Today we talk about rebellious make-up, an ally and symbol of disobedience. Here's how beauty becomes a spokesperson for protest and rebellion.

If we talk about rebellious make-up, we are not only referring to sophisticated and eccentric looks, but we are also talking about how cosmetics have often been used as a symbol of rebellion and disobedience.

The history of make-up shows that cosmetics have often helped define people's status. They are products linked yes to historical events and trends of the moment, but they are also closely connected to the body and personality of the wearer. They are symbols that allow people to reveal their nature, to feel more beautiful or to send a message. Make-up can be powerful, expressive... In a word, rebellious!

In short, a red lipstick, a haircut, a foundation can turn into a symbol of protest and rebellion. Can't believe it? Here are some examples...

The red lipstick of the Suffragettes

Women who fought for the right to vote in the 19th and 20th centuries decided to use make-up as a tangible symbol of freedom and self-determination. While it was previously considered scandalous for middle-class women to show up in public wearing makeup, now the Suffragettes chose to wear red lipstick at their protest marches to shout to the world about their freedom of action and thought.

And so red lipstick, a product that had long been considered the preserve of witches and prostitutes, now became a symbol of power and freedom.

The beauty revolution in North Korea

The use of make-up in North Korea is a gesture ofrebellion against a dictatorship that also controls aesthetics. In fact, there is a state guide approved by the supreme leader of the republic, containing guidelines to be followed regarding make-up, clothing, hairstyles and hair length. The risk, for those who violate the appearance guidelines, is payment of fines, public humiliation or arrest.

Rebel make-up is referred to here because some people are involved in the smuggling of cosmetics, the demand for which is very high. The most sought-after products are definitely South Korean ones, including eye-liners and face masks.

But the smuggling of cosmetics poses a threat to the dictatorial regime, which has decided to launch a line of North Korean cosmetics, which, however, remains very limited and nothing like the usual lines we know in the rest of the world.

In this case, make-up is a starting point, especially for the younger generation who are now aware of what exists outside North Korea and who increasingly want to discover the world and feel free.

"Escape the corset" in South Korea.

Make-up is a symbol of rebellion even when it's not there! This is demonstrated to us by the Escape the corset movement , through which South Korean women have decided to rebel against their country'spatriarchy and the deeply sexist treatment they suffer.

In a nation that is called a "beauty treatment paradise," being perfect is an imperative. Following these standards of feminine beauty costs women time, suffering and money, and does not lessen their sense of inadequacy and imperfection.

This is why so many women have chosen to free themselves from these constraints (likened, precisely, to a corset), throwing away cosmetic products and starting a freer make-up routine and autonomous, revealing the true nature of each of us.