Lesa's Favourite Lip Colour Always Gets Discontinued :(
+ AMG on How A Product Can Not Work For You But Still Be Incredible, A Shout Out to Lesa's Beloved Former Work Wife Sarah Daniel, and New Music Recos Galore
I Love A Berry Lip But The Rest of the World Seemingly Does Not
Last summer, I wandered by a display of Clinique Chubby Sticks and checked to see if my favourite shade, “Grandest Grape”, was still among them. I’d received a box of sticks in that colour in 2014 from my friend Kelly, who handled their PR at the time and was just about nearing the end of my supply, so I was relieved to see it still existed. But in April, I looked again, and it was—omgomgomg—nowhere to be seen. I emailed Janet Pardo, Clinique’s Senior VP of Product Development to confirm. “It’s gone,” she replied. “I’m sorry. Look at ‘Broadest Berry’. I will send you.”
But “Broadest Berry” in my estimation, is a poor substitute for “Grandest Grape,” which was a reliable option in the arsenal of my Signature Shade. I’d describe it as a plummy berry, which can neither be too red nor too violet. It’s the shade I settled on at some point in my late 20s, after I’d tried and abandoned frosty pink (I was 14), a true blue-red (goth phase) and like every 90s girl, a pinky brown. [AMG Note: Hands in the air if Revlon’s “Raisin Rage” made an appearance in your high school yearbook.] (Ok wait, I had a slight stopover in coral at the height of the Jenna Lyon/J.Crew years because the models in the catalogues made it look SO GOOD). Anyway, my plummy berry is the colour I feel most like myself in, makes me feel (and I believe, look) better and is even one of the main colours of my website.
Yet somehow it’s not the easiest colour to come by? Whenever I examine a range of lipstick colours, my eyes are like a heat seeking missile looking for that one that will make my heart sing. And I’ll be honest, it’s rare. The death of “Grandest Grape” leads me to conclude that it’s just not a well liked colour. And as I thought about it more, I realized that pretty much all of my favourites have been either limited edition or just discontinued completely.
The evidence:
Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in “Grandest Grape”
It was perfect in that you didn’t need a mirror to apply it, and a quick swipe laid down enough subtle colour in a noticeably flattering way. (P.S. My friends at Clinique were kind enough to track down the last two in Canada and send them to me!!)
Rodin Olio Lusso Lipstick in “Billie on the Bike”
I’ll never forgive Estee Lauder for what they did to Linda Rodin’s brand: after they acquired it in 2014, she got pushed out which you knew would be the death knell and sure enough they took the line in an utterly absurd direction (a fucking mermaid collection for the love of god!) and then laid it to rest in 2021. But prior to that, she launched lipsticks and one of them was fucking incredible. This one was the most perfect version of my dream shade. I still have mine, but no longer use for it is far too precious.
Rouge Hermes Satin Lipstick in “Violet Insense”
One of the three limited edition shades the brand released when they first launched beauty in the spring of 2020. It is parfait. I still have mine and use it sparingly.
Bite Beauty Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon in “Acai Smash”, Amuse Bouche Lipstick in “Jam” and Lip Pencil in “100”
Another brand that may rest in peace, Bite was a Canadian success story whose fate was again destroyed by those who acquired it, in this case Kendo. I guess we can’t have nice things. They managed to produce not just one but three of my faves. I’ve still got the lipstick and crayon and I ordered a shit ton of the pencils when it was announced they were being discontinued.
Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder in “Bittersweet”
From the Spring 2019 collection, Liquid Powder had a thin but pigmented formula that was amazing and this shade left my dream popsicle stain. I think the product has now been replaced by Rouge Allure Ink.
***Ok, these are good ones still out there:
This was one of the OGs for me and was in my regular rotation in the mid 2000s.
Glossier G Suit Lip Creme in “Tempo”
This was released last year and when I saw this particular colour on Instagram, I had to go observe it in person. It did not disappoint, so of course I bought it. Because it’s quite pigmented and has a doe foot applicator, it must be applied with a lip brush for precision.
