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The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History
In America, lipstick is the foundation of empires; it’s a signature of identity; it’s propaganda, self-expression, oppression, freedom, and rebellion. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry and one of our most iconic accessories of gender. This engaging and entertaining history of lipstick from the colonies to the present will give readers a new view of the little tube’s big place in modern America from defining the middle class to building Fortune 500 businesses to being present at Stonewall and being engineered for space travel.
Lipstick has served as both a witness and a catalyst to history; it went to war with women, it gave women of color previously unheard-of business opportunities, and was part of the development of celebrity and mass media. In the Twentieth Century alone, lipstick evolved from a beauty secret for a select few to a required essential for well turned-out women but also a mark of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion and a political statement.
How has this mainstay of the makeup kit remained relevant for over a century? Beauty journalist Ilise S. Carter suggests that it’s because the simple lipstick says a lot. From the provocative allure of a classic red lip to the powerful statement of drag, the American love affair with lipstick is linked to every aspect of our experience of gender, from venturing into the working world or running for the presidency. TheRed Menace will capture all of those dimensions, with a dishy dose of fabulosity that makes it a must-read for lipstick’s fiercest disciples, its harshest critics, and everyone in between.
Lipstick has served as both a witness and a catalyst to history; it went to war with women, it gave women of color previously unheard-of business opportunities, and was part of the development of celebrity and mass media. In the Twentieth Century alone, lipstick evolved from a beauty secret for a select few to a required essential for well turned-out women but also a mark of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion and a political statement.
How has this mainstay of the makeup kit remained relevant for over a century? Beauty journalist Ilise S. Carter suggests that it’s because the simple lipstick says a lot. From the provocative allure of a classic red lip to the powerful statement of drag, the American love affair with lipstick is linked to every aspect of our experience of gender, from venturing into the working world or running for the presidency. TheRed Menace will capture all of those dimensions, with a dishy dose of fabulosity that makes it a must-read for lipstick’s fiercest disciples, its harshest critics, and everyone in between.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2021
About the author
Ilise S. Carter
2 books62 followersIlise S. Carter is freelance writer, consulting copywriter to the beauty industry, and sideshow performer based in New York City. She has written for Allure, New York Times, Racked, Wall Street Journal, and others, with a focus on pop culture. In addition, she’s spent over a decade as a consulting copywriter for beauty brands such as Shiseido, bliss, Laura Mercier, Avon, L’Oréal, and Madame CJ Walker, specializing in brand voice and identity. As her stage persona, The Lady Aye, she has worked as professional sideshow performer (sword swallower, fire eater, blockhead, and pain-proof girl) and MC with acts ranging from Rob Zombie to Cirque du Soleil, and has appeared on TV’s Gossip Girl, Oddities, The President Show, Mysteries at the Museum and Dickinson. Carter holds a BA in American Studies from Barnard College at Columbia University and a Certificate in Film Production from NYU.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 23, 2026
I was enjoying this quite a bit until Chapter 6, when one short, unnecessary passage badly damaged my confidence in the book.
In a discussion of Executive Order 9066 and the horrific treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Carter writes that the order affected “over 100,000 U.S. citizens” and then contrasts that history with Italian Americans, whom she says were “left undisturbed.”
That is simply false. And the falsity is delivered so casually, as a throwaway line.
The federal government itself has formally acknowledged the wartime violations inflicted on people of Italian ancestry, and the National Archives facility in San Bruno, just a few miles from my home in San Francisco, holds more than 1,500 documents relating to this history—some of which I have seen myself. More than 600,000 Italian nationals living in the United States were classified as “enemy aliens” and subjected to restrictions. On the West Coast, more than 10,000 people of Italian ancestry were forced from homes or excluded from prohibited zones, and more than 50,000 were subjected to curfews. Radios, cameras, and other items were confiscated. Arrests, FBI raids, property seizures, travel restrictions, identification requirements, exclusion orders, detention, and internment are all part of the documented record. Congress eventually passed the Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act specifically to require a federal accounting of these abuses.
The National Archives also documents the arrest and internment of German, Italian, and Japanese enemy aliens and the use of Executive Order 9066 to exclude individuals of German and Italian ancestry, including U.S. citizens.
