This is a lipstick that deserves R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Rising triumphantly above bankruptcy, Tall Poppy Syndrome, and the candy coloured 90’s, Lipstick Queen has more staying power than Joan Rivers. Visualise if you will; sex siren Marilyn Monroe with loose pin curls, natural makeup and sultry pout, singing “I want to be loved by you” in the classic movie Some like it Hot (1959). That’s how you’ll feel wearing Lipstick Queen. Have a buttery flakey croissant, creamy cappuccino and two Bellini’s for breakfast (go on, you know you want to)…. Movie star pout stays perfectly pert. Fast forward five hours; Lipstick Queen continues to stick around like your best friend in the world. Not in a dry or clay-like way either. Melbourne-born, New York based founder, Poppy King (pictured) was recently quoted saying, “this season it’s all about a moisture rich format with rich pigment”. What she really means is big luscious lips, old Hollywood style are the boom. If red carpet make-up at the recent Cannes Film Festival is anything to go by, 1950’s glamour is making a huge comeback and Poppy is the name on everyone’s lips.
Poppy King is so committed to making the perfect pout; she lives, breathes and sells lipsticks. Nothing else. Now that’s focus in a world where beauty brands are beguiling us with vast head-to-toe product ranges; applying the logic that bathroom cupboard dominance builds loyalty (and bank balances). Lipstick Queen may not take up much shelf space but its sheer wow factor is like a movie set spotlight on your lips; highlighting natural va va voom with high high high quantities of creamy shea butter for lusciousness and pigment that almost tattoos your lips with colour that doesn’t fade, bleed or flake throughout the day. As Marilyn Monroe so eloquently said, “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.” Wear Lipstick Queen and you’re well on the way.
Online stockists Kit Cosmetics AU$32, Space NK USA($25) and Space NK UK (£20)
If you’re looking for long-lasting lipstick with serious credentials in the professional make-up artist world, then look no further than MAC Pro Longwear Lipcremes (not the catchiest of names). It’s in 2nd place because wear time is six to eight hours, not the 10- 12 hours that you would get from Lipstick Queen. That aside, MAC rocks the pout. Unlike other fancier beauty brands, MAC take a low key, Gwyneth Paltrow (big MAC fan) approach to their lipsticks. Simultaneously classic and fashion-forward, with healthy dose of practicality. MAC Pro Longwear Lipcremes (the length of this name is bringing on RSI… they should just call it MPL²) are formulated with rich, intense pigments in 12 gloriously natural shades of pinks, plum, browns, reds and mauves; with fabulous names like Love Long Distance, Faithfully Yours and You’re Perfect Already! Very goop (Gwyneth's online magazine)
These pigmented pretties are unusually creamy for a long-lasting lipstick; gliding on easily to provide an even color without any real effort. Because of the slip and creaminess, they feel yummy on the lips, although slightly heavier than a normal lipstick. MAC only launched MPL² a few years ago, and before you could say “Put down that croissant” they were the lipstick of choice for lip-smashingly gorgeous attendees of the ponderously drawn out Oscars, BAFTA’s and international Fashion Weeks. Even Urban Apothecary loyalist, Angelina Jolie lasted the duration of this year’s Oscar marathon in MPL² Russian Red. Just think...this is the lipstick that kisses Brad Pitt good night. Sweet dreams indeed.
Online stockists MAC USA ($40)
BRONZE – Estée Lauder Pure ColorOne of the strongest cosmetic trends this decade is a seismic shift back to perennial classics and style. So it’s with the same amount of surprise registered around the world when Prince William and Kate finally announced their engagement, that we see 1960’s cosmetic icon, Estée Lauder at the winner’s podium for some of 2012’s biggest beauty awards; from New York to Paris, Cosmo to InStyle. Now before you start reaching for the Back Button because you’re far too modern to go anywhere near a brand loved by the Twinset and Pearls generation, it’s worth noting that the House of Estée Lauder has a family tree rivaling HRH The Queen. Fabulous brands such as Bobbi Brown, MAC, Jo Malone, Clinique, Crème de la Mer, Lab Series, Tom Ford and Origins all bear the Estee Lauder family crest. At the top of the family tree sits 42yr old New Yorker, Aerin Lauder (Estée’s granddaughter). Like many younger generations inheriting a lifetime of legacy, Aerin has breathed fresh edginess and modernity into the Estée Lauder brand.
What’s all this got to do with long-lasting lipsticks you ask? Well…the launch of Pure Colour in 2010 was the turning point for Estée Lauders return to the world of glamour, style and fashion. Aerin Lauder (pictured) threw everything behind the development of Pure Colour, to make it one of the stand-out products of this generation. It worked. Pure Colour has won numerous awards and sits in 3rd place for the Long-Lasting Lipstick Tweedie Awards only because it has a wear time of 5-6 hours. On all other counts it matches Lipstick Queen and MAC MPL². The rich range of colours is extensive; with 19 different shades of gorgeousness. If your preferred lip tones are nude pink to plum, then you’ll love Pure Colour. Then there's the yummy creamy texture which feels like there’s a built-in lip balm.
Because we don’t all have Angelina Jolie’s naturally pert, rose-tinted lips pre lipstick (why oh why not???), lipstick remains one of life’s little essentials. But who has the energy to put it on more than once a day? Twice at best. So I’m eternally thankful to Estée Lauder Pure Colour “Beige” for bringing barely-there classic New York style to my lips, with no need for a make-up bag and mirror on continuous standby. Now if only I could make my hair look sleek with as little effort.
Online stockists Estée Lauder Australia ($45), USA ($25) and Europe (£20)
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