As a young girl, my parents didn’t particularly like red lipstick. Although they are entitled to their opinions, as I got older, I realized other people didn’t necessarily like it either. These realizations made me think about many other stereotypes and assumptions people associated with the bold color. So, I sat down and began my research on red lipstick.
One belief that I came across was that red lipstick portrays aggression. Even if red lips make women appear more violent, is that really a bad thing? Society paints women as gentle and docile, but a woman who is willing to stand up for what she wants is seen as aggressive. Women should be able to go after what they want, and if a lip color that makes them look stronger is the image of themselves that they want to show the world, then no one should judge.
Another argument that is often made against red lipstick is that red shade often doesn’t match a woman’s skin. However, this is an easy solution, as there are so many different shades that a woman can choose from. Even if the red they are currently wearing is not the best, that doesn’t mean red lipstick isn’t for them. It just means that maybe the woman needs a bit of help. When they do find the right shade, they’ll be able to rock it! And regardless, if she likes the color, let her wear it!
The most frustrating association people make with red lipstick is that the woman is a prostitute, slut, whore, or any other negative association. There should be no connection made between these subjects. Even if a woman chooses to have a lot of sex or is even paid for it, the color on their lips is not any kind of indication that they are a certain type of woman—not to mention that neither of those things should be insults to begin with.
The list of reasons why a woman “shouldn’t” wear red lipstick can go on and on because of the constant judgment women face in society. However, even though red is a bold color, the main reason a woman should wear red lipstick is because they want to. This is a prime example of female empowerment. No woman should be waking up in the morning and putting on makeup to please a man—or anyone else for that matter. They should wear makeup because they want to and it makes them feel good. Their opinion is the only one that matters.
The judgments towards red lipstick ends with women who take a stand for their femininity. Let’s make the world a better place for red lips, starting with women themselves.
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