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[EDITOR’S NOTE: Part of a series devoted to Mamiverse attending Festival People en Español Presented by Target in San Antonio on September 1-2. The inaugural festival promises to celebrate Latino contribution to art, music, lifestyle and culture. Join our Twitter parties for a chance to win fabulous prizes! RSVP here.]
It’s no mystery that for many women lipstick is the cosmetic axis around which all other makeup orbits; the make-me-presentable anchor; the sexiness extractor; the “that’s better” default; and very often the deal-breaking variable between looking good and looking great.
Luckily, we have come a long way from having to smear beets or crush berries on our kissers. So with that in mind and our lips ready to smack, let’s salute some of the most iconic pouts of the past and present, and talk about tips on how to get them.
ROARING TWENTIES
The flappers of the twenties brought about the “cupid’s bow” lip shape, using deep scarlet or dark purple tones and a topcoat of gloss. Go for Cyber from MAC ($15), dark kohl-lined eyes, a cropped bob and a headband—and flap yourself into a modern-day Zelda F.
ETHEREAL THIRTIES
The “rosebud” lip shape came to the fore through the conscientious use of lip liner. Deep rose shades, Chinese reds, maroons and raspberry were common hues for Hollywood divas and housewives alike. For a Josephine Baker look, try a lip liner like Lipstick Queen in Rust or Sheer Burnt Red ($16).
FLIRTY FORTIES
The forties were all about bold matte lips in monotones. Think of an autumnal Bette Davis in bright orange lipstick, easily achievable with Topshop’s Infrared ($16). Besame in Carmine ($22)will also do the trick.
FEMININE FIFTIES
A coy little color called pink took a bow during the fifties, when matte pink lips by glamazons like Kim Novak gave a new kind of feminine sensuality to a woman’s lips.Try Snob by MAC for a quintessential pink, or Revlon’s Temptress ($7.99) from the Fire and Ice collection.
SEXY SIXTIES
Flowers girls, merry pranksters and mod gals alike wore bare, nude or beige lips. Lips were often chalky, creamy and pale, against the vivid psychedelic backdrop of the time. Try NARS matte lipstick in Madère ($25) and pucker your way through the end of summer.
SULTRY SEVENTIES
The seventies were either about full-scale theatrics—think disco—or going totally natural. It was a time when people like Debby Harry and David Bowie alike put the rock n’ roll in red lipstick, and icons like Ali McGraw captured the glowing, minimal look. For the softer Ali, try Tanarama by MAC ($15).
Read Related: Kiss and Tell: Delicious Lipsticks, Glosses and Balms
WHIMSICAL EIGHTIES
The eighties lip can be Robert Palmer guitar-playing sexpot—bright, sexy and come-hither red—or frosty iridescents worthy of anyone on the cast of the film Heathers. The eighties gave us the famous mouths of Betty Blue, Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and the now vintage classic, Desperately Seeking Susan, during which Madge wore MAC’s Russian Red ($15) on the red carpet giving it its first claim to fame.
VAGUE NINETIES
From Marilyn Manson to The Little Mermaid’s evil Queen Ursula, lips took a dark turn during the era that was indeed famous for grunge. Tap into your own nineties vortex and avoid a total prince-of-darkness look by trying something like MAC’s Maleficent Deep Dark Lipstick.
THE PRESENT POUT
In the era of the mash-up you could go from Gwen Stefani-inspired retro, to beach-glow Giselle Bündchen stripped down simplicity. You can be a black-lipped Beyoncé in Lady Gaga’s Telephone video or you can be Nicki Minaj with a pink bubble gum smirk. You can be bare-faced Angelina, with just a dab of clear balm—or glam-attack Angie with a unapologetically red mouth.
A final note, to quote Jerry Seinfeld: Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God’s final word on where your lips end.
Mamiverse is thrilled to attend Festival People en Español presented by Target, an event celebrating Hispanic entertainment, culture and community. We are hosting three Twitter parties this week and Tweeting Festival related content with the hashtag #TargetAtFestival. The participant who tweets and retweets the most using the hashtag #TargetAtFestival including a link to our Twitter party events on FB, or a link to one of our People en Español-related articles from today through the end of the Festival by midnight September 2 will receive a $100 giftcard. Join in our Twitter Extravaganza!
