The ancient Sumerians were probably the first people to invent lipstick over 5,000 years ago. Their lipstick was nothing like the lipstick we use today. They would crush gemstones, mix the powder with white lead, and apply the sparkling dust to their lips and even around their eyes.
Egypt
The ancient Egyptians also wore lipstick. Both men and women, like the Sumerians, wore lipstick to show off their social status and their personal desires.
The most popular lipstick color among the ancient Egyptians was a bluish black color. The next two popular colors were orange and red.
It is said that Cleopatra wore red lipstick made from crushed beetles and ants, but ancient Egyptian prostitutes wore a red lipstick made from red seaweed, iodine, and bromine. This combination of ingredients was poisonous and anyone willing to kiss one of these ladies on the lips was quite literally receiving a kiss of death. These women also had to avoid licking their own lips, although they were still slowly poisoning themselves over time with continued use.
Interestingly enough, women who wore red lipstick in ancient Egypt were also letting men know that they were willing to perform oral sex on the right man. This made red lipstick immensely popular among ancient Egyptian prostitutes who could perform their job without killing the customer with a deadly kiss.
As for the men who wore lipstick in ancient Egypt, they did so because it helped protect their lips from the burning sun. Only the poorest people in Egypt went without lipstick.
China
In ancient China, women also began wearing crushed gemstones on their lips and eyes around 5,000 years ago. They would mix vermilion with animal grease to make a reddish lip gloss.
Lipstick made from beeswax was used about 1,000 years ago. At first it was used to protect the lips and keep them soft, but eventually they began adding fragrance to the beeswax to give the mouth a pleasant smell.
During the Tang Dynasty, aristocratic women and courtesans would paint their lips red using sandalwood.
Ancient Greece
The proper women of ancient Greece would wear lipsticks made of red wine sediments and natural dyes. These women did not get out of the house much, but their counterparts, the infamous prostitutes of ancient Greece, were able to get out and prowl the narrow alleys for their next customer. These prostitutes were known for using strong, attention grabbing colors on their lips as a signal to men that they were available for the right price.
Ancient Rome
Both the men and women of ancient Rome wore lipstick made of red wine sediments and a poisonous plant dye. Only the free and wealthy were able to afford such a luxurious reddish-purple lip stain that would slowly poison them.
Lipstick remains poisonous today. In 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a report showing that 61% of lipsticks contain lead. The FDA did its own study and in 2009 it released a report showing high levels of lead in popular lipstick brands found in drugstores.
