Lipstick (pronounced lip-stik)
(1) A crayon-like oil-based cosmetic used in coloring the
lips, usually in a tubular container.
Lip-gloss & lip-liner (hyphenated and not) are the companion
products whereas lip balm is a non-cosmetic product to prevent drying &
cracking of the skin.
(2) As “lipstick tree”, the shrub Bixa orellana, native
to Mexico and northern South America.
The common name is derived from (1) the arils (tissue surrounding the
seed) being the orange-red colourant annatto and (2) the texture & consistency
of the arils recalling that of commercially manufactured lipstick.
(3) In slang, the canine penis.
(4) In certain LGBTQQIAAOP circles, as “lipstick lesbian”, a lesbian who displays
traditional, conventional feminine characteristics (opposed to a “butch lesbian”).
Some guides to such things note (1) the
term can be a slur if used in the wrong context and (2) in some sub-groups a “lipstick
lesbian” is one attracted to “other feminine women”, as opposed to a “femme” (a
feminine lesbian attracted to butch lesbians). The alternative to “lipstick lesbian” is “doily dyke” but both alliterative forms should be used with care because in most contexts they are probably now at least microaggressions.
(5) In economics, as “lipstick effect”, a theory which
suggests that during economic downturns, consumers display a greater propensity
to purchase low cost luxury goods (such as premium lipsticks).
(6) To apply lipstick to; to paint with lipstick.
1875-1880: A coining in US English, the construct being
lip + stick. Lip was from the Middle
English lippe, from the Old English lippa & lippe (lip; one of the two sides of the mouth), from the Proto-West
Germanic lippjō (lip), from the Proto-Germanic
lepjan & lepô, from the primitive Indo-European leb- (to hang loosely, droop, sag).
The Germanic forms were the source also of the Old Frisian lippa & West Frisian lippe, the Middle Dutch lippe, the Dutch lip, the Old High
German lefs, the German Lippe & Lefze, the Swedish läpp,
the Norwegian leppe and the Danish læbe. However, some etymologists have questioned the
Indo-European origin of the western European forms and the Latin labium, though
it’s said they agree the Latin and Germanic words “probably are in some way related”
and the Latin may be a substratum word. The French
lippe was an Old French borrowing from a Germanic source. Stick was from the Middle English stikke (stick, rod, twig), from the Old
English sticca (twig or slender
branch from a tree or shrub (also “rod, peg, spoon”), from the Proto-West
Germanic stikkō, from the Proto-Germanic
stikkô (pierce, prick), from the
primitive Indo-European verb stig, steyg
& teyg- (to pierce, prick, be
sharp). It was cognate with the Old
Norse stik, the Middle Dutch stecke & stec, the Old High German stehho,
the German Stecken (stick, staff),
the Saterland Frisian Stikke (stick)
and the West Flemish stik (stick). The word stick was applied to many long,
slender objects closely or vaguely resembling twigs or sticks including by the
early eighteenth century candles, dynamite by 1869, cigarettes by 1919 (the
slang later extended to “death sticks” & “cancer sticks). The first known use of “lipstick” in
advertizing was in 1877 (although some sources claim this was really a “lip
balm” and lipstick (in the modern understanding) didn’t appear for another
three years. “Liquid lipstick” was first
sold in 1938 and by the mid 1960s variations of the substance in a variety of
liquid and semi-solid forms was available in pots, palettes and novel
applicators. Lipstick is a noun &
verb and lipsticking & lipsticked are verbs; the noun plural is lipsticks.
Dior Rouge Lipstick #999.
In economics, the “lipstick effect” is a theory which
suggests there is an identifiable phenomenon in consumer behavior in which
there’s an increased propensity to purchase small, affordable luxury goods
(“designer lipsticks” the classic example) during economic downturns as an
alternative to buying larger, more expensive items. The idea is that as a consumer’s disposable
income contracts, the lure of luxury goods remains so although the purchase of
the $4000 handbag may be deferred, the $50 lipstick may immediately be chosen,
an indulgence which to some extent satisfies the yearning. The theory is not part of mainstream
economics and has been criticized for being substantially impressionistic
although more reliable data such as the volume of chocolate sold by
supermarkets had been mapped against aggregate economic indicators and this
does suggest sales of non-essential items can increase during periods of
general austerity.
Beauty Bakerie Lip Whip Matte Liquid Lipstick in Mon Cheri.
