For those who don’t know lipstick’s history, an article about painted lips may seem frivolous. But it may surprise you to learn that lipstick—red, in particular—has had a tumultuous evolution and an influential role in history through the ages. Six of them are iconic for a reason; in addition to their classic takes on red, each lipstick has its own fascinating story.
Beauty, confidence, rebellion, elegance
The use of lipstick has been both celebrated and maligned throughout much of history. For example, the first Queen Elizabeth rouged her lips for her coronation; courtiers and subjects followed suit. Elizabeth is rumored to have believed that lipstick had magical powers, so much so that, at the time of her death, she was reportedly wearing nearly a half inch of lip rouge.
Incredibly, lipstick has also become a polarizing issue throughout the decades: in the 1700s, the British Parliament declared that women who seduced men into matrimony through the use of lip and cheek paints could have their marriages annulled as well as face witchcraft charges. Even the color of lipstick had meaning. In the 1200s in Italy, women of status wore pink lipstick; red lipstick was reserved for “ladies of the night”. Fortunately, modern “ladies of a certain age” are free to wear red lipstick with abandon.
The Elizabeth Arden Victory Red Story
In 1912, thousands of suffragettes marched in front of Elizabeth Arden’s New York salon, which had opened two years earlier. Arden was an advocate for women’s rights. To help draw attention to the cause, she gave out tubes of bright red lipstick to protesters, who wore it as a symbol of rebellion and independence.
In 1941 and throughout the war, red lipstick became a trademark of women enlisting in the U.S. military and Elizabeth Arden launched “Victory Red”. Incredibly, the U.S. government approached Arden to create a specific lip and nail colour for servicewomen, resulting in the creation of her “Montezuma Red”, which perfectly matched the red outlines on their uniforms.
Unfortunately, the Elizabeth Arden line no longer carries these two shades. However, Elizabeth Arden recently announced on Instagram: “While we no longer carry these iconic colors, we invite you to discover “Red Door Red” in our lipstick collection, a similar hue that embodies the same vibrant spirit.”
Buy Red Door Red at Elizabeth Arden or on amazon.com
Coco Chanel’s Empowering Red Lipstick
The name “Chanel” evokes luxury and elegance. So it may surprise you that what really drove Coco Chanel was her defiance against the conservative beauty norms of the early years of the 20th Century. Her distaste for flamboyant, restrictive clothing led her to create practical, comfortable designs that reflected her own preference for simplicity and freedom.
Her first lip color collection, launched in 1924, was driven by dissatisfaction with existing products, which were often made with simple mixtures that could result in a grainy texture. Her collection distinguished itself by its creamy formula and ultra-pigmented color. It was both luxurious and wearable, reflecting her vision of beauty and elegance.
Chanel’s lipstick shades, particularly her iconic reds, aligned with her philosophy that makeup could be a form of strength and confidence. Chanel’s bold use of red lipstick became a hallmark of her brand, inspiring women to embrace their individuality, or as we would say today, own their power.
Chanel’s modern lipstick formula, Rouge Allure Intense Long-Wear Lip Colour, introduced in 2006, is widely popular today. 99 Pirate, a deep blue-based red, is celebrated for its rich color and smooth application. 99 Pirate is one of the best-selling red lipsticks of all time.
Buy 99 Pirate at Chanel, Ulta, or Saks Fifth Avenue.
The Revlon Fire & Ice Story
Before Revlon’s Fire & Ice–a gorgeous warm red–was introduced in 1952, lipstick was marketed as a way of catching a man. Ads typically featured a nondescript woman bemoaning the fact that men wouldn’t kiss her.
This attitude came about despite women’s considerable contribution to the war efforts and the importance that red lipstick played to women in the service. After the war, when the men had returned home, women were expected to resume household duties and “know their places”.
