"you can put lipstick on a pig it s still a pig" in German You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. Man kann aus einem Esel kein Rennpferd machen. Detailed translations for "you can put lipstick on a pig it s still a pig" You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.(also: A donkey can not be made a running horse.) Man kann aus einem Esel kein Rennpferd machen.