The phrase “put
lipstick on a pig” is a clipped version of “even if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig” and it means
that cosmetically altering something in the hope of making it seem more
appealing than it is doesn’t alter its fundamental characteristics and
flaws. It’s a saying in the vein of “you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear”,
“you can’t polish a turd”, “mutton dressed as lamb” & “old wine in a new bottle” and is often
used of products which have been updated in a way which superficially makes
them appear “improved” while leaving them functionally unchanged; it’s often
used of cars and political platforms, both products which have often relied on
spin and advertising to disguise the essential ugliness beneath the surface. It’s been part of American political rhetoric
for decades and usually passes unnoticed but did stir a brief controversy when Barack
Obama (b 1961; US president 2009-2017) used: “You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.” as part of his
critique of the “change” theme in the
campaign of John McCain (1936–2018), his Republican Party opponent in the 2008 presidential
election. The reason Mr Obama’s use
attracted was that earlier, Sarah Palin (b 1964) had said during her acceptance
speech as Mr McCain’s running mate: “You know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit
bull? Lipstick.” It turned out to be the best line of their
lackluster campaign. Because of her
well-publicized speech and the fact Ms Palin was the only one of the four
candidates on that year’s ticket actually to wear lipstick (as far as is
known), it was immediately picked up as a potentially misogynistic slur. However, the outrage lasted barely one news
cycle as the fact-checkers were activated to comb the records, revealing Mr
McCain the previous year had used it when deriding the abortive healthcare
proposal developed by the equally doomed crooked Hillary Clinton (b 1947; US
secretary of state 2009-2013) while installed as FLOTUS (First Lady of the
United States).
Lindsay Lohan in applying red lipstick (left) and smoking a "stick" (right), from a photo-shoot by Terry Richardson (b 1965) for Love Magazine, Spring/Summer Edition, 2012.
Use turned out to be a long “across the aisle” thing. Thomas
Harkin (b 1939; US senator (Democratic-Iowa) 1985-2015) applying it in 1989 to George
HW Bush’s (George XLI, 1924-2018; US president 1989-1993) plan to send military
aid to the El Salvador government and Ann Richards (1933–2006; governor
(Democratic) of Texas 1991-1995) in 1992 added a flourish when she said of the
administration’s call for the Democratic-controlled congress to move on a
constitutional amendment to force the government to keep a balanced budget: “This is not
another one of those deals where you put lipstick on a hog and call it a
princess.” The line received
much attention and she added a new variation in 1990 when criticizing the administration
for using warships to protect oil tankers in the Middle East (which she labeled
a “hidden
subsidy for foreign oil”): “You can put lipstick on a hog and call it Monique, but it
is still a pig.” At least in
Texas, that may have achieved some resonance because in her failed 1994
gubernatorial race against George W Bush (George XLIII, b 1946; US president
2001-2009), her campaign used the slogan “Call it Monique” as a way of disparage her
opponent’s proposals. The use of “Monique”
was apparently random; as far as is known there was no “Monique problem” in the White House of George XLI in the way there
was a “Jennifer with a ‘J’ problem”. Commendably, Governor
Richards did stick to the theme, unlike Mr Obama in 2008 who couldn’t resist a further
metaphor in case his audience was too dim to understand the first, adding: “You can wrap an
old fish in a piece of paper called ‘change’. It's still going to stink.” That was laboring the point by gilding the
lily.
Helpfully, the industry has defined the math of "perfect lips" and even more helpfully (for imperfect women), a lip pencil can be used to apply lip liner to make one's shape tend towards the perfect, providing the definition lines within which lipstick can be applied. When using a lip pencil, a pencil sharpener is an essential accessory.
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl.
People have been expressing the idea in different ways
for at least centuries. In 1732 the
English physician and lay-preacher Thomas Fuller (1654–1734) published Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs; wise
sentences and witty saying, ancient and modern, foreign and British which
included “A
hog in armour is still but a hog.”
The English antiquary & lexicographer Francis Grose (circa 1725-1791)
included an entry for “hog in armour” in his A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785) which he
explained was “an
awkward or mean looking man or woman, finely dressed.” So, something like “mutton dressed as lamb”, a put-down rendered more cutting still by
what used to be called the Fleet Street tabloids coining “mutton dressed as hogget”, a classic example of what used to be
called bitchiness, a genuine red top speciality. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was an English
Particular Baptist preacher (with all that implies) and although most of his
prodigious writing was concerned with defending his sect against the
encroachments of liberal & pragmatic theology and ritual, he did publish
odd secular work including The
Salt-Cellars (1887), a compendium of proverbs in which he noted: “A hog in a silk
waistcoat is still a hog” meant “Circumstances do not alter a man’s nature, nor even his
manners.”
Dior Addict Lip Gloss Glow Oil in 007 Raspberry.
But it was pigs & lipstick which became the most
common form but apparently only after the mid 1980s although the incongruity of
the juxtaposition of pigs and lipstick had appealed earlier appealed to
some. In 1926 the “colorful” journalist Charles
Lummis (1859-1928) had a piece in the Los Angeles Times which included: “Most of us know
as much of history as a pig does of lipsticks.” but the first known
appearance of the modern phrase is thought to have been in the Washington Post in
1985, quoting a San Francisco radio host who suggested plans for renovating
Candlestick Park (instead of building a new downtown stadium for the Giants “…would be like
putting lipstick on a pig.”
