowered the price for the product,
and in the soonest time the lipstick became one of the claimed cosmetic
products for all women.
That time the lipstick was made from beeswax, essences, and other
matters to soothe the lip skin, and pigments. Wax was and is used to shape the
lipstick as a cylinder, while various pigments give new shades of color. The amino
acids, Vitamin E and aloe vera extract, as components, are designed to moisten
the tender skin of the lips. And from the old time and till update this
cosmetic product is beyond the time and fashion trends. It is appreciated as
one of the cosmetic products to be highly necessary for every woman to stay
attractive and seductive.
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