Inside the World of Lipstick Fetishists

An interview with three subjects on a kink that’s rapidly going mainstream — if it hasn’t already

By: Toxicka Shock

ToxickaShock@gmail.com

Twitter: @Toxickashock

Instagram: @Toxickashock

DeviantArt: @Toxickashock

When you think of sexual fetishes, odds are a couple of different kinks immediately spring to mind.

Foot fetishists. Cuckolding. BBWs. S and M. B and D. Vore. The list, quite literally, rolls on and on.

One compound phrase that isn’t so commonly cited, however, is “lipstick fetishism.” Indeed, it’s a kink so niche — and relatively mundane — that many people have a hard time imagining the subject being fetishized at all.

The contemporary “lipstick fetish” community is an interesting deviation from the norm, in the sense that virtually all of the modern-day online kinkery can be attributed to a single wellspring, so to speak.

Fittingly enough, that virtual touchstone was the LipstickFetish.org message board. Emerging in the early, early 2000s, not only was the forum the premier lipstick kink site on the web, in a pre-social media age it was practically the only major content aggregator of its kind on the net.

For lipstick fetishists, 2017 marked the end of an era — if not the fetishist equivalent of the destruction of the Library of Alexandria. Apparently, the owner of the website — whoever they may be — let the domain name lapse. Which, in turn, resulted in more than a decade of lipstick fetish content — running the gamut from pictures and cartoons to fan fiction erotica — being effectively scrubbed from the web.

If nothing else, the timing of the board’s demise was ironic. By then, message boards as a whole had become antiquated forms of online communication, long since supplanted by Facebook, YouTube, Reddit and Discord (among scores of other platforms.) 

And even more interesting, the type of content that formed the bread and butter of the forum — i.e., clips and photos of women applying miscellaneous lip products — had already gone “mainstream.” And not just in the form of niche pornography and erotica.

How eerily coincidental it is that at the same time the LipstickFetish.org site bite the dust, one of the most popular music videos on YT was the teaser for Selena Gomez’s “Fetish” — a three-minute long clip that consisted of a single, up-close shot of the singer’s mouth, slicked in a tantalizing coat of Marc Jacobs’ “French Tickler” hi-shine lip lacquer.

“We’ve never wanted to wear lipgloss so badly,” commented Harper’s Bazaar in a glowing piece of clickbait that — perhaps to the author’s horror — sounded almost identical to the commentary  one would expect on the LF site.

As for the video itself, one comment — which as of the publication of this blog, had amassed more than 7,000 likes of its own — suggested the video received 100 million-plus views for Gomez’s static lips alone.

The “creep shots” and blurry screen caps that were the message board staples in 2005 have been replaced by a world of high-gloss, high-production value lipstick content all over the internet.

Nowhere was that more evident than YouTube, where, as of late July 2022, the number of lipstick-related ASMR videos didn’t just number in the tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands.

“Proper” lipstick fetish content just hasn’t flourished on Pornhub and Clips4Sale over the last few years. As of mid-year, the LipstickFetish subreddit has more than 13,000 followers, while the hashtag #lipstickfetish nets thousands upon thousands of posts on Twitter and Instagram.

Take out the “fetish” part of the tag and the results jump up into the millions. 

Ostensibly, there’s no difference between the deluge of selfies and makeup tutorial videos posted on TikTok and Pinterest by beauty influencers and the masturbatory fodder that populated the old LF boards years ago.

It may not be intentional, but there’s no denying that lipstick fetishism — or at least the type of multimedia content historically enjoyed by lipstick fetishists — has gone very mainstream.

That said, virtually zero in-depth ethnographies (to my knowledge, anyway) have been conducted on the lipstick fetish subculture. Sure, there might be a few obscure academic reports that make oblique references to long dormant websites, but by and large those “studies” fail to delve into the mentality of the lipstick fetishist. 

Somebody had to do it at some point. So why not yours truly?

I reached out to three of my biggest fans on social media. These three individuals — whose names have been changed, for privacy reasons — are all self-avowed lipstick fetishists, and all of them have complimented me (on many, MANY occasions) for my own lipstick and lipgloss-centric posts across a litany of platforms.

