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Naming Beauty: Reflections on Lip Culture
By Karen North, Devign®. July 27, 2001

"There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion." Francis Bacon.

Given the Greek origin of cosmetics, kosmetikos, meaning "skilled in ordering or adorning," Sir Francis Bacon was spot-on with his interpretation of supreme allure. Now, more than ever, the verbal language of beauty is as personally enriching and communicative as its visual voice. The currency of our culture and pulse on society are no further than a tube of lipstick away. The lines are blurred. We challenge the accepted. We tolerate and dare a more colorful expression of self. What were extremes are now embraced. As we push our personal definition and comfort zone, we also more publicly pronounce the individual effort to beat a path to our uniqueness. The way we describe and adorn ourselves, the words and colors we chose to embellish, accentuate and represent, this verbal and visual connective tissue that is language creep manifests itself in many a societal mirror. And for those who "get" the transparency of naming, there is also the reward of shareholder benefit.

The more progressive cosmetics companies have successfully tapped into our psyche, masterminding subtle yet equally compelling marketing strategy that aims for the consumer's subconscious decision or repeat impulse purchase. The industry is awash with seasonal proliferation of colors and cues. How the competition distinguishes the merits and virtues of this red-brown over that brown-red, or Caramel over CloudCover (the author's neologism), to ensure bottom-line profit of every collection, lies in the street-smart application of verbal associations that facilitate an emotional connection between consumer and brand.

Let's face it, do we really need another shade of lipstick? But if nuances of our personality are brought out by a multitude of shades or hues, each articulated in a different stick, barrel or pot name, the incremental indulgence that yet another tube presents us is far greater than the additional Jackson we've just forked over. The more high-strung and exploratory names grab our attention and maintain the grip. The individual subjectivity of the names and the interpersonal play with each of our personalities is as labyrinthine as they come. Yet, we have allies in our escape artistry.

We can credit a slew of young, reformist cosmetics companies or brands who know how to get the most out of us (in more ways than one)…who create the opportunity of imagination's potential. This progressive genre of cosmetics' naming does not disappoint and its pervasiveness is on the order of a mean termite invasion. The most common route of concise persuasion is through an arbitrary, evocative and provocative "story in a tube" or "narrative in a bottle." And while there are many naming styles and techniques, the emotionally driven ones offer the strongest attraction and lasting effect. Themes abound and carry the mood, with the all-round winners being those that tie their corporate name with complementary product monikers, thus carrying the entire personality of the brand forward with fashion bravado. Now, lips…on the double!

Alchemy infuses us herbs, spices and botanicals with names like Sorrel, Ginseng, Iceland Moss, Mescale and Rose Hips, while Body & Soul take the glitzy route, namely Bombshell, Casino, Hollywood, Icing and Martini. Poppy stirs our intangible soul (Honesty, Trust, Charity, Ambition, Faith and Integrity), while Cargo departs/takes off to far-away grandeur (Nevis, Bombay, Shanghai, Morocco and Congo), and not so exotic lands (with Alaska, Woodstock, Nantucket, Memphis, Buffalo and Tacoma). Pupa feeds our senses with liquors (Frangelico®, Campari®, Zinfandel, Amaretto, Chianti and Sambucco), food (Maraschino, Portabello, Tiramisu, Marzipan and Spumoni) and trees (Sequoia and Mahogany).

Nars taunts us (Cabaret, Gypsy, Hot Voodoo, Lolita, Fire Down Below and Taboo) and transports us via the strong sound symbolism of the back of the alphabet (Scarlett Express, Transeurope Express, Trans Siberian, Venice and Xanadu) to Africa (Tanganyka, Congo Red, Tangier, Casablanca and Zanzibar). Mac is mad about the letter "F," with Faux, Fetish, Fluff, Fondle, Frenzy, Frolick and Frou and daringly tongue-in-cheek with the coined Huetopia, Martooni, Mistlesnow, Smoove and Morange. Fun and excess are not to be lost with their brash (Carnal, Wuss and Pervette) and nod to entertainment (Photo, Media, Cyber, 3D, Paramount, Film Noir, Chroma, Folio and Vinyl). Oh, and please keep these to yourselves (Shhh, Alibi, Hush, Mystic, Aura and Myth).

