When you reach the counter to purchase a new lipstick, what are you really paying for? Is it the ingredients? The color? The packaging? The brand? You know it’s more than that.
The most exciting aspect of having makeup is playing with it. There’s an undeniable thrill that comes with trying out different colors; enhancing–or even transforming–your features. From simple steps to extensive, hour-long beauty routines, at the end of the day, it’s more than just looking good. When we pop open that lipstick, we know we’re just about to feel 10 times better fromthat point onward. You want to feel like a queen? Might as well look the part!
It’s no secret: Lipstick is like a weapon to us girls (and some boys). Oftentimes, we find ourselves with a wide collection ranging from nudes, to warmer reds, and to cooler, darker tones. But we all got that one trusty shade to get us by throughout the entire day and night. Wearing that color is injecting instant confidence. After all, one quick touch-up could make all the difference. It’s the perfect ammo we take with us everywhere we go.
This is why we’ve gathered words of wisdom from strong and empowered women who share their passion for makeup and lipstick. From classic beauties and icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Coco Chanel, to today’s culture-bending modern women Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nicki Minaj–the power of lipstick sure knows no bounds, making its way across years, decades, and multiple different eras of beauty.
Below, some lipstick quotes to swear by! (P.S. Scarlett Johansson is the ultimate #mood.)
“Lipstick is when you’ve had a shit day and you need red lipstick to face the world.” – Keira Knightley
“If I had to teach someone just one thing about lip color, it would be this: Find a lipstick that looks good on your face when you are wearing absolutely no makeup.” – Bobbi Brown
“Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick.” – Diane Keaton
“I can’t see myself without pink lipstick. I can go without it for a couple days, but if there was no more pink lipstick in the world, I’d be useless.” – Nicki Minaj
“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.” – Gwyneth Paltrow
“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.” – Elizabeth Taylor
"Do your squats, eat your vegetables, wear red lipstick, [and] don't let boys be mean to you." – Kendall Jenner
“I’m not good at putting on makeup but you have to be a moron not to be able to put on lipstick.” – Iris Apfel
“Well, my smile's pretty hard to miss, considering I'm a gal who likes her lipstick—the redder the better.” – Dolly Parton
“On a bad day, there’s always lipstick.” – Audrey Hepburn
"Any attempt to make femininity trivial or unimportant is an attempt to take away my power. So I’m going to wear the red lipstick." – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
“If you’re sad or heartbroken, make yourself up, add more lipstick and attack. Men hate women who weep.” – Coco Chanel
“I'm all about fashion, cheeseburgers, and bright red lipstick.” – Scarlett Johansson
“Lipstick is iconic. It's the one product that marks out an era, and a certain lip color can define a season. It makes me feel more 'done'. I wear a beige lip in the day, but red when I'm going somewhere—it makes that transition from day to night. I just slick it on; I don't bother with lipliner.” – Kate Moss
"Any time that I have a bright red [lipstick], I’m like, ‘Here I am. Who’s ready for me?’ Even if no one’s ready." – Issa Rae
“I’ve been wearing lipstick since I was in seventh grade. That was our form of daring self-expression because we had to wear uniforms in school. It made our teachers so angry.” – Kourtney Kardashian
“There are endless ways to enhance beauty. You never know when you will find your perfect lipstick—unless you keep experimenting.” – Pat McGrath
“Flowers in a city are like lipstick on a woman—it just makes you look better to have a little color.” – Lady Bird Johnson
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