Celebrity Life

Most women will agree that the easiest and quickest way to pull together a polished look is with a pop colour. Even Elizabeth Taylor once said “put on some lipstick and pull yourself together”. There’s just something so transformative about the power of lipstick that works as an instant confidence boost. But with so many lipsticks out there on the market, which should make it into your makeup arsenal? We take five formulas to the test to review their staying power, hydration and finish; to aid you in your quest for the can’t-live-without lipstick. May the best bullet win.

shu uemura Rouge Unlimited

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/shu-uemura_flaming-reds_rouge-unlimited-lacquer-shine_RD163_texture.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/shu-uemura_flaming-reds_rouge-unlimited-lacquer-shine_RD163_packshot_HK230.jpg" right-caption="Shu Uemura Flaming Red Rouge Unlimited Lacquer Shine in RD163" left-caption="Shu Uemura Flaming Red Rouge Unlimited Lacquer Shine in RD163"]

Wearability: This ultra-smooth formula almost glides on like gloss more than a traditional lipstick. It goes on better than it stays on, but that’s not too surprising given this texture.
Finish: Lacquer, wet-look
Hydration: 8.5/10 -- No cracked or flaky lips at all.
Highlight: The sultry, melty (in a hot way) effect makes lips look so kissable
Price: HK$230

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/3d24b6ba-5373-4deb-b386-490177f5df92.jpeg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/fdfcc76b-eadd-499c-af0e-17a25943c292.jpeg" right-caption="Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder Matte Lip in Avant Gardiste" left-caption="Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder Matte Lip in Avant Gardiste"]

Wearability: The ultra-intense matte liquid lipstick is one of the best stains on the market. Acting as almost a semi-permanent tattoo, the colour really doesn’t budge. But because it is a creamy liquid, it takes a few layers to get that super solid colour to stay.
Finish: A powdery, blurry matte
Hydration: 8/10
Highlight: The seamless coverage helps to hide lip lines and wrinkles so lips appear super smooth
Price: HK$290

La Bouche Rouge Lipstick

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-604.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-603.jpg" right-caption="La Bouche Rouge Lipstick in Burgundy LBR12" left-caption="La Bouche Rouge Lipstick in Burgundy LBR12"]

Wearability: The application of La Bouche Rouge requires ninja precision. The colour is so pigmented that it leaves no room for error and touch ups get messy. That being said, this lipstick won’t budge and will stay on for more than 6 hours.
Finish: Ultra matte
Hydration: 4/10-- It’s super matte finish will dry you out so prime before you apply.
Highlight: The interchangeable bullets are good for the environment and your lipstick wardrobe space. The leather lipstick case is made from premium vegan leather which is both chic and durable.
Price: HK$1,585 (includes a leather case and two lipstick refills)

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-600.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-599.jpg" right-caption="Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria" left-caption="Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria"]

Wearability: This glides on relatively easily and packs an instant pigmentation punch. It’s long lasting and buildable. The colour and coverage is intense as it is, but for a more dramatic effect, an extra layer will do the trick.
Finish: Matte and velvety
Hydration: 6.5/10 -- For a matte lipstick, it does alright.
Highlight: The square angle tip allows for precision lip line and cupid’s bow definition.
Price: HK$270

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm

[dual-images right-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-602.jpg" left-image-url="https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Untitled-design-601.jpg" right-caption="NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm" left-caption="NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm"]

Wearability: Though technically not a lipstick, the NARS Afterglow was born as a balm with a juicy tint and made to endure for hours and protect the lips.
Finish: Sheer with a slight shimmer
Hydration: 9.5/10
Highlight: Lips are smooth, supple and healthy. It’s gives that effortless no-makeup makeup flushed lips look. And of course, the ever so subtle gold shimmer.
Price: HK$250

The post The 5 Ultimate Lipsticks to Wear Right Now appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Since their launch in 2017, Parisian Maison La Bouche Rouge has shaken up the beauty world with a new kind of luxury lipstick, and for good reason. The revolutionary French brand created something that would change the way we consume beauty forever -- a refillable, sustainable and pure lipstick -- and worked to eradicate one of the planet's biggest problems: plastic. The truth is, the beauty industry contributes heavily to this. In fact, they are the third most polluting, after automotive and fashion industries.

[caption id="attachment_177969" align="alignnone" width="920"] Embossed lipstick cases from the Fall Winter collection.[/caption]

It is with this in mind that La Bouche Rouge has combined French savoir-faire and an eco-conscious mindset to make luxury beauty and sustainability meet. And it's a match.

Behind the brand are creators Nicolas Gerlier and Ezra Petronio. Who, after two years of research and development, found a natural formula -- free from micro-plastics (PMMA), preservatives, parabens, paraffin and animal fats -- for their lipsticks.

[caption id="attachment_177973" align="alignnone" width="885"] The Rose Clair, a light and clear rosy hue.[/caption]

They also created sustainable packaging to hold it all. A luxurious leather case that not only encases the refillable lipstick, but allows beauty lovers to buy less 'new' products and instead, buy something better.

