Dressed: The History of Fashion The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History, an interview with Ilise S. Carter, part I (Dressed Classic)
Jan 21, 2026
Ilise S. Carter, a professional copywriter in the beauty industry and author of a captivating book on lipstick's historical impact, shares fascinating insights about this cosmetic staple. She traces the evolution of lip color from 18th-century homemade recipes to the mass production of lipstick tubes, highlighting societal anxieties and moral dilemmas along the way. Carter also discusses lipstick's role as a symbol of empowerment for women, linking it to political movements and wartime morale. Her exploration unveils how lipstick has shaped cultural norms and identities throughout American history.
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Early Lip Color Was Practical Not Fashionable
- Early lip color in the 18th–19th centuries came from homemade recipes and milliner-sold cochineal rouges.
- The goal was to recapture youthful flesh tones, not self-expression or fashion experimentation.
Makeup's 'Whore' Myth Doesn't Match Records
- Moral panic about makeup is overstated; newspaper records show everyday respectable women used cosmetics.
- Objections often focused more on health than on morality.
Victorian Enameling Made Women Look Like Marble
- Ilise describes Victorian 'enameling' where women had skin painted to an ethereal, marble-like pallor.
- Painstaking application left fingertips and ear tips unpainted so the woman still looked 'real.'