But back to my original point: my shade is just not as easy to come by unlike all those brown-y pink neutrals or a classic red. And I don’t really get it? It’s not like it’s weird or difficult to wear? To ensure I wasn’t imagining this I walked around Sephora recently to investigate and my suspicions were confirmed: hardly a signature shade in sight. Not even Nars or Pat McGrath came through. (No, I didn’t check the mass brands!) If anyone reading has any insight into why this colour just doesn’t seem to have staying power in the market, please let me know. In the meantime, if I ever launch my own beauty brand (NEVER), it would be a collection of berries similar to this collection. And then when I proclaim “I created this because it just didn’t exist!” I’ll be telling the god honest truth. —LH
THE SAME FIVE QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
A concept we are directly stealing from Jane Magazine, which used it to interview celebrities. We’re only stealing two of the questions though.
In a world where now everyone is a beauty “expert”, how do you know who you should really listen to? We will tell you. First we must travel back in time, children, because things used to be a lot different. Tik Tok didn’t exist, the beauty looks on runways mattered and people knew who Pat McGrath was. There were beauty editors walking among us and some were writing really amazing, well reported stories.
This is when I tell you about Sarah Daniel, who was my work wife for approximately five years (2010-2015); she was the beauty editor and I was the beauty director. When she had to submit story ideas as part of the job application process, I knew she was THE ONE. And then I had to convince her to accept the job! Thank god she did. Sometimes when I think back to that time, I can’t believe I was so lucky. Back in those days we had a big beauty section to fill, sometimes 20 pages and somehow we succeeded. Anyway, Sarah now works full time as a copywriter for a health insurance company but the odd time, we are graced with her brilliant writing when she dabbles in beauty again such as this piece she wrote on how Le Labo’s Santal 33 became so ubiquitous it lost its cool. I won’t bother directing you to her on social media since she is not active (she even scrubbed her IG clean like two years ago) but she did start a beauty podcast in 2018 and the Drakkar Noir episode is chef’s kiss. (PS: Tell her you want more episodes! Coming from me has done little to change that!) —LH
What secret urge do you get but never act on?
Select every email in my inbox and press delete.
Who is on your celebs-to-make-out with list?
I recently re-watched season 2 of Fleabag, so my crush on Andrew Scott is officially back on. Oscar Issac and Mahershala Ali forever. And as a former dancer, I’ll always love Johnny Castle.
What do you consider beauty snake oil?
I can’t get behind luxury skincare—paying hundreds of dollars for a moisturizer or serum and the first ingredient is water. The demographic that uses brands like La Prairie and Sisley usually does have great skin but that’s more likely because of lasers or the absence of stress that comes from having enough money to buy these products. And after seeing this week’s Line Sheet about Estée Lauder’s strategy around night products, I will never buy another sleep mask again.
My 10-year-olds are curious about skincare and makeup, so I'm looking at categories and brands through a different lens, and everything feels shady to me right now. But I'm also pumped to be a subject matter expert in something that's interesting to them. I bought them Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water and Weleda's Skin Food Light Nourishing Cream to use as a moisturizer but they’re v. keen to get their hands on more skincare. Their friends have YouTube channels where they test products (!!!) and do pre-shower makeup (I had to Google it), so they come home asking about a new product every other day and recently saved up their money to buy the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. Last week, Lesa blew their minds when she dropped off a package full of lip balms, cream blushes, and a bottle of Vacation's Classic Whip sunscreen.
What beauty product do you re-buy? Like you likely received free at one point but it's so amazing so you will pay for it now?
When I left publishing, I experienced a Caudalie Beauty Elixir drought. I go through it quickly, so when it’s not in my budget, I shamelessly spritz testers. In winter, it’s a mood boost for days when I feel dead inside, and in the summer, it cools me off when I’m riding my bike. When I interviewed the brand founder Mathilde Thomas, she told me each bottle is like a different vintage of wine—varying depending on when the ingredients were harvested—and it made me love it more.