Fire & Ice was the first makeup of its kind to actually focus on empowering women. The first ads featured a strong, confident-looking woman, lips blazing. The original Fire & Ice ad even came with a quiz featuring ten questions, such as, “Have you ever wanted to wear an ankle bracelet?” If you answered “Yes” to eight or more questions, you were a Fire & Ice woman.
The ad completely changed the face of advertising to women, supporting the first rumblings of the women’s liberation movement that reached its peak in the 1970s. Ads celebrating women who could do it all became commonplace. [Remember the Enjoli perfume ad in 1978: “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan.”] Fire & Ice, still widely available today, has established its place in history.
Buy Fire & Ice on amazon.com.
The Dior 999 Story
Christian Dior founded his fashion house in Paris in 1946. He once said, “I love red. It is the color of life.” Known to be superstitious, Dior’s favorite number was 9, his favorite color, red, and he always carried a talisman with him for luck.
Just over 70 years ago, Dior, known only for his clothes until that time, released his first red lipstick, called “#9”.
In 2019, to mark the 66th anniversary of #9 lipstick, Dior, the company, introduced lipstick #999. The shade has had its fair share of celebrity fans over the years. It also helps that the lipstick looks beautiful on every skin tone (it’s neither warm nor cool), and lasts for up to 16 hours.
Dior #999 lipstick remains the best-selling red lipstick in the world.
Buy #999 at Dior or on amazon.com.
MAC’s Viva Glam Viva Heart Red Story
In 1984 in Toronto, a couple, both named Frank, one a makeup artist and one a hairdresser, founded MAC cosmetics. The line was originally intended just for models but quickly became so popular that it was made available to the public.
MAC has always been an edgy, boundary-pushing company. Before MAC, makeup containers were typically made in soft, feminine colors to appeal to women. MAC containers were black, stark and utilitarian looking. MAC was the first company to introduce a recycling program and offered incentives to bring the plain plastic containers back to the stores.
While other cosmetic companies stayed far away from the AIDS crisis, MAC took it head on by introducing the Viva Glam line. The MAC AIDS Fund was established in 1994 to support men, women, and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally by addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS.
According to MAC Cosmetics, the fund has raised over $400 million through the sale of MAC’s Viva Glam Lipsticks, in particular, Viva Heart Red, donating 100% of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS.
MAC was also the first cosmetic company to feature a drag queen, RuPaul, in its ads for Viva Glam lipstick. Viva Heart Red is a cool-toned lipstick with exceptional staying power. It is still a best seller today. 
Viva Heart Red is available at ulta.com.
Christian Louboutin’s Diva Red Story
The story goes that the famous shoe designer’s life’s work began when, as a 10-year-old boy in Paris, Christian Louboutin saw a sign posted at a museum forbidding women from wearing stilettos, lest they scratch the parquet flooring. At the age of 16, he began an internship at the famed Folies Bergère, where the self-taught shoemaker began dressing the dancers’ feet with his designs
Not long after he opened his first boutique in Paris, Louboutin was mulling over an unsatisfactory prototype for a new shoe when he noticed his assistant painting her nails with red polish. He grabbed the bottle of lacquer and painted the entire sole of one of the shoes red. The red sole became a signature of Louboutin shoes, and sales exploded as celebrities and well-heeled women everywhere flocked to buy them.
In 2015, Louboutin debuted his lipstick line. For Christian Louboutin, “every woman is a work of art, a goddess meant to be celebrated, a life source of limitless power that ought to be unleashed.” The red lipstick closest in color to the famous red-soled shoes is Diva Fire. Even the case is a work of art.
Encased in lustrous cone-shaped vials, the lipsticks are topped with studded crowns, each outfitted with a tiny ring. The idea is that you can thread a chain or a ribbon through the loop and wear it as a pendant around your neck. (And how convenient when you have to reapply your lipstick). Like the shoes, Louboutin lipsticks come at a hefty price. But if you purchase Diva Fire you can say you own a red Louboutin.
Buy Diva Fire at Nordstrom.com.
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