| Today, black lipstick is most associated with the goth | | | | As the 80s turned to the 90s, the goth subculture |
| subculture, and, to a lesser extent, some heavy | | | | drifted further away from its punk origins, resulting in |
| metal bands and singers. Bands like KISS and Alice | | | | acts like Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, and the |
| Cooper still wear this dramatic look. However, when | | | | birth of industrial music. The focus of attention turned |
| badly applied, this lipstick can look tacky and try-hard. | | | | from the eyes to the lips; as performers like |
| Among goths, it is the mark of an inexperienced or | | | | Courtney Love smeared red lipstick over their faces, |
| self-unaware person. | | | | goths caked their faces in white and their lips in black. |
| If you've ever been to an American mall, you can | | | | Even "modern primitives" borrowed from this |
| probably picture such a person in your mind: out of | | | | movement, with young women with dreads and tribal |
| shape, wearing a large black t-shirt, with black nail | | | | tattoos wearing espresso or chocolate-covered |
| polish, and straggly, unkempt hair. This tragic | | | | lipstick to go with their earth-toned wardrobes. |
| teenager (or overgrown teenager) has given black | | | | Anecdotal accounts suggest that "gothic" individuals |
| lipstick a bad name. Hopefully this person will grow | | | | predate the goth subculture. My Mom once told me |
| out of their fad, get more in shape, and move on to | | | | about a friend of hers who, in the mid 1960s, wore all |
| a better look. | | | | black, drove a hearse, and kept a large poisonous |
| So, who does black lipstick look good on? And how | | | | snake in his house. It's not unreasonable, then, to |
| can you apply it so you don't look like you're wearing | | | | think that some isolated individuals experimented with |
| a Halloween costume out of season? First, | | | | this look, if only in the privacy of their own homes. |
| understand the history of this lipstick color; then, | | | | A Short User's Guide |
| follow my advice. | | | | First, some general guidelines: |
| A Brief History of Black Lips | | | | Test lipstick before you buy it, whatever color it is. |
| Some tribes, including the Maori of New Zealand, paint | | | | Especially if it's over $5. Why waste your money? |
| and tattoo their lips black. In Hindu tradition, both men | | | | Bring a friend anytime you shop for beauty products. |
| and women would color their lips and teeth with | | | | A second opinion, which isn't motivated by |
| betel, resulting in a dark green color. There are many | | | | commission (as some salespeople are), is invaluable. |
| reasons for this type of adornment, from ceremonial | | | | Don't buy something you can't afford. Yes, even if |
| commemoration (e.g. the black paint represents the | | | | it's really cute. You'll survive. |
| blood of one's enemies) to tribal identification. | | | | Now, that out of the way. What sort of people look |
| In Renaissance England, Queen Elizabeth I popularized | | | | good in black lipstick? Although exceptions exist, |
| a proto-goth look of translucent white skin with dark, | | | | here's a general list: |
| though not black, lips. | | | | 1. Pale or medium-complexioned people with dark hair. |
| Fast forward (yet again) to the 1920s. Color film | | | | This might be why black is so popular in the goth |
| existed, but was prohibitively expensive to use it in | | | | community, since many goths aspire to this look. |
| films, especially full length features. Many film | | | | Some people with this complexion don't like it, though. |
| actresses, like Clara Bow, wore black lipstick on set, | | | | Di gustabis. |
| to accentuate the curve of their lips. This lead to the | | | | 2. Very dark-skinned people. Someone like Alek Wek |
| popularity of very dark red lips. Many women, | | | | can pull off black lipstick, especially in a high fashion |
| however, opted for a more natural look, as | | | | photo shoot, because it doesn't make her look |
| advertised by Tangee and other companies. | | | | tubercular or washed out. Then again, Alek Wek can |
| In the 1950s, B- to Z-Grade horror movies | | | | pull off just about any outfit she wants. |
| occasionally used dark lipstick on temptresses. | | | | 3. Young people. Darker lipsticks age most people, |
| Vampira, a 1950s television horror host, usually wore | | | | except the very young, who look like they just |
| a mid-tone lipstick with dramatic eye makeup and | | | | raided Mom's makeup cabinet. Generally, black lips |
| highly exaggerated eyebrows. At this time, of | | | | look best on those ages 16-25. |
| course, black greasepaint existed, but its usage on | | | | Of course, exceptions exist. Some blondes look nice |
| lips was not mainstream. | | | | with black lips. Some older people do, too. But if |
| It was only in the late 1970s and 1980s that punk, | | | | you're not one of the exceptions, here are some |
| goth and new wave adolescents started inventing | | | | ways to make this look work for you: |
| new, bold cosmetic looks. Singers like Siouxsie Sioux | | | | * Apply lipstick using a brush. This will keep you from |
| (pictured above), Peter Murphy and Robert Smith | | | | overdoing the look. It will also make the application |
| started experimenting with a new, darker look, | | | | smoother, and allow you to blend it more easier into |
| influenced by punk rock, teddy boys, and romantic | | | | your natural lip color and lip line. |
| poetry. This look would go on to become "gothic" as | | | | * Use a near-black color lipstick, such as dark red, |
| we know it today. | | | | dark purple, dark brown et cetera. This is especially |
| Black lipstick from Hot Topic. | | | | good if you have a low contrast complexion, where |
| Black lipstick was one component of this look, though | | | | black will make you look positively tubercular. |
| it's not so ubiquitous as we think. Robert Smith most | | | | * Under-emphasize other parts of your face. Wearing |
| certainly wore it at some point, but most photos of | | | | dramatic eye makeup with dramatic lipstick ends up |
| him show him wearing black eyeshadow with red, or | | | | making you look like a clown. Choose one part of |
| dark pink, lips (if he's wearing any makeup at all). For | | | | your face to emphasize, and stick with it. |
| most early goths, the eyes were the focal point of | | | | This article originally appeared in Enjoy Your Style's |
| attention, resulting in dramatic and overdone eye | | | | makeup section. |
| makeup combined with relatively understated lipstick. | | | | |