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.
Stay updated! Click the Google News follow button for more news and updates.
Follow on Google NewsFeatured
Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
Featured
Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.
