Lipstick’s Day
Today is National Lipstick Day and I couldn’t let it pass without posting the marvelous picture above taken by photographer Chaloner Woods in 1955. The colors are so vivid yet so refined and remind me of the Kodachrome slides my father took in the 50’s and 60’s. And it wasn’t too many years after when yours truly, as a 5 year old nymph, pinched my mother’s Cherries in the Snow and made a Picasso of my young face with it. I think I’ve loved lipstick ever since.
It’s sad to realize that my lips are no longer in style though. A full mouth came into vogue in the 90’s and my lips went out with Cheryl Tieg’s, which I thought were very lovely when they graced my Seventeen and Ingenue magazines in Dairy Queen frosted pink glory. But all my high school friends recall my love of colorful lipsticks and some even wrote about it in my yearbook. I especially cherish my friend Jane’s inscription who sadly passed away a few years ago. Beautiful Jane wrote, “I know you will be a success in college because all you really need lipstick”.
I’ve even been known to become smitten with a lipstick simply because of its name. Tom Ford’s Twist of Fate comes to mind – a very creamy but slightly chalky coral that really only works on me that one week in July when I return from vacation. Alas, Twist of Fate was fatefully wrong and alarming bought only for its prophetic name.
But I have become a little more discerning as I’ve grown older. Drugstore brands are just as wonderful as a Tom Ford. I’m no lipstick fool. Hardly…
~
If you are interested, I have linked an article I wrote a while back on the transformative power of lipstick.
https://www.golocalprov.com/beauty/ri-beauty-insider-the-transformative-power-of-lipstick?fbclid=IwAR0Gq36BQqfHxgcODcV8vFYOBsHMXsd1VtNv-vbLJCg3X8fRwSMpxQRuF5k
And if you love a lipstick for its name, list it in comments. I would love to hear what it is!
5 Comments
Natalie Barringer
Loved your piece about lipstick. I, too, got into some of my mother’s lipstick and it has been love ever since. I always have lipstick on my rather thin lips. Being a painter, I love bright colors. I have, traded my former bright reds for a more deep pink shade as I am a more mature me. Still, I plan on keeping up appearances with my favorite accessory. Thanks
Barbara
I’ve worn lipstick ever since I “ was allowed” ! That was the day I came downstairs a with my “ eyeshadow in a tube adorning my eyes “. My father took one look at me ( it was my 15th. Birthday) and said “ our Barbara’s eyelids have gone Green Mouldy “! I was lucky enough to get a job as a “ Beauty Consultant “ mid ‘70’s for Coty . Along with the” Coty Airspun Range” they were marketing their “ Originals” range. They had been selling it in America for a while before England etc. had it . Lovely range .
Michele
I haven’t left home without lipstick since I’ve been old enough to wear it. Always some variation of magenta. I occasionally decide to purchase a “new” color only to get it home and find it to be eerily similar to every other lipstick I own. My favorite color is no longer produced – Embrace by Covergirl.
Ann
Great post! Rich Girl Red by Revlon….not too red, not too orange! Enjoyed the thoughts about your high school colors….used to love a Yardley color that was a deep wine back in 1973. I am not as obsessed with lipstick names as I am with nail polish. I have been known to buy colors ONLY because I love the name. OPI and Deborah Lippmann have great names for their polish. Thanks for the reminder to put some lipstick on today and SMILE !
Karen
Ruby Woo by Nars! I once commissioned a dear NYC-based friend to but some for me just because I was so smitten with the name!! Every time I read about lipstick I want to run out and buy a new tube! Especially when you write about lipstick, Donna!