Pucker up

Lipstick lovers, unite! What better way to satiate shopping pangs than by perusing the cosmetics section with a little lipstick therapy? Whether we’re feeling like catwalk material or wallowing in the dumps, there’s really nothing like purchasing a tube of lipstick to be instantly uplifted. Not much dough is needed and it has the ability to change your appearance in a matter of seconds.

Japanese luxury brand Shu Uemura’s revolutionary new line of lipwear presents us with a multitude of forces to be reckoned with. Aptly named Rouge Unlimited, it breaks color boundaries and puts Shu Uemura on the pedestal for this high-tech hybrid pigment. To get all techie on you, this pigment took four years to develop under the collaboration of the Shu Uemura labs and a hardcore Japanese pigment company. It was patterned after ancient Japanese porcelain color technology where absolute, unadulterated bright colors are produced by controlling the shape and size of the pigment. So in layman’s terms, by making the shape more regular and round, colors appear brighter and purer, ensuring color fidelity. Whew.

Science aside and beauty at the forefront, 48 shades are now available and another 40 will be introduced next year. Mr. Shu Uemura and his team of experts personally handpicked each of the shades, of which there are some to flatter every skin tone and complexion. The hottest feature is that all the lipsticks in this range have been customized to be mixed and layered together to achieve a plethora of hues that appear to be endless. Hung up on finding the perfect shade for you? With this, you’ll find several. Seven artist shades have been formulated around primary colors (red, yellow, blue, purple, green, white and black) to craft an assortment of shades. It sounds ghastly thinking of applying green to your lips, but it can create a dimensional effect when applied to the outer corner of the lip. Tinkering with these newfound glossies is like mad scientist work!

Housed in transparent crystal packaging by acclaimed NYC based architect Calvin Tsao, what you see in the tube is what you’ll see on your pout. It’s also easy to identify the shade when getting ready in a hurry, simplifying our lives. Locked-in moisture is an easy feat with the creamy texture guaranteeing hydration. And don’t forget that it exudes luminous shine. So with a fresh face, start concocting your lip recipes. Smack those lips, click those heels and the rainbow of colors is yours to choose from.

Shu tips for Angelina Jolie lips:

1. Mixing two shades of one color, like a pale pink and a bright pink, gives lips more depth and immediately makes them look fuller.

2. Paler tones give off the illusion of plump lips while darker hues make lips appear smaller and thinner (which is not so bad if it’s your intended effect).