Their popularity among children can be attributed mainly to the comedy of using the candy as a humorous substitute for their own lips.

Although they were intended to be used as a chewing gum of sorts after the novelty of the joke wore off, the lips were often simply discarded rather than consumed.

Glenn Co. of Buffalo, New York, some time in the mid-20th century,[3] wax lips became a popular novelty in the United States for many decades, especially during the Halloween season.

[citation needed] Wax lips were most popular in the late 1970s and have been referenced extensively in fiction.

The patent was obtained by Concord Confections, Ltd. in 2002,[citation needed] which was in turn acquired by Tootsie Roll Industries in 2004.