Japanese Americans suffered a more systematic injustice, including mass forced removal and incarceration. That distinction in scale and severity matters enormously. But if we're simply counting the people subjected to wartime restrictions, substantially more Italians were affected: more than 600,000 Italian nationals were classified as enemy aliens, compared with roughly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed and incarcerated. The nature and severity of those experiences were very different; neither population can accurately be described as “undisturbed.” The horror of what happened to Japanese Americans requires no embellishment, and acknowledging what happened to Italian Americans diminishes it in no way. One community’s history doesn't need to be erased to establish the magnitude of another’s.
The Italian experience looked different, which may help explain why it remains less widely known. There was no mass removal of the Italian-American population. Much of the enforcement was individualized and consequently less visible: FBI agents arriving at homes, often in the middle of the night; men taken away one at a time; families suddenly subject to curfews, exclusion zones, confiscations, and restrictions on movement and livelihood.
“Left undisturbed” is an extraordinary way to describe any of that.
Also inaccurate: Carter’s statement that Executive Order 9066 affected “over 100,000 [Japanese] U.S. citizens." Roughly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed and incarcerated, about two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. The distinction matters in a work presenting itself as history.
What makes this especially frustrating is that Carter could simply have left this passage out. It was unnecessary to her subject. Throughout The Red Menace, she uses the history of lipstick as a vehicle for exploring broader histories of race, gender, class, immigration, sexuality, politics, commerce, and shifting social norms. That expansive approach is frequently interesting and illuminating.
Here, the reach outran the research.
And once a nonfiction author makes an error this substantial about a history I happen to know well, an unavoidable question follows: What has she gotten wrong in the sections where I don’t already know enough to catch it?
That's the real cost of the passage. A factual error can be corrected. Trust is harder to restore.
There's still much to admire in The Red Menace, and the book mostly held my attention. Carter has assembled an energetic cultural history of lipstick and draws interesting connections among cosmetics, politics, entertainment, advertising, media, gender, sexuality, race, and changing American mores. I’m giving it three stars because the larger project retains value.
But describing Italian Americans during World War II as “left undisturbed” is an astonishing historical erasure—particularly in a book that explores repression and control as one of its themes.
In a discussion of Executive Order 9066 and the horrific treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Carter writes that the order affected “over 100,000 U.S. citizens” and then contrasts that history with Italian Americans, whom she says were “left undisturbed.”
That is simply false. And the falsity is delivered so casually, as a throwaway line.
The federal government itself has formally acknowledged the wartime violations inflicted on people of Italian ancestry, and the National Archives facility in San Bruno, just a few miles from my home in San Francisco, holds more than 1,500 documents relating to this history—some of which I have seen myself. More than 600,000 Italian nationals living in the United States were classified as “enemy aliens” and subjected to restrictions. On the West Coast, more than 10,000 people of Italian ancestry were forced from homes or excluded from prohibited zones, and more than 50,000 were subjected to curfews. Radios, cameras, and other items were confiscated. Arrests, FBI raids, property seizures, travel restrictions, identification requirements, exclusion orders, detention, and internment are all part of the documented record. Congress eventually passed the Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act specifically to require a federal accounting of these abuses.
The National Archives also documents the arrest and internment of German, Italian, and Japanese enemy aliens and the use of Executive Order 9066 to exclude individuals of German and Italian ancestry, including U.S. citizens.
Japanese Americans suffered a more systematic injustice, including mass forced removal and incarceration. That distinction in scale and severity matters enormously. But if we're simply counting the people subjected to wartime restrictions, substantially more Italians were affected: more than 600,000 Italian nationals were classified as enemy aliens, compared with roughly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed and incarcerated. The nature and severity of those experiences were very different; neither population can accurately be described as “undisturbed.” The horror of what happened to Japanese Americans requires no embellishment, and acknowledging what happened to Italian Americans diminishes it in no way. One community’s history doesn't need to be erased to establish the magnitude of another’s.
The Italian experience looked different, which may help explain why it remains less widely known. There was no mass removal of the Italian-American population. Much of the enforcement was individualized and consequently less visible: FBI agents arriving at homes, often in the middle of the night; men taken away one at a time; families suddenly subject to curfews, exclusion zones, confiscations, and restrictions on movement and livelihood.
“Left undisturbed” is an extraordinary way to describe any of that.
Also inaccurate: Carter’s statement that Executive Order 9066 affected “over 100,000 [Japanese] U.S. citizens." Roughly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed and incarcerated, about two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. The distinction matters in a work presenting itself as history.
What makes this especially frustrating is that Carter could simply have left this passage out. It was unnecessary to her subject. Throughout The Red Menace, she uses the history of lipstick as a vehicle for exploring broader histories of race, gender, class, immigration, sexuality, politics, commerce, and shifting social norms. That expansive approach is frequently interesting and illuminating.