Things I was never gifted but I happily buy in bulk: 19/99 Lash Tint Mascara in brown makes an excellent brow gel (hot tip from brow whisperer Mary Dang), Ava Isa Every Morning Mineral Sunscreen, Leaves of Trees Eucalyptus and Mint Deodorant. I just squeezed the last lovely drop from my first Poems From The Lab Future Focus Vitamin C Serum. (LH Note: I’ve been using this too and love the clear gel texture). [AMG Note: ME TOO. I sincerely love it.] I plan on ordering more and can’t wait to see what Stephen (@KindofStephen) comes up with next. Soft Services Buffing Bar Microcrystal Exfoliant broke my CanCon skincare streak for a reason—it's the best body exfoliator I've ever used.
What's your beauty media diet? Can be print, websites, newsletters, podcasts, an IG account. Where do you get your beauty news?
Eyewitness Beauty podcast. It’s usually just Nick and Annie catching up, which I love, but they’ve also had some good guests like Dick Page. Jessica Defino's The Review of Beauty, Arabelle Sicardi's You've Got Lipstick on Your Chin and Darian Symoné Harvin’s Studio Symoné. Amanda Mull recently left The Atlantic, but her beauty features for the magazine are some of my favourites, especially this one. I also buy an indie fragrance magazine called Nez, which comes out twice a year and is a treat to flip through. Jean-Claude Ellena and his daughter Céline are frequent contributors.
ANNOYING BUT EFFECTIVE
Things we love, things that work, things you should try, but they’re kind of a PITA
Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder: This is exactly what it sounds like—a balm-powder hybrid that has blurring properties and absorbs every last trace of oil from your face. It comes in 14 shades, you can wear it alone or to set foundation, and you apply it with fingers (my preference) or a brush (synthetic is better). Because it’s meant to enhance your skin, not spackle it, the finish is not super opaque, but covers acne, scarring, pigmentation, and other discoloration really well. Also, it somehow keeps you from looking monochromatic—meaning, you can probably skip all the other complexion tricks you sometimes have to do to return dimension to your face (e.g., contouring, bronzing, etc.) after applying harder-core foundations.
ANNOYING: Let me be clear, Yummy Skin is incredible. The ONLY annoying thing about it is that it doesn’t work FOR ME. I knew based on the ingredients that it probably wouldn’t be right for my skin type. My skin doesn’t like certain waxes and silicones, and waxes and silicones are a big reason behind why Yummy Skin is so effective. That, and an ingredient called “Upsalite,” a form of magnesium carbonate that was “accidentally” discovered by scientists in Uppsala, Sweden (hence the name), and absorbs moisture like crazy. Thus, it is an effective mattifier in cosmetics. I tried it anyway because it’s a very cool, unusual formula; out of professional curiosity; and I love pretty much everything Danessa makes.
Allow me a tangent: When you test, research, and develop cosmetics to the degree that I have, you sometimes have to play through breakouts or other irritations as part of the process. That doesn’t mean something is bad—it may just not be good FOR ME. Everything isn’t for everybody! I can’t stress this enough. Having this experience and knowledge means I can filter out my personal preferences and still give a product like this a positive recommendation. It’s ALSO why I don’t want to watch a TikTok review on some anti-aging active from a 20-something who complains about “redness and flaking,” (which sometimes happens with ingredients like acids, for example, and comes with the territory of using said ingredients) and ends with “UGH It’s a flop!” When the actual takeaway is that IT’S NOT FOR HER. MY GOD, HAVING A RIKI MIRROR DOES NOT MAKE SOMEONE A BEAUTY EXPERT. /rant
EFFECTIVE: Yummy Skin made me look GORGEOUS. For the 3 days I tested it, I looked as though I was being lit professionally at all times. Then on day 4, a breakout, which I anticipated, started and I knew I had to let it go. (Mild—nothing that salicylic acid couldn’t clear up.) So for those of you for whom this product is a go-to, consider me DEEPLY envious.
This type of formula doesn’t have a lot of competitors—yet. Right now, the only thing I’ve tried that comes closest is Fara Homidi’s Essential Face Compact, which thankfully FOR ME doesn’t contain any of the things that give my skin problems. I am cosplaying glowy, dewy, and well-rested when I use it. And though Homidi’s is refillable, the fill is VERY LEAN ($88 for 0.13 ounces vs. $36 for 0.63 ounces for Yummy Skin).