For the sake of transparency, I “know” all three of the subjects. But only via social media interaction. Not only have I never met them in real life, I’m not even sure *where* any of them actually reside.

What I can tell you upfront, though, is that the sample size here, while small, is surprisingly diverse. Outside of a sexual fascination with lipstick and all three self-identifying as cismales, there isn’t a whole lot of commonalities between the subjects.

Billy, 69, is a white male approaching his seventies — and before you ask, he’s a VERY conservative type judging from his social media postings.

On the polar opposite end of the socio-demographical spectrum there’s Mick — a 23-year-old African-American male, who seems to have an especially strong penchant for anime, comic and video game-related lipstick kinkery.

And lest you think this is something relegated to the United States, I’d like to introduce you to Mauricio. He’s a 42 year old from Brazil, whose Twitter timeline is a virtual cornucopia of lipstick fetish content — with a healthy amount overlapping with his other major kink, hypnosis femdom.

Interestingly, all three of the interviewees told me upfront that they mostly identified as heterosexual. None of them would make a firm declaration that they had any inklings of homosexual longings (nor did any of them explicitly consider themselves bisexual) but all three indicated they did have at least some attraction to transgender femmes — with at least one interviewee indicating that he had some interest in cross-play activities (primarily, wearing makeup himself.)

Reading the responses from the subjects, it seems quite clear that lipstick fetishism is a VERY gender and sexuality-neutral kink. Indeed, it’s not so much that the lipstick/lipgloss is seen as an enhancer or augmenter of sexual attraction; the lipstick/lipgloss itself seems to be THE sexual attraction. Rather tellingly, all three interviewees said they’d rather be sexual partners with an “average” woman who wore lipstick and lipgloss than a supermodel-tier female who doesn’t. 

It’s an intriguing little paraphilia to explore. So how about we dig a little deeper into a fetish-dom that, even now, remains one of the more perplexingly understudied kinks out there?

"What catches my attention the most is the application, the shine, the transformation that the lipstick causes on the lips and face of those who use it. It give me a feeling of power and at the same time of subjugation." - Mauricio, 42 (Brazil)

Toxicka: To begin, can you describe how your lipstick fetish kink began? Was there a particular moment or experience that may have inspired your passion?

Billy: Oh yes. Age 6. First grade. I had a young teacher who would put her red lipstick on in the afternoon close to the time we got out and called me up and put a nice lipstick print on my cheek and sent me home like that. It was nice. It started there.

Mick: When I was a kid I watched some stuff on TV pertaining to lipstick and kissing. I don’t have one, but my childhood helped define my fetish.

Mauricio: I imagine I started to feel something different watching cartoons in my childhood. Scenes that had impressions of kisses or lipstick application held my attention. Then I started to pay m ore attention to common scenes of my daily life, as well a s friends and relatives who occasionally did their makeup in my presence.

Toxicka: To you, what exactly makes lipstick/lipgloss so sexy and attractive?

Billy: It’s the feeling it gives. If it stands out it is sexy and attractive, especially the bolder colors. The bolder the red, the better.

Mick: The color, the cream and lips themselves.

Mauricio: What catches my attention the most is the application, the shine, the transformation that the lipstick causes on the lips and face of those who use it. It give me a feeling of power and at the same time of subjugation.

Toxicka: How has your lipstick fetish impacted your love life? Has your kink influenced your choices in romantic partners?

Billy: Yes, I am attracted to partners who like glam lipstick.

Mick: Honestly, made me really horny. Not really.

Mauricio: I always tried to relate to those who wore a lot of lipstick, makeup. This became a criterion of choice in my relationships. But in a way it also became a challenge. To make me relate to take a liking to my fetish.

Toxicka: How willing have your romantic partners been to indulge your lipstick fetish kink? Generally, speaking, how do your romantic partners respond to your lipstick-related requests?

Billy: Some would, that was fun. Some were not open to it, it was not even an option. My dream would be a partner that understand and encourages my fetish and helps with it.

Mick: I don’t have any romantic partners as of yet.