Here, the reach outran the research.
And once a nonfiction author makes an error this substantial about a history I happen to know well, an unavoidable question follows: What has she gotten wrong in the sections where I don’t already know enough to catch it?
That's the real cost of the passage. A factual error can be corrected. Trust is harder to restore.
There's still much to admire in The Red Menace, and the book mostly held my attention. Carter has assembled an energetic cultural history of lipstick and draws interesting connections among cosmetics, politics, entertainment, advertising, media, gender, sexuality, race, and changing American mores. I’m giving it three stars because the larger project retains value.
But describing Italian Americans during World War II as “left undisturbed” is an astonishing historical erasure—particularly in a book that explores repression and control as one of its themes.
March 4, 2022
A very entertaining, informative but funny cultural history centered on lipstick. I liked the focus on advertising. I love social histories. The Cultural Zeitgeist will always be interesting.
Read
July 27, 2021Of course, I'm biased but this is my forthcoming micro-history of lipstick in America. For more info and upcoming events tune in to https://www.lipstickbook.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/LipstickBook
November 10, 2024
Ilese Carter is a freelance writer who's covered the beauty industry extensively. In The Red Menace, she recounts the history of makeup (well beyond just lipstick) and the broader beauty industry in the US over the last ~125 years, dating back to the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. This is brief book with a broad survey approach that is a good pick if one is unfamiliar with this topic, though probably not the book to pick up if you're looking for a deep dive into lipstick in particular, or a comprehensive look at any particular topic/brand/influencer.
Further reading: the beauty industry
Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital by Elise Hu | my review
Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir | my review
Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire by Stacy Cordery | my review
My statistics:
Book 269 for 2024
Book 1872 cumulatively
Further reading: the beauty industry
Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital by Elise Hu | my review
Eyeliner: A Cultural History by Zahra Hankir | my review
Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire by Stacy Cordery | my review
My statistics:
Book 269 for 2024
Book 1872 cumulatively
January 20, 2022
I finished this book in one sitting. It was such an interesting microhistory of the U.S. through the lens of the cosmetics industry, and it was a great commentary on politics, feminism, race, and gender.
September 29, 2022
I don’t wear makeup but I love short non-fictions on single topics that are explored in-depth. This was an interesting and fun little read about the history of lipstick in American society. The book felt much longer than it actually was, and not in a good way, which was a bit disappointing. But ultimately I cannot be upset at a book that mentions The New York Dolls. :~)
February 26, 2025
I did not expect this to be so feminist and awesome? I thoroughly enjoyed it! I'm surprised how few reviews it has.
March 31, 2022
Even as a femme who considers lipstick a must, I never considered it’s place in American History until reading the Red Menace. Carter brings humor & wit, no dry corporate history this is an excellent exploration into our fascination with lipstick. Especially after 2 years of mask wearing!
January 4, 2022
I picked this up thinking it would be a light insight into American history from the focus of the cosmetics industry, and it was--until about the 1960's. After that, it became more of a paean to everything left-of-center politically with increasing amounts of Wokeism as it moved closer to present day.
The development of the cosmetics industry early in the 20th century was quite interesting--the inherent tension between telling women they were beautiful, but still needed makeup, was something I hadn't thought about before. I would think that the influence of women's magazines (read: adverti$ing!) deserved more examination. Maybe it didn't need to be said?
The struggle that African-American women had in even finding flattering colors, let alone obtaining them, makes sense too. Kudos to those entrepreneurs who saw a market and found a way to reach it (door-to-door trained salespeople? Holy empowerment, Batman! Take that, segregationist makeup counters!).
But after WWII, huge swaths of American women are ignored by the author. In the 1950's and 1960's, there were women who were *not* part of the hippie movement who made cosmetics purchases. They were in secretarial pools, or young wives and mothers of the Baby Boom generation. I wonder if they simply were not worthy of mentioning?
In the chapter on the 1970's, there is considerable space devoted Marsha P. Johnson. Was she the most profound influence on cosmetics for that decade, or was she included so the author could check that particular box of Inclusionary Bingo? It didn't get better through the 1980's onward, either.
And... this might be a nitpick, but the fact that the word "cache" is used when it should be "cachet" three different times made me wonder. Do they not have editors at this publisher? This is an example of Spellcheck not being one's friend. Perhaps my standards are too high for a book that seems to have gone from conception, pitching, researching, writing, editing, publishing, and releasing in 18 months. I would hope this would be corrected before it's released in paperback.