This season, the luxury beauty brand has added a new line of colours to their Métiers d'Arts Collection and present three new fine leather lipstick cases for Fall Winter: Rose Clair, Fuchsia and Chocolate.

[caption id="attachment_177974" align="alignnone" width="908"] Brighten up your beauty regime with the bright Fuchsia leather lipstick case.[/caption]

Crafted by hand from leather from Tanneries du Puy, a luxury tannery based in the Auvergne region of France, each leather lipstick case honours the tradition dedicated to French excellence. Something to gift, pass on and embrace for times to come.

Whether you prefer the light and clear rosy pink, bright fuchsia or warm chocolate, a wide choice of colour is available to match, and come in the La Bouche Rouge range of matte or satin finish lipsticks; made to last and glide on smoothly.

The Rose Clair lipstick case is also available in a gift set and comes with a Nude Red and Peach Lip Balm refill. For those that can't decide, the Fall Winter Collection gift box comes with all three new leather cases paired with popular lipstick shades of Pop Art Red, Nude Red and Peach Balm refills. You will also be able to emboss all three cases with the initials or your choice.

The post La Bouche Rouge Releases New Leather Lipstick Case Trio for Fall Winter appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

It’s the armour we wear when we go out into the world. And whether you prefer the natural look or all-out coverage and colour, we present your everyday make-up toolkit.

The Concealer

[caption id="attachment_156153" align="alignnone" width="1283"] Too Faced Born This Way Concealer (HK$250)[/caption]

A true multi-tasker, Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer provides a natural, weightless finish that lasts all day long. And a big bottle means we can use it all over if we want (which we often do). toofaced.com

The Blush

[caption id="attachment_156154" align="alignnone" width="1370"] NARS Blush in Orgasm (HK$310)[/caption]

The ever-popular and universally flattering NARS Orgasm Blush now comes in a limited-edition oversized compact for 2019 with a hint of golden shimmer, which means even more of a good thing. narscosmetics.com.hk

The Lipstick

[caption id="attachment_156163" align="alignnone" width="1322"] La Bouche Rouge Lipstick (Leather case HK$1,000; Lip colour refill HK$350)[/caption]

New French brand La Bouche Rouge is already making waves with its small-batch, toxin- free, sustainable lipsticks housed in refillable leather and stainless- steel cases. The colour selection is great too. laboucherougeparis.com

The Eyebrow Pencil

[caption id="attachment_156156" align="alignnone" width="1296"] Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow (HK$215)[/caption]

The undisputed expert in all things eyebrow gets our pick for colour, staying power and ease of application. Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Eyebrow Pencil also comes in a wide range of shades. benefitcosmetics.com/hk

The Powder

[caption id="attachment_156157" align="alignnone" width="1346"] Make Up For Ever HD Loose Powder (HK$315)[/caption]

Part of the brand’s popular Ultra HD collection created for high-definition TV and film, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Loose Powder is portable, practical and provides a smooth, lightweight finish we love. makeupforever.com/hk

The Liquid Foundation

[caption id="attachment_156158" align="alignnone" width="1401"] Guerlain L'Essential Natural Glow Foundation SPF 20 & Brush (Foundation HK$490; Brush HK$350)[/caption]

It’s not often that we can find a beauty product that ticks every box: high- performance, natural-looking, good for the skin and a pleasure to use. So it was nice surprise when we first tried Guerlain L’Essentiel Natural Glow Foundation SPF 20 and L’Essentiel Retractable Foundation Brush. guerlain.com/hk

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The Lip Gloss

[caption id="attachment_156160" align="alignnone" width="1344"] Dior Addict Stellar Shine (HK260)[/caption]

Micro-pearls, beeswax, aloe vera, and five lightweight oils. Dior Addict Stellar Shine has everything we need for all-day shine and every gorgeous shade we could want to go with it. dior.com

The Cushion Foundation

[caption id="attachment_156159" align="alignnone" width="1469"] Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation Balm (HK$590)[/caption]

There’s something deceptive about Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation Balm. It’s the only cushion we’ve tried that goes on like nothing at all, but manages to deliver a full-coverage matte finish. Sold! giorgioarmanibeauty.com.hk

The Primers

Particularly in a climate like Hong Kong’s, primers have become a necessary step to allow make-up to go on smoothly and stay there — at least, we hope, for a few hours after we leave home. We tried a range of formulas and textures, and agreed these three offer the best benefits for a range of skin types.

