Beauty

One Vogue Writer on the Transformative Power of Lipstick—Even in the Mask Era

With mask-wearing now de rigueur, lipstick has become another casualty of the COVID era. But should mood-boosting bullets still have a place in our lives?…

In fact, for 15 or more years, Zadeh has been faithful to a single lip color—MAC Cosmetics lipstick in Snob, which she describes as “not a Kardashian nude but a matte pink with some blue in it. Even if I was at home and no one was there, it made me feel complete.” She’s wearing it even as we speak, she reveals. But in public, underneath a mask, Zadeh says, she isn’t feeling quite the same connection to her signature color; she’s recently tried forgoing lipstick and experimenting with eyeliner. “I’m in an in-between phase,” she admits a bit ruefully, “where I am open to new things.”

For Parisian influencer Jeanne Damas, founder of the vintage-inspired fashion-and-cosmetics label Rouje, putting on lipstick is “above all something I do for myself, like a second skin, a form of protection,” she tells me from the City of Light, on the eve of a second lockdown. True to French-girl lore, she favors a red lip and barely sun-kissed skin and has continued applying vibrant lip color, like her own brand’s Le Stylo Rouje in Marie, daily for the past few months, relying on KN95 masks with their recognizable center crease—“the ones that make you look like a duck,” she elaborates—to avoid smearing.

For some women, simply brandishing a bullet in public has long been a gesture of empowerment. “Nothing is more beautiful than, just before landing in an airplane, or after lunch, when a woman opens her purse, takes out lipstick and a little mirror, and touches up her lip,” Peter Philips, creative and image director of Christian Dior Makeup, explains, recalling halcyon days gone by. “That, and the click of the product as she closes and puts it back in her purse—it’s like a combatant putting on war paint, or a bird of paradise spreading out his feathers. That one-minute process, that ritual, gives you a terrific boost.”

Well, I am unlikely to be getting on an airplane anytime soon, and for the moment my lunches are mostly solitary affairs at my desk. But it was time, I decided, for a much-needed boost. For at-home wear, a touch of Rouge Hermès in satiny Rose Ombré provided a luxuriously sensual application experience, with a pleasantly weighty, refillable case whose three bands of color reminded me of a dress the artist Ellsworth Kelly once designed for a friend. Yet for what counts as an outing these days—a late-afternoon trip to the grocery store—I wanted a color with a little more “oomph.” Experts had counseled lip stain or pencil to avoid smudging under my mask, but for me, nothing but the full bullet would do. I lingered over Rouge Dior’s classic 999 (soon-to-be reformulated with red peony, pomegranate flower, and shea butter) but ultimately chose a slightly darker, bluer red: Givenchy’s Le Rouge Deep Velvet Limited Edition Rouge Grainé. After putting it on, I seemed to recognize, as if after a long absence, the woman looking back at me in the mirror. My suddenly scarlet lips led me back to my closet, where I put on a red silk blouse.

I donned my KN95 mask and went out. Life, I realized, had been unfolding in black-and-white for quite some time. And my lipstick, though invisible to others, had changed something in my body language or my approach to the world. Perhaps it was the secret pleasure I took in wearing it, like beautiful lingerie that no one else would ever see. I was a mere half-block from my home when a man passing me on the street said, in a soft voice, “Hello, sexy”—and I wasn’t offended. In fact, the social scientist in me was highly amused. It was a little, anarchic spark of libido, illuminating the general gloom. Underneath my mask, I smiled.

Hermès Rouge Hermès Satin Lipstick Limited Edition In 45 Rose Ombré

$72

HERMÈS

Le Stylo Rouje Marie

$32

LE STYLO

Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999 Satin Red

Givenchy Le Rouge Deep Velvet Lipstick In 37 Rouge Grainé

$38

GIVENCHY

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Celebrity

Lizzo’s Bold Transformation and Powerful Message Ignite Fan Debate

Grammy winner Lizzo is back in the spotlight this time, not for her music, but for a new chapter on a different path in her life. The “About Damn Time” singer sparked a flurry of comments when she took to Instagram over the weekend, showing off a noticeably trimmer figure. But she wasn’t just turning heads with her transformation. It was the statement she made alongside it.

In the clip, Lizzo spray-painting the words “Bye B####” across the cover of her Special album felt like a bold yet symbolic move. Alongside the clip, she wrote, “End of an era.” The four words reverberated across social media, leaving fans and critics alike wondering. What era was coming to a close, and what’s next?

Lizzo’s body positivity and self-love advocacy have long been central themes of her work, which makes this moment all the more provocative. Several fans lauded her evolution, viewing it as a sign of natural maturation. Others were unsettled, wondering if her transformation changed the message she had long promoted.

Social media erupted in response. Some commended her for calling her own shots in a changing era, while others debated whether this decision was consistent with the fearless body-acceptance philosophy she had long personified.

The Special era was a watershed moment for Lizzo, cementing her place among the industry’s heavy hitters. From songs of self-empowerment to adrenaline-infused performances, she clearly illustrated that confidence isn’t about a stain on a scale. It’s about knowing who you are. By spray-painting the album cover, she appears to be closing a chapter to clear the way for something else.

Artists evolve. As musicians do, Lizzo is trying her skills out on fresh sounds; her evolution physically, emotionally, and artistically is hers to narrate. Whether this moment is a rebrand, a shift in perspective, or an artistic expression, one thing is certain: Lizzo is fully owning being Lizzo.

With an “end of an era” declaration, fans eagerly wonder what comes next. Will she bring in a new sound? A new way to think about body image? An utterly wild card project? If Lizzo has a specialty, it’s ensuring that the world never knows what to expect.

Whether you love, hate, or celebrate it, her latest move shows she still owns her narrative and is not afraid to rattle the bones.

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Celebrity

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Dominates Spotify’s Global Chart for Ninth Consecutive Day

Kendrick Lamar’s powerhouse hit “Not Like Us,” is showing no signs of slowing, spending its ninth consecutive day atop Spotify’s Global Chart. The track, which debuted on top on the strength of dethroning The Weeknd and SZA, shows no signs of losing momentum. Lamar’s blistering anthem has fended off all challengers, racking up 11.4 million streams this week alone, despite fresh competition from Drake and PartyNextDoor’s new album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.

This newest milestone only enhances the song’s already historic run. Before this week, “Not Like Us” spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The track also solidified its legacy on Spotify’s Billions Club, crossing a billion streams on the platform earlier this month.

The series, it turns out, has also been involved in a legal battle that continues to roil the industry, beyond its streaming success. (A Model Company)/Duckwrth With Allure Records, Drake Accuses UMG of Defamation, Alleges Payola Tactics at His Expense Previously, Drake Filed a Federal Lawsuit Against UMG Earlier This Year Drake Filed a Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against The Label This Year (image) Drake filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) the label that allegedly used payola tactics at his expense. UMG has vigorously denied the accusations, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the current feud between the two rap titans.

K. Dot, you’ve done it again, and with “Not Like Us” still topping the charts and making headlines, your influence in the music world is as formidable as ever. Whether it’s record-shattering streaming figures, contentious rivalries, or cultural relevance, one thing is for sure this song isn’t leaving the chat anytime soon.

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