A cosmetic product applied to the lips for color, protection, or texture. Typically comes in a cylindrical tube and contains waxes, oils, and pigments.
Compound word from 'lip' (Old English 'lippa') and 'stick' (Old English 'sticca'). The modern form emerged in the early 20th century when cosmetics became mass-produced in stick form, replacing earlier lip rouge applied with brushes.
Lipstick was one of the last cosmetics to become socially acceptable - even in the 1920s, wearing lipstick in public could be scandalous. During WWII, it became a symbol of morale and femininity, with governments encouraging women to wear it for patriotic duty.
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