Colored cosmetic products applied to the lips for color and definition, usually in stick form.
A compound word combining 'lip' (from Old English 'lippa') and 'stick' (from Old English 'sticca'). The modern form as a commercial product emerged in the early 20th century.
Lipstick has been worn for over 5,000 years—ancient Sumerians and Egyptians made it from crushed insects and plants—but only in the 20th century did it become a feminist symbol of independence and self-expression, which is why some conservative societies banned it!
Lipstick marketing has historically targeted women exclusively and tied cosmetics to feminine beauty standards, though men wore lipstick in earlier eras (Elizabethan court, 1920s theatre) and do today.
Use 'lipsticks' as a neutral cosmetic product. Acknowledge that self-presentation spans genders.
Women reclaimed cosmetics as personal agency and artistic expression (not just compliance); contemporary makeup culture includes all genders exploring identity.
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