DORE_BEAUTY_OE_TO_LIPSTICK

An Ode to Lipstick

4 years ago by

I took a shower yesterday and congratulated myself about it. Felt really smug that I accomplished one of life’s everyday necessities. I decided, hey, while I’m feeling so great and smug, why don’t I hit it out of the ball park and DO MY HAIR AND MAKE-UP?! While I’d been taking showers from time to time during this era of quarantine, I had NOT been doing my hair or make up. Even for the occasional Zoom call, it just didn’t seem worth it. And yes, there was something refreshing about my new laissez-faire attitude. I think this was the longest stretch of time my skin has been allowed to breathe without a drop of make up on it. BUT, if I was being honest… I missed a little polish, I guess you could call it.

So! With nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to see me, I proceeded to spend forty-five minutes on my hair and make up — look, I had some time to spare.

It wasn’t until the forty-third minute of my polishing that I felt a transformation. A real longing to go outside and chat and flirt and drink and ponder (Don’t worry! I didn’t! Don’t @ me!). When I put a swipe of red across my lips, I felt my entire posture change. Music had been playing this whole time, but I finally started dancing to it (and continued to dance to it for the next thirty minutes).

It reminded how much I love lipstick. How it can singularly transform my entire mood. I never had lipstick on my list of “desert island essentials” (always leaning towards the practicality of sunscreen and the like) but I must say… I think it takes the cake. The smallest thing that has the biggest impact on my mood.

Personally, I always lean towards a classic red. What’s your go-to color?

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9 comments

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  • Thank you so much for this post !
    I’ve been following the blog since I was 16 (I’m 27 now) and it is truly uplifting in these times to read about the very little things that can make your day better… It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books “La première gorgée de bière” by Phillipe Delerm (The small pleasures in Life, in english I think). I have a lot of work to do (I’m currently working on my architecture thesis), but it is extremely difficult to get out of bed and get going, will definitely try this out tomorrow.
    I had instantly fallen in love with the image of Cyndle Komarovski you posted here two winters ago and bought the lipstick she was wearing. My favorite ever since, I save it for bad days and important dates.

    Love from Switzerland
    Stay Safe
    Kim

  • Hey Kim,

    Just wanted to wish you good luck, because I’m working on my architecture thesis as well (it can be tough even in less strange circumstances). Cheers from California!

    I’d also love to read more personal diaries on how team Doré is adapting to this new reality. Thank you <3

  • Linda Kerr March, 24 2020, 11:05 / Reply

    YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Rose Stiletto is transforming.

  • delphine March, 24 2020, 2:21 / Reply

    Plus de “Garance Story” …
    Rien sur le Covid ou comment le vivre sereinement ( ou pas, d’ailleurs) …
    Êtes-vous en train de disparaître volontairement … ou bien d’éloigner vos lectrices en pleine conscience ? Mystère …

  • Je suis bien d’accord, Delphine. Les posts sont sporadiques, il n’y a rien de vraiment intéressant à part les petits billets perso écrits par les quelques personnes qui restent dans l’équipe et pas de Garance en vue. Je comprends que les temps sont difficiles, mais les innombrables lectrices et fans mériteraient d’avoir un peu plus. Sans parler de la petite équipe qui mériterait d’avoir un tant soit peu de direction pour raviver l’intérêt des lectrices qui sont là d’ailleurs, malgré tout…
    L’idée de mettre des petits commerces en avant est super, mais où sont-ils?
    Je ne comprends pas très bien ce qui se passe…

  • Linda B Kerr March, 25 2020, 9:51 / Reply

    My color is YSL’s Rouge Pur Couture Rose Stiletto. Transforming.

  • D'Neane March, 29 2020, 2:37 / Reply

    Charlotte Tilbury – “Love Bite”

  • My go-to red love is Chanel Marie ??

  • Sherisse March, 30 2020, 6:16 / Reply

    This article sums up my love for red lipstick, specifically red matte. Some women love handbags and shoes that automatically lift their spirit. For me it’s red matte lipstick. Even at home, I still apply lipstick and more so now during this pandemic, with nowhere to go or not possible to dress up for work online calls and other no video. My go to red matte lipstick: Mac Russian Red, Mac Opera, Mac Kinky, Mac Winner, Mac Blue Blood, YSL slim matte #21, #1 and # 9, Giorgio Armani 400 (both liquid matte and lipstick), Estée Lauder Pure Color Love 310 Bar Red and Pure Color Envy Liquid Matte 300 Poppy Savage. These are tried and tested! And a day without red lipstick seems gloomy and dull in my book. Lol

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