The development of the cosmetics industry early in the 20th century was quite interesting--the inherent tension between telling women they were beautiful, but still needed makeup, was something I hadn't thought about before. I would think that the influence of women's magazines (read: adverti$ing!) deserved more examination. Maybe it didn't need to be said?
The struggle that African-American women had in even finding flattering colors, let alone obtaining them, makes sense too. Kudos to those entrepreneurs who saw a market and found a way to reach it (door-to-door trained salespeople? Holy empowerment, Batman! Take that, segregationist makeup counters!).
But after WWII, huge swaths of American women are ignored by the author. In the 1950's and 1960's, there were women who were *not* part of the hippie movement who made cosmetics purchases. They were in secretarial pools, or young wives and mothers of the Baby Boom generation. I wonder if they simply were not worthy of mentioning?
In the chapter on the 1970's, there is considerable space devoted Marsha P. Johnson. Was she the most profound influence on cosmetics for that decade, or was she included so the author could check that particular box of Inclusionary Bingo? It didn't get better through the 1980's onward, either.
And... this might be a nitpick, but the fact that the word "cache" is used when it should be "cachet" three different times made me wonder. Do they not have editors at this publisher? This is an example of Spellcheck not being one's friend. Perhaps my standards are too high for a book that seems to have gone from conception, pitching, researching, writing, editing, publishing, and releasing in 18 months. I would hope this would be corrected before it's released in paperback.
January 7, 2024
As someone who is a makeup lover, specifically a self-proclaimed lip product connaisseur, this book offered a great history on how lipstick played a part in American history during the 20th Century. When the book was focused on the 1940s and earlier, the author really tried to keep it engaging, which I found incredibly helpful, since most things mentioned during that portion of the book were not interesting to me as a young adult. This was a great resource on the history of lipstick in the USA, and the only comment I have is that I wish it focused on the sociological aspects of cosmetics in American culture, but it never claimed to a commentary book, so all in all, it was a quick and informative read!
October 17, 2025
I first learned about this book on Betwixt the Sheets when the author was interviewed about this book. I found that interview so intriguing that I picked up the book.
Who knew that a historical examination of something so simplistic as lipstick could provide a complex and dynamic examination of culture in the 250 years of the United States? Not I. However, this book does exactly that. You learn about the importance of lip tint from the time of Martha Washington, right up until the 2020 pandemic. The fact that lipstick has had so many iterations and held varying degrees of cultural significance was very interesting to learn about. Particularly during the Second World War, when women continued to purchase lipstick even on rations.
Although Carter does touch on the topic of racism in the beauty industry, I do wish that she had devoted a little more. Perhaps even an extra chapter would have been sufficient. It just felt very rushed at the end of the book, where the longest section was included.
Fascinating read. It does get a little dense in places, but Carter breaks that up with her witty comments and detailed historical analysis.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, War
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
Who knew that a historical examination of something so simplistic as lipstick could provide a complex and dynamic examination of culture in the 250 years of the United States? Not I. However, this book does exactly that. You learn about the importance of lip tint from the time of Martha Washington, right up until the 2020 pandemic. The fact that lipstick has had so many iterations and held varying degrees of cultural significance was very interesting to learn about. Particularly during the Second World War, when women continued to purchase lipstick even on rations.
Although Carter does touch on the topic of racism in the beauty industry, I do wish that she had devoted a little more. Perhaps even an extra chapter would have been sufficient. It just felt very rushed at the end of the book, where the longest section was included.
Fascinating read. It does get a little dense in places, but Carter breaks that up with her witty comments and detailed historical analysis.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, War
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
March 15, 2022
The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History by Ilise S. Carter delivers exactly what it advertises. This extensively researched (25% of the pages are research notes), short (less than 200 pages) book delivers a history of feminism and civil rights from the point of view of lipstick with some nods to technology (patented lipstick dispensers) and war (metal lipstick tubes vs World War II rationing). A fun nostalgic (so much name-dropping) journey for anyone who wore lipstick or kissed someone who did.
For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2022/...
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For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2022/...
“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Check out https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN to see my books.
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for book recommendations.
April 11, 2022
Didn't like it. This author is pretty self-important and I think all her works are self-published. Her biography, written by herself, refers to herself and a "noted wit." There was too much back-patting, thinking she is clever, throughout this book. The attempts at "wit" were not funny.
