2.6. Pharmaceutical use of Lipstick

Use of lipstick was popular among women. For this purpose they used lac dye^[1]. Men dyed their lips by chewing betel. Sometimes they applied beeswax or Lodhra powder over this lac dye, in order to brighten the lac^[2]. This beeswax is supposed to be a remedy for splitting lips in the winter and it is perhaps similar to today’s lip gloss. Rājaśekhara has mentioned the use of bees wax by ladies. In Karpūramañjarī, it is said that during spring, women gave up the use of bees wax^[3]. Vātsyāyana^[4] alludes to Nāgaraka rubbing bees wax over the lips to give a glossy effect to the lac already applied. Kālidāsa^[5] also has often represented women painting their lips with lac. During the description of Pārvati’s wedding in Kumārasambhava, we come across Pārvati’s attendants, besmearing beeswax over the lac dyed lips of Parvatī. Lips were painted with minerals also. Bharata^[6] prescribes Aśmarāga (Sindūra) or lac as lipstick for actors.