"And the Statements they Make"
In the 1920’s makeup trends for lips were all about embracing a natural shape with an emphasis on the cupids bow with a semi bold plum tone. This era was all about women emancipating themselves, and embracing freedom of self expression.
The 1930’s women in society were steadily maintaining structure and symmetry after the start of the depression, symbolically clinging onto social norms as an outcry to their current economic situation. This aesthic was all about over lining the top lip, flattening the cupids bow creating, round the corners – creating the illusion of a D shaped lip emphasized with red tones.
By the 1940’s women were approaching their natural shape with confidence a small defined emphasis on cupid bow peaks, while enhancing the volume by slightly overlining the lip shape, bold bright reds became this era’s color. This was a time were women were stepping into traditional jobs men held because of WWII, maintaining femininity while displaying strength became the theme of this makeup era.
In the 1950’s we were 5 years post WWII and excess was abundant. This was the time when women had a lipstick wardrobe and new shade for every season. Televisions were a fixture in middle class American creating a focus on the entertainment industry like never before. Beauty influence was not only seen through silver screen actress but television actresses played a huge role in propelling beauty trends at a faster rate.
Once we get to the 1960’s it feels like a collective decision for a palette cleanser was accepted. The past 3 decades there was lots of plums, berries and bold reds. By this time the collective embracement of pastels and slightly muted tones was in full swing. Pale pinks, peach and nude tone with a matte textures were the antithesis of the prior generations trends, a rebellious statement about aesthetic conformity and individuality through makeup. This is birth of our current idea of youth – using lighter colors to create softer structure around the mouth suggesting a more delicate appearance.
Lips in the 1970’s reflected the diversity within color and texture, but there was a strong emphasis on gloss, light reflecting rich lips. This era brought range with texture like frost, glitter and gloss a direct reflection on women’s voices in beauty standards being heard in the demand for more variety.
In the 1980’s vibrancy, excess and bold statements were the theme. This was a time of “glamour” big hair, shoulder pads, women’s power suites, and full face of makeup. Women were influential in the work force holding higher positions than before demanding a need for feminine boldness. Heavy lining of the lips in blue based pinks and shocking magentas were the key structure and colors of this decade.
The 1990’s contoured heavy lined lips in muted mauve and red browns were the staple of this time period. Experimentation with opposing textures matte vs gloss gave variety to fit a multitude of expressions and styles. This era explored duality within the beauty aesthic thin brows contrasting a heavy lip was a direct rebellion to the bold bright overindulgence of the 1980’s a heavy demand for modern, sleeker muted styles became the trend.
In the early 2000’s glossy, glittery nude lips became the staple as the ‘it’ lip of its time. Y2K was a huge moment in trend culture exploring the future through sheer textures. Carrying over the influence of contrast from the 90’s bold eyes pair with a barely there glossy lip helped set the tone for exploration within the beauty aesthetic redefining the rules of balance.
By 2010 liquid matte lips were the main focus of the beauty aesthetic. A product that has an intense color pay off while having confidence that your lip application will stay all day was particularly popular with a younger generation. The rise in youtube makeup videos and lip kits were everywhere in main stream media and seemed to grip a generation that was easily influenced by need exciting products that seemed to all sell the same thing. A long wearing, high pigmented liquid lipstick.
Now (2024) the lip trend seems to combine multiple trends into one cohesive look. Full, youthful, soft and complimentary. A strong lip shape with focus on a light wash of color that stays all day. This is caused for an increase in lip oils + stains giving you the option to redefine your lip shape while giving it a versatile color that can be transformed into whatever your look demands. This is incredibly reflective of our current situation within the world today. With the consistent uncertainty of our time its so important that we remain flexible and versatile, soft color washes mimic our need for a youthful outlook heading forward.