When it comes to lip care, it feels like we’ve come such a long way. Today, there’s a whole buffet of options, lip balms, oils, masks, glosses, tints, treatments, you name it. But have you ever stopped to think about how we got here? How did we go from basic beeswax to having Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment in our carts and fighting over the last Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in our favourite flavour? Let’s rewind a bit and see how it all started.
The Humble Beginnings: Beeswax and Oils
Our obsession with soft, hydrated lips goes way, way back like ancient Egypt back. Around 40 B.C., Egyptians, who were basically the OGs of beauty trends, were already cooking up lip remedies. They used a mix of beeswax, olive oil, and even animal fats to deal with chapped lips. Sure, the ingredients sound a little questionable now, but you can’t deny the innovation.
Over time, other cultures jumped in with their own lip care tricks. In India, people swore by ghee and mustard oil (sarson ka tel) to keep their lips moisturized. Meanwhile, in Japan, ingredients like camellia oil and yuzu became popular, while Swedes turned to tea and other natural remedies. For centuries, it was all about using whatever was available locally to protect lips from dryness and harsh weather.
The Game-Changer: Petroleum Jelly
Fast forward to 1870, when a man named Robert Chesebrough introduced petroleum jelly to the world, and things changed forever. Suddenly, this goopy, multi-purpose product became the fix for dry lips. Vaseline tubs and tins quickly found their way into homes, and lip care became less about whipping up DIY concoctions and more about convenience.
By the 1900s, a whole bunch of products inspired by local remedies started popping up. Boro Plus and Boroline were iconic in India for decades, becoming household names for cracked lips (and pretty much everything else). Meanwhile, around the world, lip care was becoming a proper industry.
The Lip Care Boom
Now, this is where things start to get interesting. Over the past few years, the lip care category has absolutely exploded. Brands aren’t just selling moisturized lips anymore, they’re selling vibes. From luxurious lip oils to tinted balms, there’s something for every mood, outfit, or selfie aesthetic. Take Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, for instance, it’s not just a lip balm, it’s a moment and a viral one. Clarins’ lip oils, Glossier’s Balm Dotcom, Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask, and even Kriti Sanon’s Hyphen lip treatment have all made lip care feel fancy, fun, and borderline collectible. Even OGs like Vaseline and Maybelline Baby Lips are still holding their ground, reminding us where it all began. And who can forget those tiny 5-rupee Vaseline tubs we all carried around in our school bags?
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So, here we are spoilt for choice and loving every second of it. Whether you’re into a no-fuss lip balm or a bougie lip oil with peptides, lip care has evolved into something way more than just a necessity. It’s a beauty ritual, a self-care moment, and, let’s be honest, a little bit of an obsession. And honestly, who’s complaining? Pass me that Laneige, please.
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