Over the last few months I've been watching Mad Men. In fact, I've watched every episode and during each one I've experienced some form of makeup envy. Not only did Mad Men remind me that everyday attire used to be incredibly formal, but the makeup was very different too; "bold"makeup (by my standards, anyway) was once considered an every day necessity. During the 60s, red lipstick wasn't reserved for dinner dates and parties, in fact, it was practically mandatory - serving as a big red indicator that a woman was fully and properly dressed.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that anyone should feel obliged to wear makeup, but the show's glamour is undeniable. You might not want to look exactly like these women, but their efforts are still admirable. I'm not going to be reaching for navy eyeshadow any time soon, but this everyday red lipstick is the kind of power-dressing that I can get behind. Now that I've finished watching the show, I'm really inspired to see if I can work some Mad Men glamour into my everyday life - and lipstick is going to be my method of entry.
For this mission, I began by doing a general scout around my local drugstore; I was looking for shade inspiration over and above the perfect lipstick formulation. I immediately found two very promising colours; Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick in Coral in Gold (£4.99) and Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Idol Red (£6.49). Idol Red (pictured above) is an incredible orange-toned-red that is absolutely fitting with the vibe of the show. The formulation is semi-opaque and is just about creamy-enough to be blotted into the lips for a successful stained-lip look. Although it does transfer onto just about anything your lips touch, the colour does stick around for a decent amount of time. For the price, this is a very good choice for anyone interested in flirting with Mad Men inspired lips.
Rimmel's Coral in Gold (pictured above) is a less obvious choice but still fits into the theme. It is a semi-opaque coral shade with a frosted finish; it looks much less bold on the lips but still manages to conjure up a "Mad Men" 60s' vibe. I found both Rimmel lipsticks to be very flattering and easy to wear, and they've definitely inspired me to explore more of Rimmel's vast lipstick range.
Another lipstick with serious Mad Men vibes is Mac's Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer (£16.50). Mac describes this colour as a "grapefruit" (which I didn't find helpful), and I think of it as a semi-sheer and glossy red-toned pink. When this is applied heavily it looks slightly more red in tone, and when patted lightly onto the lips it looks more pink. It is a very natural-looking colour, but still adds depth. Again, this shade would work well for many different people, and thanks to the lustre formulation it's an easy lipstick to wear on an every day basis.
It isn't until Mad Men hits the mid/late 60s that you start to see any pink lipstick - and then things get a bit crazy for a while with regular sightings of frosted baby pink - so I'm going to try and stick to reds and corals. During a scramble through my lipstick collection, I found another totally "Mad Men appropriate" colour that I already owned, Maybelline's Vivid Matte Liquid in Orange Shot* (£7.99). Orange Shot (pictured above) is a really gorgeous colour and the creamy formulation, coupled with the doe-foot applicator, makes this bright shade very easy to apply. The colour is incredibly similar to Rimmel's Idol Red, but the formulation is thicker and creamier and the finish is very different. If I wanted a full-on red lip then I would choose the Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid, and when I want a lighter and sheerer finish (that I can really blend and smudge into my lips) then Idol Red is the better choice.
Let's imagine that, for whatever reason, you don't like the sound of the lipstick formulations and colours that I've described thus far, then the next product might be for you. The Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are much talked about because they offer a creamy matte finish and are easy to apply precisely. These products are the most expensive on my list so far, but the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita (£20.00) is another gorgeous colour that would work perfectly on the set of Mad Men. Dolce Vita (pictured above) is somewhere between a red and a pink, but the formula of these lip pencils means that it very lightly coats the lip giving a natural-looking finish. In my mind, Dolce Vita is the evening equivalent of Mac's See Sheer - both these colours look similar on the lips, but Dolce Vita's matte finish is a little bit more formal and mature.
Finally, I'm going to suggest a slightly different sort of colour that would be good for anyone who doesn't enjoy wearing orange-toned reds, and it is also a natural and cruelty-free option. Some of my favourite natural lipsticks are made by Living Nature, and their two newly released red lipsticks would both work for this "inspired by Mad Men" category. The shade that I have is the Living Nature Lipstick in Pure Passion* (£19.50), which is a rich jam-red colour with a semi-opaque glossy finish. I like to wear Pure Passion (pictured above) blotted onto my lips for a lighter stain-like finish, and this makes the colour more wearable during the daytime. I love how this colour looks against my fair skin, and I think that it would also be very flattering on anyone with a deeper skintone.
There are bound to be many other lipsticks that would also fit into the category, and any recommendations are warmly welcomed in the comment section below. However, these six products represent my favourite colours and formulas for this theme. All of these products feel great to wear and make me feel confident and beautiful - and, for me, that confidence boost is one of the real benefits of wearing a bold lipstick.
Any products marked with an asterix (*) are PR samples
Let's imagine that, for whatever reason, you don't like the sound of the lipstick formulations and colours that I've described thus far, then the next product might be for you. The Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are much talked about because they offer a creamy matte finish and are easy to apply precisely. These products are the most expensive on my list so far, but the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita (£20.00) is another gorgeous colour that would work perfectly on the set of Mad Men. Dolce Vita (pictured above) is somewhere between a red and a pink, but the formula of these lip pencils means that it very lightly coats the lip giving a natural-looking finish. In my mind, Dolce Vita is the evening equivalent of Mac's See Sheer - both these colours look similar on the lips, but Dolce Vita's matte finish is a little bit more formal and mature.
Finally, I'm going to suggest a slightly different sort of colour that would be good for anyone who doesn't enjoy wearing orange-toned reds, and it is also a natural and cruelty-free option. Some of my favourite natural lipsticks are made by Living Nature, and their two newly released red lipsticks would both work for this "inspired by Mad Men" category. The shade that I have is the Living Nature Lipstick in Pure Passion* (£19.50), which is a rich jam-red colour with a semi-opaque glossy finish. I like to wear Pure Passion (pictured above) blotted onto my lips for a lighter stain-like finish, and this makes the colour more wearable during the daytime. I love how this colour looks against my fair skin, and I think that it would also be very flattering on anyone with a deeper skintone.
There are bound to be many other lipsticks that would also fit into the category, and any recommendations are warmly welcomed in the comment section below. However, these six products represent my favourite colours and formulas for this theme. All of these products feel great to wear and make me feel confident and beautiful - and, for me, that confidence boost is one of the real benefits of wearing a bold lipstick.
Any products marked with an asterix (*) are PR samples
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