When we chose to have a lipstick in our limited edition Holiday Reserve, we knew we just had to team up with the best. The gloss guru. The lipstick lady. In other words, we needed to have Poppy King, aka The Lipstick Queen, on our side. No one knows va-va-voom red more than Poppy, who has amassed a cult-following by creating lipsticks that are chock full of serious pigment. And while the gorgeous (like, literally, everyone in the office has put it in their daily beauty rotation) lipstick she created just for us looks like it's slathered in glitter, it actually is just expertly tinted with shine. The subtle shimmer and berry tone is mistletoe-prepped, go-anywhere, and lip-lockingly good. So we decided to speak to the gal on the throne about exactly what makes this killer lipstick, the R29 exclusive "Monarch" so perfect for our readers. Oh, and to figure out how to cure our addiction for the reddest, reddest holiday reds.
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Can you tell us a bit about Monarch? Why did you decide on this hue for Refinery29? What sort of girl wears it?
"Monarch is a stunning and hauntingly unusual shade designed to be a butterfly-like finish with a fine iridescent sheen over a sheer red. The stunning hand-dipped shimmer gives it an 'other-worldly' look, but because the red underneath is sheer, it is super easy to wear. Think of it as the most glamorous lip shine ever. Anyone can wear it just as any caterpillar can become a butterfly."
Right now, if we were to dig through your bag, what color of lipstick would be in there?
"Ten different ways to wear red! All mine, of course!"
"Ten different ways to wear red! All mine, of course!"
Poppy, we are obsessed with the bright, vivid colors of your lipstick. Seriously. But what should we tell our friends who say lipstick isn’t for them? What should they try instead?
"Tell them that full pigment lipstick may not be for them, but these days there are many fabulous sheer colors that show your natural lip underneath. It makes the lipstick seem less extreme. Everyone has to give new lipsticks a try!"
"Tell them that full pigment lipstick may not be for them, but these days there are many fabulous sheer colors that show your natural lip underneath. It makes the lipstick seem less extreme. Everyone has to give new lipsticks a try!"
Can we ask: Is there a color of lipstick you don’t totally love? Why?
"No. Any color when done with a chic (think Parisian) approach can be wonderful."
"No. Any color when done with a chic (think Parisian) approach can be wonderful."
If you weren’t a maker of lipstick, what would you be doing?
"Looking for my idea of perfect lipsticks and not finding them!"
"Looking for my idea of perfect lipsticks and not finding them!"
Are there any classic makeup rules (strong eye or strong lip, no heavy blush in daytime, etc.) that you absolutely will not break? Why?
"I don't believe in any rules. I believe in doing what makes you feel good about yourself, because if you feel good you look good."
"I don't believe in any rules. I believe in doing what makes you feel good about yourself, because if you feel good you look good."