The Red Menace is taken. It's a term for the Soviet Union, coined during the Cold War Era. It's the title a 1949 American film about Communism. I can assume the author knew this, and titled her book thusly to appear edgy, and to increase her chances of appearing in internet searches when people are researching Soviet Era Communism.
The Red Menace is taken. It's a term for the Soviet Union, coined during the Cold War Era. It's the title a 1949 American film about Communism. I can assume the author knew this, and titled her book thusly to appear edgy, and to increase her chances of appearing in internet searches when people are researching Soviet Era Communism.
July 22, 2022
3.5 stars. There was a lot of great information, and my only qualms were that as time has passed there’s a lot more information that could’ve been used, so the later chapters felt a bit more general than the earlier ones. I wish the last chapter had been split into two, with the 2000s and 2010s having their own like every other decade had, and the 80s felt a bit more drawn to music rather than cosmetics, but those are my only negative takeaways. Definitely worth a read if you’re into social histories or cosmetics.
March 31, 2025
Packed with information and potential answers for your next trivia night!
This book kicked off with how lipstick was first made which led into a fascinating history lesson of politics and war times.
THEN we entered my childhood/young adult years! MTV, Boy George, Riot Girls, grudge, metal bands, RuPaul, Paris Hilton and much more.
Other highlights included:
*Learning more about palm oil production and deforestation
*A makeup company who changed their wording from "sexes" to "genders" thanks to an employee who spoke up during a town hall.
This book kicked off with how lipstick was first made which led into a fascinating history lesson of politics and war times.
THEN we entered my childhood/young adult years! MTV, Boy George, Riot Girls, grudge, metal bands, RuPaul, Paris Hilton and much more.
Other highlights included:
*Learning more about palm oil production and deforestation
*A makeup company who changed their wording from "sexes" to "genders" thanks to an employee who spoke up during a town hall.
March 11, 2022
A book about a beloved subject! I had to have it.
There is a lot of work that went into this book, and I can see that this was a labor of love, but something about it didn't fully grab me. I found the little pops of humor that the were thrown in to be jarring, and some of the chapters meandered a little.
It is wonderful to find a work by a fellow lipstick enthusiast, and the passion and interest are inspiring, even if I didn't gel entirely with the book.
There is a lot of work that went into this book, and I can see that this was a labor of love, but something about it didn't fully grab me. I found the little pops of humor that the were thrown in to be jarring, and some of the chapters meandered a little.
It is wonderful to find a work by a fellow lipstick enthusiast, and the passion and interest are inspiring, even if I didn't gel entirely with the book.
February 8, 2022
While I enjoyed the book, and recognize the research that went into it, I felt it was somewhat lacking. I knew some of the background stories from other stories, and was a little disappointed that she didn't delve into them (like the background of some of the cosmetic giants, i.e., Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden, the Estee Lauder company, etc.).
April 10, 2026
This book was well written, engaging, and well researched. The numerous footnotes show the author's dedication, which I appreciate and believe will make fellow readers feel confident in the book's credibility. The only downfall was that I was hoping for more photographs. It had some, but not nearly enough.
April 25, 2022
Pretty decent historical context from a non-historian (BA in American Studies, but I was genuinely impressed with the contextualization Carter did without a graduate degree in history), with a lot of detailed research (a bit overwhelming at times) and inclusive of all different kinds of Americans.
June 24, 2022
This book covered so much more than I anticipated when I picked it up off the shelf. I learned so much and found myself regretting that I still don't know how to confidently wear red lipstick as a woman with big lips.
March 12, 2024
This was interesting, but I read it a chapter at a time. Each decade (chapter) begins with a short list of lipsticks popular in that era. I only wore two of them, including my current color which is on the list for 2000. Ha!
Good research and many factoids I enjoyed.
Good research and many factoids I enjoyed.
December 27, 2024
History book, recommended by National Defender, September-October 2022. This book was hard to get through. Some interesting information but there was a lot of reading with a difficult typeface and spacing.
April 13, 2022
What a fun read: informative, well researched, well written, and interesting! I’m really glad I picked up my copy.
June 13, 2022
Informative, insightful, and funny. Great read for anyone interested in American history and/or make-up in general.
June 28, 2023
A good history of this piece of make up. It does not try to do too much and puts it into the proper context.
December 16, 2023
An excellent history of lipstick! Lots of interesting tidbits of information and how lipstick has changed over the years. Especially enjoyed the listing of colours popular of the time.
June 6, 2024
The history of Red Lipstick in America.
August 7, 2024
Very interesting!
November 27, 2024
Like 3.5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews