Lisa Eldridge’s Lipstick Project

Visit Lisa Eldridge’s makeup studio in London and you’ll find tables filled with colour swatches, product samples and face charts illustrating her vision for French beauty brand Lancome. Her Youtube how-to tutorials are immensely popular, in part for her exacting technique, but also for her down-home approach. She strives to make beauty accessible for everyone.

The latest project to come out of her studio is a reimagining of the luxe lipstick collection called L’Absolu Rouge. To mark the 25^th anniversary of Lancome’s luxe lipstick, Lisa has created 50 new shades with a brand new formula. It’s a harmonious shade range of pinks, reds, corals and plums in sheer, cream and matte textures that work on all skin tones. These lipsticks contain an exclusive micro-particle complex to reveal the most luminous and vibrant colours.

 

“I wanted to create a collection of extremely pure shades that irresistibly attract the eye and the imagination,” says Eldridge. “I made sure that each colour family was well represented, with perfect nudes, intense reds, deep raspberries, punchy oranges and simple, yet vibrant pinks. I wanted to create something very appealing and exciting.” While she created 50 new colours, she kept 36 existing shades that she felt were iconic and modern. ‘Caprice’ is one of her favourites. “It’s a fiery and captivating classic Lancome red, the essence of absolute femininity. I also love ‘Suspens’. On slightly olive skin, it’s a warm, delicate nude, and on fairer skin, it’s an apricot with richer caramel tones.” And what is her go-to shade? “’Idole’ is the ultimate feel-good rosy red. It works with all skin tones. I feel happy as soon as I put it on,” she adds.

 

The collection is based on a simple formula: choose the colour you love most for your skin tone and mood. Then choose your favourite texture. A beautiful deep red makes an intense statement in a matte finish, offers an everyday look in an easy-to-wear sheer effect and shows off more sophistication in an elegant cream.

 

To show off these new shades, L’Absolu Rouge has a new luxe case in lacquered black metal. Its crown is capped with a rose reworked like a golden seal. Armand Petitjean, founder of Lancome, always said, “A lipstick should sparkle like a precious jewel.” He understood the importance of beauty packaging and worked to make his products look like fine jewelry. He was ahead of his time in this regard.

 

Lisa suggests wearing these lipsticks in an extremely-modern Korean-inspired lip art in a gradation of two shades. Use two complementary shades for a chic look or pair two shades that are more contrasting. Try an intense orange and a vibrant bluish-pink for an arty look. Or combine two textures to accentuate the contrast. The idea is to have fun and play with the colours in unexpected ways.

 

The ad campaign for the new Lancome L’Absolu Rouge features Penelope Cruz and Lily Collins photographed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott.

Lancome is available in Canada at Hudson’s Bay stores and thebay.com