Also, apparently consumers are not super into refillables, which, full disclosure, the brand I work for is big on refillables, so yikes! According to a packaging dev person who was interviewed for this sobering story about sustainability in Glossy: “Generally speaking, refills are not as sustainable as we’ve been led to believe. … A lot of times [refills] can actually increase the amount of waste and emissions because you’re effectively producing two separate packages. …Consumers just aren’t as motivated to purchase refills and use them.” Welp! There’s much to consider in the pursuit of having “good” skin. — AMG
SFB RECORD CLUB
What we’re listening to as we try to live our best lives.
LESA’S PICKS
Single: Sharon Van Etten “Everytime The Sun Comes Up” (Alternate Version/Live At Sydney Opera House)
To mark the ten years since her album Are We There came out, SVE released an anniversary edition along with a 7” of a version of this song performed with a new arrangement. She describes it as a Joy Division-like spin and I love it so much. Also, I’m sorry but the line “I wash your dishes but I shit in your bathroom” always makes me crack a smile.
Single: HighSchool “August 19”
You know when the way a band sounds makes you immediately envision their style? This London based duo make such catchy post punk meets bedroom pop music that I imagine they must wear skinny suits with dark sunglasses and have bedraggled haircuts. And sure enough they do. And I just find that very satisfying. Much like this song.
Album: Kim Gordon The Collective
I know, I know, AMG already picked this two months ago but it only finally hit me, ok? I went HAM on it in anticipation of attending her gig (which I wrote about for the Toronto Star here) and in doing so I finally noticed the lyrics of “I’m A Man”. After I dug deeper, I learned it is partly influenced by shitheads like Josh Hawley. And then seeing it live basically elevated the whole damn thing. This 71 year old legend, backed by her all girl band, served such a life affirming experience that it gives me hope my 70s could perhaps still be exciting and evolving.
AMG’s PICKS
Album: Beth Gibbons Lives Outgrown
I’m not a stan, or in a hive, I don’t belong to a fandom of any kind. But even I know that when members of Portishead release solo projects, their fans have Big Feelings about it. This is Gibbons’ second solo album, after 2002’s Out of Season. There’s a connection between the two albums in that they share some folksy qualities and they make great use of her voice. But there’s something stranger and more experimental about Lives Outgrown. It’s very adult, very introspective—I like it, though I’m not sure I’m ready to fully receive it? But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish for another Portishead album. Maybe what I mean when I say that is that I would like to remember what it felt like to hear those records again for the first time, back when I had more collagen than I knew what to do with and didn’t appreciate it.
Single: World Party “When You Come Back to Me”
There’s been so much happening in the world that I missed the news in March of The Waterboys’ and World Party’s Karl Wallinger’s passing. Upon reading about it, I wanted to listen to what is probably one of my favorite songs of his, the David Bowie “Young Americans” pastiche “When You Come Back to Me,” from the excellent Reality Bites soundtrack, for which Wallinger was also the film’s music director. Well guess what? The song is not streaming anywhere. You can listen to it on YouTube, on a few fan-made videos featuring clips from the movie, but neither the song, nor the soundtrack is available for streaming. (If i’m wrong, please let me know.) I think it was cultural critic Matt Zoller Seitz who said something on Twitter once about how in the streaming era, we are all just renting our favorite songs and films, and when they get taken down for whatever reason, that’s that on that, which sucks. Anyway, the song is amazing and I wish we could hear it as intended.
Single: Tinashe “Nasty”
Just when my internal monologue stopped saying “Look at that horse, look at that horse, look at that horse” and after that, “BBL Drizzzaaaayyy,” at random intervals throughout the day, here comes their replacement: “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” ON REPEAT FOREVER. “Nasty” is the song of the summer, I’m calling it. Although, given the lifecycle of songs and trends and everything these days, by the time you read this, maybe it will have been replaced by something new. I don’t care. It’s the song of MY summer. I’ve loved Tinashe since 2014’s Aquarius (“Bet” is still SO GOOD). How was that 10 years ago??? Whatever, please inject more of this into my tired veins, please and thank you.
Oops:thelipbar.com
Brown girl here, if purple/grapey/berryish colors are your vide, then check out:thelipnar.com
Berry and purple (grape) colors are staples for us.