Mauricio: I try to get closer to who I imagine is prone to accept my fetish. I’ve made a lot of mistakes but most of the time I’m happy to expose the “wonderful world of lipstick fetish.” They may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first but most of the time they succumb and enjoy.

Toxicka: Do you ever feel hesitant or reluctant to discuss your lipstick fetish with romantic partners? If so, what kind of concerns do you have about others “finding out” that you have the kink?

Billy: Yes, it is a feeling I get that some are not going to receive it well at all. Therefore I was not comfortable sharing my lipstick fetish with them. Now that I look back on it, I probably shouldn’t have cared.

Mick: In a way, yeah. If they don’t have the same fetish like I do, I prefer not to disclose it.

Mauricio: At the beginning of my love life I had a lot of problems with people who, when they discovered my fetish, saw it as an aberration, something inconceivable for a man. Today it became easier. I’m looking for more open-minded people who accept this relationship between beauty and sexuality.

Toxicka: Can you describe what your ultimate lipstick fantasy would consist of?

Billy: Yes, it is more than just a lipstick fantasy. My fantasy has a beautiful partner that understands the lipstick makeup fetish but encourages and helps with it. This partner also understand the clothes and dressing fetish and is with that as well. The love of lipstick is most important. We are together and enjoying each other and kissing then we stop. She puts on her makeup while I watch her. Lipstick is last, it is dark and red. She helps me get into my satin clothing. I feel great. Then she helps me with my makeup. Lipstick is last and it is red and dark and several layers. We admire each other for a time, then start making out. There is nothing like kissing through layers and layers of creamy lipstick. We keep kissing and reapply lipstick as needed. We love leaving beautiful prints on each other. This goes on endlessly for me.

Mick: Lots of applying and kissing to go along with it.

Mauricio: It would certainly be finding someone totally strange and given to the fetish, who didn’t need stimulation or explanation about what to do. Just in a common situation, like a date where the person would just out of the blue take their lipstick out of their bag and start applying more and more and that would put me under the spell of their lipstick.

"I don’t want to be a feminist by saying lipstick makes the woman. I would tell them that it doesn’t and it’s based on how women feel about it." - Mick, 23 (USA)

Toxicka: Do you have a favorite lipstick/lipgloss scene from a movie or TV show? If so, what do you enjoy about it?

Billy: Not exactly, but the “Addicted To Love” music video comes close. The girls’ lipstick is outstandingly hot.

Mick: Ed, Edd N Eddy’s the Kanker Sisters. Any scene where they smother the titular characters in kiss marks is enjoyable.

Mauricio: I don’t have a favorite scene. I think all the stuff in movies or TV about lipstick catches my eye. but every sex appeal movie where there’s a slightly longer lipstick application scene drives me crazy.

Toxicka: What do you consider to be the sexiest lipstick/lipgloss color?

Billy: The darkest, moist reds are my choice, like Revlon Color Stay Satin Regal Ruby.

Mick: I dunno. Red, blue, purple or black.

Mauricio: Definitely a bright red.

Toxicka: If you could have a lipsticky/lipgloss makeout with any celebrity, who would you pick and why?

Billy: I don’t really have one in mind. It would have to be right.

Mick: Bianca Belair. She’s a hot WWE wrestler who wears kiss marks for her outfits.

Mauricio: Angelina Jolie. Simply the most perfect woman with the sexiest lips that ever lived on this planet.

Toxicka: Do you have any other oral/mouth related kinks, like smoking, kissing, etc?

Billy: Oh yes. Kissing, kissing and more kissing. Can’t get enough of it.

Mick: I like kisses and licks.

Mauricio: As far as I know, no.

Toxicka: Do you have any fond memories of the old lipstickfetish.org message board? If so, how important was it in the development of your kink?

Billy: Oh yes, it fed my fetish well and caused it to grow to where it is now.

Mick: I do. I used to check out the forums for lipstick related content just for pleasure.

Mauricio: Yes, for sure, I only have food memories. It was what started and led me to know practically everything and everyone that was related to the fetish at the time.

