There are some lipstick shades that belong in a class all by themselves. Nars Dragon Girl, Clinique Black Honey, Dior 999, MAC Ruby Woo, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk — they’ve all managed to dazzle the masses as truly iconic shades, inspiring makeup fans of all skin tones and beauty aesthetics to add a bullet or two to their collection. However, few modern lipsticks have as rich a history as Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow, a luxe raspberry red shade that debuted on makeup counters a whopping 70 years ago (!!!) in 1953. Aside from the fact that the color remains in production today (and is remarkably similar to the tones of the original formula), there are plenty of other reasons why this particular lipstick has left such an indelible mark on beauty history.
Popular media of the era, like ‘Leave It To Beaver’ and ‘The Donna Reed Show’ would suggest that America in the 1950s was something of a domestic utopia, but the reality of a woman’s role — and her general (dis)satisfaction with her lot in life — tells a slightly different story. As Hillary Clark, a beauty editor, makeup artist, esthetician, and all around vintage beauty extraordinaire, explains, “Cherries in the Snow, like [the shade] Fire and Ice [that] launched the year before [in 1952], was a lifeline for many women who felt lost and eclipsed by the ‘Happy Housewife’ archetype of the 1950s. Its near-immediate rise to iconic status was proof positive that the honeymoon was over for the ‘Happy Homemaker.’”
By 1953, the post-WWII stability had lost much of its charm, and many women craved the independence and purpose they had found living and working outside the home while male soldiers were on the front lines in Europe. “The proverbial seven-year itch was kicking in and ‘Housewife Syndrome’ was medically diagnosed and treated with tablets nicknamed ‘happy pills’ to relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, and guilt for not being fulfilled by their seemingly picture-perfect lives,” Clark says.
Enter Kay Daly, an advertising executive for Revlon, who, when confronted with the debut of Cherries in the Snow, wrote copy for the campaign that asked, “Who knows the secret, siren side of you that’s female as a silken cat?”, a far cry from the typical marketing ploy that depicted women as demure, obedient, blissfully happy housewives. Says Clark, “It was the first campaign that asked women what they wanted to be, to wear, and to dream instead of instructing them about what their husbands wanted them to be, lest they lose them.” Cherries in the Snow presented women with a new escape to channel those frustrations and embrace their playful, coquettish side in a world that often frowned upon a wife and mother expressing her sexuality.
Aside from its boundary-pushing advertising, the blue-violet raspberry shade offered a welcome alternative to the more common orange-based reds of the time. “Cherries in the Snow looked good on everyone and was more ladylike than the near neon-red Fire and Ice that was all the rage,” says Clark. “It was a more modest way to get in on the Kay Daly mystique without going full-on vixen.” And because most makeup wardrobes were coordinated by outfits and assigned by hair color at this time, having a single lipstick that could be worn with anything felt particularly modern and sophisticated. “It’s red’s polite, sassy little sister.”
Luckily, makeup historians like Clark are able to track down original lipsticks from 50, 60, and 70 years ago so that we can see the true colors of these time periods, rather than relying on marketing materials alone. “I have vintage dealers globally that I keep in contact with, I have relationships with estate sale management companies that sneak me in for previews, I set digital alerts by keywords, pop into the occasional antique store, and have an incredible online community that keeps an eye out for me,” she says. And while you might be able to find a tube of vintage lipstick for cheap at your local antique store, Clark explains that (depending on the condition of the case) they can range from $50-$500.
After snagging an original bullet of Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow, Clark documented her side-by-side shade test with the modern version on her TikTok, then met with a cosmetic chemist to assess how close the two formulas remained, despite the 70-year gap. “[We] determined that Revlon has done a phenomenal job of keeping the color true to shade considering that a main color ingredient, Red #3 (Erythrosine) was banned for use in cosmetics in the 1970s,” she says. To achieve a color that perfectly matches the original Cherries in the Snow, Clark cocktailed a few different shades, like Revlon Colorstay in Wine or MAC Lip Pencil in Cherry, Beet, or Magenta, since (understandably) wearing the 1953 formula would be pushing the limits on expiration date safety.
Although she never recommends wearing vintage makeup, Clark has established a three-part safety protocol in order to use a product that appears free of any bacterial growth and that smells fresh (a.k.a. not like crayons). “[I] submerge it in alcohol, shave the surface that will touch my skin, and set the item in a UV light sterilizer for 15-20 minutes,” she says. Given that Cherries in the Snow remains on beauty store shelves 70 years after its release, it might be best if you pick up a fresh bullet as an homage to the iconic shade instead. To each their own!
