Discoveries

March 18, 2024

The Eternal Lure of Lipstick

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For thousands of years, people of all genders have painted their lips – but how early humans began to master the craft of producing lipstick long remained a mystery.

That was until a team of scientists decided to analyze an intriguing tube-shaped stone container unearthed in Iran two decades ago.

Inside, they found traces of pigments and other ingredients still used to make lipstick today, Science Alert reported. Carbon dating suggested the sample dated back 4,000 years. This indicated that whoever made the item already had extensive knowledge of the chemistry required for cosmetic adornment compared with their ancestors.

For example, ancient texts reveal that Queen Puabi of Ur in Mesopotamia, who lived around 3500 BCE, used white lead mixed with crushed red rocks to paint her lips, the Washington Post explained. Though lead is now known to be toxic to humans, no detail was found on the impact of makeup on the monarch’s health.

In their study of the Iranian stone container, scientists found hematite – a black stone that takes on a bright red color once ground into a powder. They also found vegetable waxes and oils. Meanwhile, there was only a minimal proportion of lead-based minerals.

“The minimal traces of lead minerals suggest that such artisans understood the dangers of direct ingestion of lead,” one researcher told Science Alert, adding that this also suggested an occasional use of makeup reserved for formal contexts.

Ironically, the sample was found in a country that now restricts the use of makeup. Iran banned cosmetics, including lipstick, after the 1979 Iranian Revolution turned it into an Islamic republic. The prohibition has been eased since – but still stands for government workers and medical students.

This story originally appeared in the March 18, 2024 newsletter, The Face of Defiance.