Black Lipstick.

The use of this cosmetic has been popularized by the movie industry and the cosmetic industry itself. Lipsticks come in various shades and sizes, and women, and some men as well, will continue to use this oily makeup till the end of time. The use of black lipstick is connected to the medieval culture as well as to some heavy metal singers or bands and has lately begun to gain popularity among teens.

Most times when you see teens hanging around shopping malls or street corners, you see them looking dirty and unkempt, wearing black lipstick and black nail polish that give them this “witchy” kind of look. This may begin to send some negative signals about black lipstick to you. But before you make up your mind about having nothing to do with black lipstick, here is a little history about the cosmetic. The painting of lips to shades of black began as far back as the Stone Age. Ancient tribes from Africa even to New Zealand tattooed and painted their lips black as part of their culture, but mostly during the period of ceremonial commemorations or tribal identifications.

Even the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth I was not left out of this fashion style. She is known to have consistently donned a Gothic look from time to time; a glowing white skin with lips painted in a dark shade.

In the 1920s when color films had emerged, actresses were known to favor the use of black lipstick to draw attention to the curve of the lips. This was what led to the widespread use of red lipstick, even though a lot of women still preferred to look more natural.

It wasn’t until the late ‘70s and ‘80s that new, but bold cosmetic looks were invented by adolescents who gave rise to the Gothic and punk culture. In the early days of the Gothic culture, though, more attention was drawn to the eyes than to the lips, until recently.

You may want to experiment with black lipstick, but before you do so, it will be important for you to test any lipstick before you pay for it, no matter what the color is. It is even better if you can take a friend along to the cosmetic shop to help you choose the best type of lipstick that fits your style or personality. Secondly, it shouldn’t be too expensive for you to purchase. If you can’t afford it, then don’t purchase it.

Not everyone can make use of black lipstick. Let’s find out if you are one of them or an exception:

i. People with medium or pale complexions and dark hair can use black lipstick if they choose to. This could be the reason why the goth community loves black colors.

ii. Young people – Black lipstick looks the best on people between the ages of 16-25 as it seems to make them look older than they are.

iii. If your skin is very dark, you can still pull off black lipstick, though this is always not the case. So ensure you test it out before using it.

But if you are not exempted of people who shouldn’t use black lipstick, then follow these suggestions:

i. Put on the black lipstick using a brush so that you don’t overdo it. Using a brush for the application of the black lipstick will make it easier for you to blend it with your lip line and color.

ii. Do not over-emphasize the other parts of your face when you use black lipstick, for you could end up looking grotesque.

iii. If your complexion is low contrast, try using dark brown, dark red or dark purple lipstick.