Plenty of Rouge: The Lipstick Effect
“It all started with a lipstick” – Bobbi Brown
When I was a freelance makeup artist in the late ’80s, most lipsticks on the market looked artificial, smelled bad, and had a texture was either greasy or dry. To create lipsticks that were more flattering, I adapted the colors that were available. Ultra-bright fuchsia, acid oranges, pasty and frosted pinks were the “it” colors at the time, but I thought they were unflattering. Instead, I would mix them with a little matte beige color to create prettier, more wearable shades that looked great on everyone.
To create my own perfect nude shade, I would take a taupe eye pencil and combine it with a pinky, peachy, cream blush and a little bit of lip balm. However, I met a chemist who said he could turn my creation into an actual lipstick. He created my first lip color — Brown. It was perfect. It stayed on, but it wasn’t dry or greasy. It didn’t smell. Best of all, it looked natural, like my lips, but better. I was thrilled.
