Red lipstick is, has been, and always will be a beauty staple. Just look at the legendary Hollywood bombshells, rock-and-roll queens, and famed characters that prove this powerful pout is truly timeless. From candy apple red gloss to matte burgundy lips, check out which moments topped our list of the most iconic red lips of all time.
Betty Boop (1930)
It was 1930 when wide-eyed Betty Boop and her ferarri-red lips made her first appearance in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes. The character, inspired by singer Helen Kane, has continued to be a popular sex symbol (and Halloween costume) that has transcended generations.
Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy (1955)
Lucy may have had some splainin’ to do, but no one ever questioned her vibrant candy red lips. Although the beloved sitcom was filmed in black and white, all of her publicity and behind-the-scenes shots were taken with her radiant carrot-colored hair and a matching ruby lip.
The Rolling Stones Logo (1971)
The Rolling Stones debuted their iconic red lip logo on their Sticky Fingers album in 1971. The art was actually created by Royal College of Art student, John Pasche, for £50. The band loved the logo so much they gave Pasche a bonus of £200 and the rest is history.
Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The red lips of The Rocky Horror Picture Show sure do make a statement! The berry red lips kick off the introduction of this musical/scifi/comedy/horror movie with an overdubbed male voice. The iconic red lips set the tone for the androgynous movie.
Debbie Harry (1979)
With rebellious red lips, bleached blonde hair, and bold blue eyeshadow, Debbie Harry’s iconic Blondie look can't be forgotten. She rocked this style regularly, but this particular pic is from her ‘Heart of Glass’ video shoot in 1979.
Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Jessica Rabbit has maintained icon status with her fiery red lips since the ‘80s. She first appeared in the mystery novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit and then in the fantasy film Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988.
Madonna (1990)
Madonna needed a sassy hue to match her seductress style on her Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990. Rising makeup brand M.A.C. came to the rescue and created their iconic Russian Red matte lipstick for the starlet. The shade went on to become a best-seller that still stands strong today.
Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (1990)
We all know the feeling when you swipe on a powerful pout and become a brand new woman—just like Julia Roberts in her transformative scene in Pretty Woman. Then again, who wouldn’t feel like a star in an opera “red-to-toe” ensemble and a stunning diamond necklace gifted by Richard Gere.
Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family (1991)
There are retro sirens and then there are brooding babes—enter Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, played by Anjelica Huston The blood red shade and sharp definition...goth has never looked so chic.
Michelle Pfifer in The Batman Returns (1992)
Queen catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer’s purrfect rhubarb red pout was the cherry on top of her sultry feline look in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. The glossy finish matched her latex catsuit creating a captivating look that had the audience entranced.
Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction (1994)
No one does a vampy red lip quite like Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic, Pulp Fiction. In 2014, Urban Decay even paid tribute to Thurman’s siren red smirk with a limited edition makeup collection. If you missed it, no worries, you can still pick up a Mrs. Wallace vice lipstick today.
Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge (2001)
What would Moulin Rouge be without Nicole Kidman’s promiscuous red-rouged lips? With unparalleled costumes and set design, its no wonder the 2001 film racked up the awards.
Rachel McAdams in The Notebook (2004)
McAdams dawned almost every shade of red lipstick in our girls-night-in favorite, The Notebook. In the film, Allie, played by McAdams, wore a variety of deep berry red shades that were used to emphasize her '40s-era flair.
Christina Aguilera (2006)
Christina’s fire engine red lips are anything but basic on the cover of her Back to Basics album. Inspired by her retro idols from the ‘20s – ‘50s, the singer’s album was a soulful mix of jazz and pop. Here, Aguilera mimicked her album cover’s style at her launch party in 2006.
Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Who can forget about Anne Hathaway’s—or shall we say Andrea Sacks’—en-vogue red lip when she finally left the covetable position of Miranda Priestly’s assistant at Runway magazine. Hathaway’s role in The Devil Wears Prada was her biggest commercial success grossing over $300 million worldwide.
Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad (2016)
Margot Robbie’s Suicide Squad transformation turned the red-lip-is-sexy stereotype on its head. Her character, Harley Quinn, sported a smudged scarlet lip that matched her deranged personality.
Rihanna (2017)
We couldn’t help but feature this bad gal a second time. Rihanna shook the beauty world with this striking portrait for her Stunna lip paint shade announcement on Instagram in November 2017.
Christina Hendricks (2018)
Everyone went mad for this bodacious babe and her raspberry red lips on Mad Men for seven seasons straight. Christina Hendricks took cue from her character, Joan, and swiped on this shade at the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in January 2018.