Benefit stops traffic (But Officer, Lane Change, Peel Out, Move Over, Undercover and Swerve) and gives in to it sweet tooth (Candi, Cooki, Icing, Meringue and Sugar). Stila shows her ethnic, feminine side (Ina, Esme, Fiona, Luce and Miranda) and artistic bent (Piaf, Andie, Sofia, Gala, Stella, Natalie, Vivian, Liza, Kelly and Juliette), while Delux adds some British testosterone (Harvey, Lloyd, Vinnie, Paddy, Desmond, Nigel, Clive, Angus, Theo and Lowell). So, who came first? Lorac has its own star-studded retinue: Winona, Julia, Geena, Farrah, Lena, Demi, Ashley, Ellen, Lauren, Meg, Brooke, Anjelica, Goldie and Jada. And Stila blooms on with the likes of Camellia, Petunia, Poppy, Magnolia, Gladiola, Orchid, Rose and Peony.

It's double or nothing with Too Faced (Femme Fatale, Heart Breaker, Hot Flash, Miss Thing, Movie Star, Sex Kitten), or is it (You're No Lady, Marcia X 3 and Drop Dead Red)? Tony & Tina is both passively suggestive (Blessed, Empowered, Respective, Entranced, Hope, Balanced and Courageous) and direct (Sultry, Tender, Chosen, Seductive, Sexy and Euphoric). Where would we be without Girl (Cosmic Girl, Funktify, Wildchild, Shagadelic, Rockstar and Boogie Nights)? Interface urges us to Embrace, Rapture, Surrender and Cuddle Up or be Seduced, Fired Up and Dangerous. Bloom "tintillates" (sic) with Peck, Pout, Pucker, Smirk and Smooch. Paula Dorf is both island idyllic (Calypso, Beach, Caribe, Flamingo, Paradise, Shell and Havana) and shifty, with none other than Mirage, Sepia, Dazzle, Chameleon and Razzmatazz.

Urban Decay is all concrete and gridlock (Burn Out, SWF, Metropolitan, Oil Slick, Roach, Stray Dog, Uzi®, Chopper, Chaos, Rent and Chronic) and sharp (Gash, Scratch and Bruise) against the softer Jezebel, Love Junkie and Lounge. Hey, where's my Asphalt? Not to be outdone are their double takes inspired from roller coaster toast (Agony/Ecstasy, Manic/Depressive and Pleasure & Pain) to fiction (Crime/Punishment and Jekyll & Hyde). And it's not easy to resist Hard Candy's Baby Doll, Hunny Bunny, Pixie, Love Child, Karma and Hypnotic. Club Monaco gets tactile (Leather, Chenille, Naugahyde®, Cashmere and Suede), adds the finish treatment (Shellac, Varnish, Stain, Lacquer and Glaze) and is much the mettle (Bronze, Alloy, Copper and Metal). Joey New York waxes galactic with Milky Way, Moonbeam, Star Brite, Lightening and Sparkling). Move over with Bolt, Thrust, Friction, Velocity, Buzz and Energy by Rocket City. And, I would be remiss to not wonder loudly whether trademark permission has been granted for the likes of Tabasco® (Paula Dorf), Naugahyde® (Club Monaco) and the liquor-referenced Frangelico®, Campari® and confusingly similar Sambucco to Sambuca® (Pupa).

There IS something for everyone! Each pôte grants us a cosmetic and spiritual connection with our inner selves. The superficial study gives way to far deeper implications. A new color, and the loaded meaning that accompanies it, more than accomplishes a lipstick's obvious visual intent. This metonymy of ourselves fills in any emotional gaps, glosses over unfulfilled physical attributes and reveals an external representation of our private journeys, real or imagined. The hook is baited, and we are hard-pressed not to entertain such an economical transformation. The dramatically efficient wand of beauty that is lipstick today yields Darwinian purpose to great competitive effect. We gravitate and linger, ponder and surrender. We compose our stories with color, character and word choice. No two are alike. And, there is proportion in this strangeness.

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