Toxicka: Lipstick fetish content is all over Pornhub and Instagram nowadays. Do you think this means lipstick fetishism has “gone mainstream?”

Billy: The content seems to be almost everywhere, it is pretty much mainstream as of now.

Mick: Probably so.

Mauricio: I don’t think so. Because even though it is very widespread on these channels, the topic is still little explored and, in a way, not as recognized as it should be.

Toxicka: Do you consider all of those ASMR and makeup tutorial videos on YouTune and other sites to be unintentional erotica? And how often do you watch that kind of online content to satisfy your kink?

Billy: I always did consider that some were intentional and some unintentional. I did watch it a great deal but as of lately, there is enough on Twitter for me, I don’t really need to look elsewhere, although I do at times.

Mick: Yeah, I guess. A lot.

Mauricio: There is no way not to relate this to sexuality. Mainly the ASMR ones that work with sensations. Most of them are highly arousing and erotic in my point of view. I watch all the time. I’m always looking for new material.

Toxicka: Just how big is the modern lipstick fetish community? Do you think it has as broad a base as other fetish communities, or do you think it’s still relatively niche?

Billy: I think it has grown immensely in recent times and has gotten included with other areas. It is comparable to some other fetish communities and is no longer just a niche.

Mick: I say it’s huge. Definitely.

Mauricio: I consider it relatively small. I think he material should be more explored and disseminated. Most people who use this theme to make videos and images have the objective of financial recurrent and not the real fascination and attraction for it. In other words … it doesn’t have the fetish.

"It’s the feeling it gives. If it stands out it is sexy and attractive, especially the bolder colors. The bolder the red, the better." - Billy, 69 (USA)

Toxicka: Do people ever tell you they think you’re weird or pervy for having a lipstick fetish? If so, how do you typically respond?

Billy: There are people who say that, it doesn’t affect me. I respond with it is who I am, weird or not.

Mick: Well, there was this one person on Instagram from one of my posts. I told them to leave if you don’t like what I do.

Mauricio: Absolutely! This happens very often. I say it’s a fetish like any other. The advantage is that it usually causes no pain or harm to any of the parties involved … just pleasure!

Toxicka: Would you rather be with a 10 that never wars lipstick or lipgloss or a 5 that wears it all the time?

Billy: No doubt about it, with the 5 who wears all the time. No question.

Mick: Five.

Mauricio: A 5 that wears all the time.

Toxicka: Are you only sexually attracted to cisgender women, or do you also have a sexual attraction to cisgender men and transwomen who wear lipstick/lipgloss?

Billy: Ciswomen? Yes. Cismen? No. Transwomen who wear lipstick? Some.

Mick: Not really. I like anyone who wears lipstick/lipgloss.

Mauricio: I am sexually attracted to cisgender women and transwomen who wear lipstick. But I never ruled out other gender interactions. What usually appeals to me is the act of applying the lipstick and the result, not the person’s gender.

Toxicka: Do you think lipstick fetishism objectifies women? How do you respond to critics who claim lipstick fetishism demands and denigrates females?

Billy: No, not at all. If anything it should be seen as a lovely tribute to the women who are so beautiful.

Mick: I do not. I don’t want to be a feminist by saying lipstick makes the woman. I would tell them that it doesn’t and it’s based on how women feel about it.

Mauricio: Quite the opposite. Lipstick and makeup itself are a way of empowering and increasing anyone’s self-esteem.

Toxicka: And lastly, do you think lipstick fetishism has in anyway negatively impacted your personal life? If so, how has your kink impacted your social and online interactions?

Billy: No, not really. I’m attracted to who I’m attracted to. Social and online interactions, I’m attracted to beauty and definitely more likely to give compliments because of the fetish.

Mick: I have this horrible habit of masturbating too often because of my fetish. I once upset a friend by taking her artwork and editing it to my liking when she went out of her way to make it for me as a request. I really regret doing that.,

Mauricio: I understand not. I think it only served to bring me great friendships and wonderful relationships. It also served to ward off false friendships and abusive relationships. I’m not saying it’s always been a bed of roses, but it’s always had more positives than negatives.

XOXO, Toxicka