LISA ELDRIDGE - BRAND APPRECIATION
Lisa Eldridge might just be my all-time favourite makeup artist. Not only for her work, which is beautiful– glamorous yet never overdone – but for everything about her. The mesmerisingly soothing makeup videos, her immaculate hands and nails, her voice, her own gorgeous face, her knowledge, her love for the history of art and beauty… I could (and no doubt, shall) go on. So when she launched her very own line of products four years ago, I was thrilled.
At the end of 2018, Lisa shared with the world her trio of True Velvet Lip Colours, an entirely new entry into the lipstick game, which is no mean feat, given lip colour has been used for centuries. Only poorly imitated since, the velvet texture of her lipsticks is created right in the bullet mould, rather than just being sprayed on later. The way the lipsticks really do seem wrapped in velvet is utterly beguiling, but the lipstick itself is velvety, too. It’s matte, but with the same sort of soft gleam as its namesake fabric. It also shares its glorious depth of colour.
If you can believe it, I somehow managed to sit on my hands for that first collection, though. A move I still regret, but at the time I thought I was being sensible. Ugh. How pedestrian of me.
My gorgeous sometimes-model, Linka, whose stylish mother must have known her aquamarine collar would match Lisa’s first makeup pouch just so.
Lisa’s second launch came in July 2019, with her ‘summer pinks’ range. This time, the lipstick packaging was much the same, though slightly larger. Cue my self-directed rage at having not ordered the very first release, as the nerd within me wants to have one of the smaller originals for my archive. (Note by ‘archive’ I mean nothing more grandiose than a cardboard box in a dark cupboard, but that is its name and so it shall be, forever more.) No matter, though, as two new lines of lipstick had now been born to join their velvet sisters – Luxuriously Lucent, with a wearable, soft, satin texture, and Insanely Saturated, a true matte that Lisa reserves for proper bright pigments, as its name suggests. Off I went to make my very first order. Into my digital basket I threw the Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours in Love Of My Life and Go Lightly, and the ridiculously gorgeous, knew-I-needed-it-the-second-I-saw-it Insanely Saturated in Rainbow Spill. Pleasingly, purchasing three lippies meant the additional arrival of the most gorgeous turquoise linen pouch, trimmed in the same soft gold as the lipstick cases, and embroidered with Lisa’s lovely logo. How could I refuse?
L-R: Rainbow Spill, Go Lightly, Love Of My Life
Go Lightly has, for many people, become The One That Got Away. Owing to various issues, including COVID, Lisa has yet to bring back this shade since it promptly sold out upon its release. Inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s go-to lipstick, it is a 1960s coral that is somehow both soft and brightening. On my colouring, (dark hair and eyes, with pale skin which has an olive undertone), I do need to add a fair bit of blush to make it work, but I am willing to put in the ‘effort’, such as it is, to do so. I just love it, even if it might be an easier fit on warmer or deeper complexions than mine. The texture and colour combo does mean it grabs to any imperfections in your lips, so it’s not just an easy swipe on number – you have to have prepped first. Worthwhile work, though.
Sadly, I never got on so well with Love Of My Life. I have tried and tried, but ultimately this pink is just too cool-toned to work for me. I mean, it’s fine, but it’s never been one I felt great in or gravitated towards. I often paired it with Go Lightly to warm it up, and while that combination is pretty, it felt like a waste of the shade which I like so much on its own. Also, even though they are from the same line, and not even a matte one at that, I always found this pink quite drying.
Shamefully, I have yet to try what I am sure will be my favourite, Rainbow Spill. Once it arrived and I had spent time ogling it like some sort of serial-killer-of-lipsticks, it got immediately tucked away for some unknown future ‘special occasion’, and I haven’t been able to bite the bullet on using it yet. Thank goodness, then, for people in our lives who just get us. A dear friend of mine who very rudely moved to Europe without me earlier this year, managed to get herself to Lisa’s pop up shop (aka the land of dreams) in London looking for a birthday present for moi, and chatted through my beauty preferences with one of Lisa’s MUAs. Lo and behold, they agreed that Rainbow Spill would be just my shade. Now that I am officially the owner of two of these, I think I can bring myself to break into one. I think. I haven’t yet, but when I do, expect a follow up post here to mark the occasion.
Rainbow Spill’s shocking level of pigment captured with the camera flash
In late 2019 came a launch of more of the True Velvets, in nudes ranging from pale beige to bitter chocolate. I don’t gravitate towards these sorts of colours, so sat this one out, but did selflessly order one of the OG shades, Velvet Morning, for my orangey-red-obsessed mother’s Christmas present. She adored it, has since ordered her own replacements, and it has become one of her signature shades. I feel both proud as well as a little miffed that I can’t make it one of my own.
I have been waffling on for so long about Lisa’s range and have a lot more still to share, so have decided to break this up into two posts. More to come, including her complexion and eye products. Swoon.
Purchase info: 2019, direct from brand website .
