Valentine’s Day may be associated with romance, but the history of the holiday isn’t exactly lovey-dovey. Here are the facts you may not know—plus, fun ideas for Valentine's Day 2025.
How Did Valentine’s Day Start?
Some historians believe it has roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. Held yearly on February 15, Lupercalia celebrated the coming of spring and fertility. It involved animal sacrifice, lots of drunken revelry, and possibly a ritual in which men and women were paired off by choosing names from a jar.
As Christianity spread, pagan rituals fell out of favor. At the end of the 5th century AD, Pope Gelasius I outlawed the celebration. He's sometimes credited with implementing St. Valentine's Day, a holy feast day, to replace it, but we don't have definitive proof of that. Regardless, the Christian holiday eventually overtook the riotous Lupercalia.
Please visit www.realsimple.com for the full article. Written by Lisa Milbrand
So why is red known as THE colour for Love, and when it comes to makeup, so many of us reach for the red lipstick in February.
I love howThulasie Manoharan explains it in the online copy of www.herculture.or
g 'Around the 16th century, a story goes that a very bored French Queen decided to create a game in order to entertain herself. She gathered all the men and women in her court and gave them each tasks to carry out. Men were asked to write poetry and songs, and bring chocolates and red roses to the women. On the other hand, women would dress in their finest clothes, and stain their lips and cheeks a shade of red and sing complimentary words to their men. The Queen called this- the game of love. Eventually, these little practices of chivalry in love are what we now call the modern day romance.
If you look back at the game played by the French Queen, the color red seems to be a recurring detail, red roses and red lip stains. But the question still stands, why is red so significant on Valentine’s Day?
Red with its irresistible charms and secret meanings is the perfect color for the day of love. As complicated the whole idea of love is, wearing red helps point out if one is ready to accept love into one’s life. Red is the color of the beating heart, the ignition of sexual desires and the ultimate sacrifice of love, making it the best option for Valentine’s Day. So next time you’re looking for something to wear, push through the series of black and head straight for red! '
When was the last time you wore a red lipstick? Yes I truley want to know, because I hear 'I cant wear red lipstick' all the time. When in fact all of us can, you just havent found the right shade of red.
If nervouse and unsure then why not start with a red tinted lip balm, lip oil or a tinted lipgloss? The only thing with wearing a coloured gloss is, it will come off and transfer very easily. I would advice you invest in a lip pencil to shape your lips and create a base for the balm/oil/gloss.
If your feeling brave and want to give a red lippy a go, then do it! Again I would suggest lining the lips with a lip liner first, to prevent the lipstick from 'bleeding' . (You can get clear lipliners )
Red lipsticks can be a coral red, blue red, orange red, pink red, you going to have to try a few to discover which one makes you feel amazing.
As for a True red, try Dior Rouge Dior collection. Charlotte TIlbury - K.I.S.S.I.N.G MAC- Ruby Woo Lancome - Tapis Rouge
Let me know how you get on
