Beauty Ad Lipsticks

If you flip through a vintage Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar from the 1940s or 50s, almost every beauty ad lists the shade and style of lipstick that the model is wearing in the ad. From Elizabeth Arden to Helena Rubenstein, beauty moguls knew that readers wanted to recreate the beauty looks they see in magazines. And the first item they are likely to purchase is a new lipstick colour. For that reason, I’ve picked some of my favourite beauty ad visuals and researched the lipstick shades featured on the models or celebrities. Quite often, makeup artists on photo sets will tweak colours to get the perfect effect for the camera. This can include layering the lipstick over another base shade to make the colour ‘pop’. They will also add a touch of clear gloss in the middle of the lower lip to add dimension.

If you’ve studied the Burberry runway fashion shows over the past couple of seasons, you’ll know that Christopher Bailey likes three shades of lip on his models: Military Red (a bright blue-red), Oxblood (a deep aubergine) and nude. For his beauty and fashion ads this Autumn, he’s opted for nude.

Burberry Kisses in Nude Beige

 

YSL’s Creative Director of Makeup Lloyd Simmonds isn’t afraid to push the envelope when it comes to lip colour. He’s helped make the French beauty brand cutting-edge and modern. And he balances the dramatic eye makeup with a bold matte lip. Cara is wearing YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats lipstick in Orange Seventies.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in Orange Seventies

Natalie Portman stars in the latest RougeDior lipstick campaign. She’s wearing “Red Smile” in this ad. It’s a change from her previous Dior beauty ads where she has worn Dior’s iconic 999 red shade.

Rouge Dior lipstick in Red Smile

There is something wonderful about Lupita’s smile in this Lancome ad for Shine Lover Radiant Lipstick. She literally radiates from within. In this ad, she wears the shade Electrisante.

Lancome Shine Lover lipstick in Electrisante

MAC’s Viva Glam campaign remains one of my very favourite – in part because 100% of the selling price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. Pop star Ariana Grande returns this month with a new lipstick shade in support of the charity. It’s a matte orchid pink.

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 lipstick

It’s no surprise that Kendall Jenner has made Estee Lauder’s Lip Potion in Lethal Red a bestseller. The model and social media phenomenon wears this deep blue red beautifully.

Estee Lauder Lip Potion in Lethal Red.

And Clarins is putting the focus on the eyes this season with the launch of a new mascara and trio of eyeshadow palettes. In order to keep the focus on the eyes, Eric Antoniotti has wisely played down the lip shade with this soft nude. It’s Joli Rouge in Ivory Pink.

Clarins, Estee Lauder, MAC Cosmetics, YSL, Dior and Burberry Beauty are available in Canada at select Hudson’s Bay stores and thebay.com