[caption id="attachment_156473" align="alignnone" width="1224"] Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer (HK$430)[/caption]

As the name implies, Tatcha The Silk Canvas goes on smoothly and provides a soft veil of protection. joyce.com/beauty

[caption id="attachment_156474" align="alignnone" width="1224"] Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (HK$480)[/caption]

The post Beauty Awards 2019: The Everyday Makeup Kit You Need to Face the Day appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

It's estimated that the world throws away a total of one billion lipsticks each year. That's not only an inconceivable amount of lippy, but it's also tonnes upon tonnes of plastic waste added to the sobering crisis impacting our natural environment today. Not to mention that most lipsticks also contain microplastics in order to achieve a smooth glide on the lips. The truth is, the beauty industry has had a long-term love affair with plastic, and it's just too difficult to change that now. Or is it?

La Bouche Rouge is a luxurious, eco-friendly lipstick line from Paris that offers the perfect shade of red made from natural ingredients in sustainable packaging. The leather used for the monogrammable lipstick case comes from the same French tannery that brands such as Hermès work with, and it can be refilled infinitely. During their recent Hong Kong debut at Lane Crawford, we caught a moment with the president and co-creator of La Bouche Rouge to find out about his startup life and how he aims to bring forth a new era of luxury beauty, one powered by sustainability.

Name: Nicolas Gerlier

Profession: President of La Bouche Rouge

Industry: Beauty

Start up since: October 2017 

Tell us about your business. What do you do?

At La Bouche Rouge we create pure makeup formulas and clean refillable objects in France for the future of the planet. Our ambition is to reconcile luxury and sustainability.

[caption id="attachment_145086" align="alignnone" width="1091"] Nicolas Gerlier of La Bouche Rouge.[/caption]

What’s behind the name, La Bouche Rouge?

La Bouche Rouge means “red lips” in French, but it also stands for having a voice, sharing a message. It represents our revolutionary spirit.  A red voice!

Tell me about your best and worst days at work? 

The best days are when I see that we are creating meaningful projects that surpass beauty. When we invite artists to express themselves within our Maison, like [contemporary Swiss pop artist] Sylvie Fleury for instance. I believe creativity and design are the only way to create the desire to consume differently.

Also, I find motivation in our Positive Economy project: for each lipstick sold, we give 100 litres of safe water to Togo [in western Africa]. We recently visited the first well that we were able to drill with Eau Vive Internationale in a village called Hilou.

I don’t have bad days at work. As I always say: sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. I have learnt a lot from every difficulty we encountered, while developing the brand.

[caption id="attachment_145084" align="alignnone" width="2008"] La Bouche Rouge stands for the passion of colour but also for a revolutionary voice and spirit.[/caption]

What do you do when you’re not at work?

I am the father of three children, so mostly I enjoy family time and ride my bicycle.

Looking back now, what would you have done differently?

Nothing, I believe every step is part of the adventure.

What is a normal workday like for you?

My days are very dense. I arrive at the office early and begin meetings with my team, PR agencies, partners, development and production teams, until I run back home -- often late!

[caption id="attachment_144000" align="alignnone" width="1289"] Friends of La Bouche Rouge include bold women with self-assured desirability reflecting the brand’s values, such as actress Chloë Sevigny.[/caption]

What advice would you give to someone looking to start up?

Be passionate, because this is a 24/7 job!

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing what you do now?

I would be working in contemporary art. Possibly to serve a creative project, as this was always a passion of mine.

As a child, what did you aspire to be?

I wanted to be an archaeologist because I was passionate about ancient Egypt.

[gallery ids="145066,145065,145067"]

What has been your biggest hurdle and how did you overcome it?

Definitely the creation of a clean but efficient formula. We researched for two years.  To overcome it, I recruited the right person with the right know-how.

Why is Hong Kong such an important market for you?

Hong Kong is our gateway into Asia, which is a major market for us. It's a leading market in the world for cosmetics, but it's also a special place with ancient rituals and beauty traditions. I feel that it's imperative to share the values of reconciling luxury and sustainability with the people who are key in the environmental issues of tomorrow.  

If you were to invest in another start up, which would it be?

I would invest in my brother’s startup: Namatata, a meditation app. 

What are your goals for 2019? And in the near future?

My goals are to grow the Maison and remain a leader in our market. The objective is to continue to create the desire to consume differently all over the world and to invent new objects. In terms of where next in Asia? It will be Japan and Korea. We are also working on different products (which we are not ready to share just yet!) but it's a long process of research to achieve the perfect result. What is important to me now is to become the leader in luxury and sustainable beauty, create positive economy projects and share this with others. 

[caption id="attachment_145088" align="alignnone" width="3839"] The leather case can be personalised with your initials engraved if you wish.[/caption]

How hands-on are you?

I started this adventure by myself, so I had to do all steps of the creation.

How do you define success? Do you consider yourself successful?

No, but my team is successful! Success for me is being the first cosmetic brand to commit to reducing plastic from the beginning. And to lead a revolution in the makeup industry while being so small. One year ago, we were a team of three people. Now we are fifteen. So that's five times more committed to the cause. I am convinced we need to change our habits and very proud to say it can begin with a lipstick!

The post Startup Life: Nicolas Gerlier of La Bouche Rouge appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.