After that it’s never gone away, an anti-abortionist in 1992 quoted as
saying of legislative amendments of which he did not approve: “You don't want to
put lipstick on a pig” and Rick Santorum (b 1958; US senator
(Republican-Pennsylvania 1995-2007) added spelled it out, telling the chamber legislative
reforms to government subsidies for southern peanut and sugar farmers were the
lipstick while the pig was the subsidy programme itself. In 1998, the often lachrymose Republican John
Boehner (b 1949; Speaker of the US House of Representatives 2011-2015),
apparently while dry-eyed, bemoaned what he called a “rudderless Republican congress”: "When there's no
agenda and there's no real direction, what happens is you really can't have a
message; you can put lipstick on a pig all day long, but it's still a pig.”
Lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner & lip balm
Lipstick is primarily for style, there to add color (and
they are produced in just about every shade imaginable) but it also protects
and to some extent hydrates the lips, indeed, some have additives for just this
purpose. The texture can be creamy,
matte, satin, or glossy and lipsticks have included glitter and even a swelling
agent for those who want a plumper-lipped look although it applied with some
expertise, even an unadulterated lipstick can provide the visual effect of
greater fullness.
Lip Gloss can be used either as a stand-alone product or
as a finisher over lipstick, somewhat analogous with a “clear coat” over paint,
providing a “varnishing” effect. What
lip gloss does is add shine and often a hit of color to the lips. As the name implies, the texture is glossy
and although usually lightweight, the finish can be sticky, models often
applying lip gloss sever times during a photo-shoot to ensure the luster is
constant. They’re mostly sheer or
translucent, though some have shimmer or glitter added, thus they can produce a
(sort-of) natural, shiny look or add visual depth to lipstick.
Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Uncensored.
Lip Liners (applied with a lip pencil) are a maintenance tool. What a lip liner does is define the edge of
the lips, providing a protective barrier which prevents feathering or bleeding
of lip color (ie from a lip stick or lip gloss.
Almost always matte, lip liners are essentially pencils for the lips and
their use requires the same firm consistency in application that an artist
adopts when putting graphite to paper.
Specialists caution it does take practice to master the art and their
golden rule is “less is more”: begin
with several light applications until technique is honed and arcs can be
described in one go. Done well, a lip
liner can be outline the lips, fill them in for longer-lasting color and to a
remarkable extent, change the appearance of their shape.
Lip Balm is only incidentally a beauty aid; they’re used
to moisturize, soothe, and protects lips from dryness or chapping so are used
by those playing sport, sailing rock-climbing and such. Most are creamy and waxy, designed to endure
for several hours of outdoor use (and often include a sunscreen) although some
intended for those in indoor, dry-air environments (such as air-conditioned
offices) are lightweight and glossy; aimed at the female market these are often
flavored (mandarin, cherry, strawberry etc).
The indoor variety typically are transparent or lightly tinted and while
some can be used as a base under other products, not all lipsticks or lip
glosses are suitable; it depends on the composition.
1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV, Lipstick Edition.
The Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln Continental Mark IV (1971-1976) was
a classic “land yacht”, a class of car which was a feature of the US motoring
scene of the 1960s & 1970s; it was an exemplar of the “personal
luxury car”, a subset of the breed.
Although an exercise in packaging inefficiency which today seems
remarkable, the Mark IV was a great success for the corporation and was highly
profitable because it was built on the same platform as the Ford Thunderbird
with which it shared both a mechanical specification and a substantial part of
the structure with only some panels, interior fittings and additional bits & pieces distinguishing the two. The pair was
among the industry’s most profitable lines and in 1976, Lincoln released the
first of its “designer” series Mark IV’s, “trim & appearance” packages
which included touches from the associated designers (Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy
& Pucci) and to ensure those watching knew just which design house’s bling
a buyer had chosen, the C-Pillar “opera window” (a much-loved affectation of
the age) was etched with the signature of the relevant designer. More profitable even than the standard line,
of the 56,110 Mark IVs produced in 1976, 12,906 were one or other of the
designer editions.
1976 Lincoln Continental Mark IV, Lipstick Edition.
As well as the “branded” designer edition cars, beginning
in 1973, Lincoln made available its LGO (Luxury Group Option), trim package
which offered a color-coordinated exterior, vinyl roof, and interior with the
color mix changed each season. For 1976,
the theme was “lipstick” and the “Lipstick Edition” was available in either
white (with lipstick red coach-lines) or lipstick red (with white coach-lines);
all interiors featured button-tufted white leather upholstery with red accent
stripes. A quirk of the Lipstick cars
was there were two choices of material for the vinyl roof, one called “Cayman”
(designed to resemble alligator skin) and the other the familiar padded top
which covered only the rear portion of the roof and buyers could have either red
or white material. Red or white, the
Lipstick cars were distinctive machines but the white cars were apparently the
more popular and estimates vary greatly of how of the approximately 1,250 Lipstick
Editions were red, the shade of which appeared to be close to Dior's lipstick #744 (Party Red).
Sarah Palin and Barack Obama, 2008. Sarah Palin was wasted in politics and was a natural for Fox News and such.
