Through my journey of lipsticks I have worn shades of red, pink, blue, purple and now that I’m a boring adult I stick to nude. My lipstick swatches have taken me on quite the journey that is seemingly never ending for those perfect shades.
I’m sure many of your have your own lipstick story. It is indeed a profound discovery that occurs in a young woman or man’s life. It’s that lipstick that you wear down to the point where the top is no longer pointed and the insignia has faded away. It’s that shade of lipstick that is uniquely you and it completes your transformation of glamour.
There was only one person that I could turn to, to discuss all things lipstick and that is the Lipstick Queen Poppy King. At 18, Poppy went on her own journey to find the perfect lipstick in her home of Melbourn, but after an extensive search the perfect tube was not found. It was then that Poppy decided to create her own range of lipsticks that would be known as Lipstick Queen.
With shades that you can’t find anywhere else and a tube of red that promises to match any skin tone, it’s no wonder that Lipstick Queen quickly became a cult favorite among the beauty crowd. With eye-catching colors and inventive names, Lipstick Queen is certainly the life of the lipstick party. The green hued Frog Prince glides onto the lips in a complimentary shade of pink and the blue Hello Sailor transforms the lips into a deep berry that whitens the teeth. Poppy is changing the world of lipstick as we know it causing the search for the perfect tube to be much easier.
Without further ado, let’s get to know the Lipstick Queen, Poppy King.
TCL: Tell us when your fascination with lipstick first began?
PK: When I was 7 years old and first tried on my mother’s lipstick while playing dress ups and it made me feel like a superhero!
TCL: What made you want to start Lipstick Queen?
PK: I wanted to show women everywhere that lipstick is a magical product that can totally transform your mood!
TCL: When was the title Lipstick Queen first bestowed upon you? (Essentially describe the origins behind the name of your brand)
PK: People started calling me lipstick queen because I always have my red lipstick on but you don’t need to wear red lipstick to be a lipstick queen! It’s a state of mind about having fun being female.
TCL: When you first started Lipstick Queen, what was it that you hoped to accomplish?
PK: To introduce women to the wonders of lipstick and to help them understand how it can make you feel that anything is possible!
TCL: Who is the Lipstick Queen designed for (describe the person who gravitates towards the lipstick queen brand?
PK: Anyone who wants to have a little more glamour in their life.
TCL: What were some of the rewards and challenges that come with starting your own business?
PK: The biggest rewards are the customers who tell me how wearing lipstick has made them have a new sense of self. The challenges are the same for all businesses which is to keep up with customer demand.
TCL: When was your ah-ha moment that you knew Lipstick Queen would be a success?
PK: When Medieval my red that suits everyone became such a success I knew that women who didn’t think they could wear lipstick now had a product that showed them that they could.
TCL: Where do you find your inspiration for the shades of lipstick?
PK: From art and films and music and the city I live in New York as well as the cities I get to travel to.
TCL: The names of the lipsticks are quite inventive, what is the naming process behind the different shades?
PK: It depends on the concepts, for example, Velvet Rope is so lux so the names are all about the idea of the VIP area behind the Velvet Rope.
TCL: It can be a daunting task finding the right shade of lipstick, any tips on how to find the perfect shade?
PK: The right shade lights up your entire face, hair, skin and eyes whereas a shade that doesn’t work won’t have that light up effect.
TCL: What is a common lipstick faux pas you’ve seen among lipstick wearers?
PK: Wearing too much eye make-up with a statement lip. Do one or the other.
TCL: What is your favorite shade from your collection?
PK: Red Sinner is my go-to everyday shade!
TCL: Any plans on taking your makeup range outside of lipstick and glosses?
PK: Stay tuned – there are plans for some very special products!
TCL: What’s next for you Poppy?
PK: To continue to create the world’s best lipstick brand!
So after all of this lipstick talk you’re probably wonder which items piqued my fancy. Well based off Poppy’s recommendation I went home with Big Bang Space Illusion GlossBig Bang Space Illusion Gloss. It’s a dark metallic purple, but it shows up incredibly natural. Plus it lasts quite a while even after eating, so it passes the durability test. I would have never picked it for myself so I’m glad I had an expert pick it for me. As for the product I’m dying to try next, Poppy has an invisible lip liner. You heard it right invisible! You just use the one stick of liner to line any color lips. Gone are the days where you buy colored liners for each lipstick. Even though Lipstick Queen has the promise of no bleed, you can use the liner for your inferior tubes of lipstick.
Can’t wait to see what Lipstick Queen does next! You can check out Lipstick Queen at LipstickQueen.com or purchase it at Barney’s NY. Special thanks to Poppy for chatting with me.
