I own eighteen tubes of lipstick, each of them bought for the color I hoped to find – one that is so perfect, it looks (and feels, if you kiss me) as though I am not wearing lipstick at all, only better. Each one, with a single exception, has been a disappointment, and their ridiculous names, had I been realistic, should have been a clue. Some of them, at the time, suggested exotic meals eaten with strange and even more exotic lovers, like Smoothest Wine, Crushed Cranberry, Crystalized Ginger, and Currant. When I bought them, I imagined myself being fed, resting upon silk cushions. Others spoke to me of interesting places, like Canyon, City of Industry, and Milano Tile. In these dreamy settings, I was clothed in stylish attire suited to the climate and activity. I have even wanted to be lipstick states of mind…Gothic, Forbidden, and Bee Bold, but this, I now know, can be achieved without cosmetics. The anonymous ones intrigued me, such as Maybelline #725, and the other secret agents, Cover Girls #507 and #554, P304 (?) and Wet and Wild #570. Lemon Twist and Strawberry Fields, bought at Victoria’s Secret, were names that made me feel younger, and Browned Down Red agreed with my depressive side. I do not know what I was thinking when I bought Classy Nude, as it is neither. Last week, however, I found the one…Estee Lauder #07 Stay Mocha. The number gives it a light air of James Bond, “Mocha” suggests all the sweet and mature flavors of the others, and the word “Stay” brings to mind a stable yet romantic state of being. It is light, long-lasting, non-waxy, and it’s the perfect color. Imagine that.
Want to see? The Holy Grail of Lipstick
Want to see? The Holy Grail of Lipstick
