Thank goodness it’s Friday! In celebration of the weekend and the beautiful spring weather, here’s some lightweight beauty news that you can use. I don’t know about you, but my lips don’t get the love that they deserve. Think about it: they take up a sizable amount of space on your face, and are incredibly important aesthetically and functionally (!). But while I spend a lot of money and time slathering the rest of my face with specific beauty products, my lips are very far down the list when it comes to skincare. I LOVE a great red lipstick, but I don’t treat lips like *skin*. Which, of course they are—and they deserve at least as much love as the sensitive eye area. (Note: I did figure out a great “trick,” which is to apply all of my skincare products on my lips, too—hydrating mist, vitamin C serum, lotion, facial oil. It’s just like how you’re supposed to use all products on your neck, too.)
Plus, I’m beginning to think about my bridal skincare and makeup. I don’t plan on spending a lot on my wedding dress, but I do like the idea of adding a couple of luxury, special-occasion touches to my skincare leading up to the day. This is why I’m so intrigued by La Bouche Rouge’s Le Serum de Nuit, Lip Scrub, and Day Balm trio. Each step sets you back $40 (plus refillable case—I’ll get there in a bit). If you care to do the whole 3-part regimen, that’s $120. Gulp!!
Let’s deep dive into why it might be worth it. The brand was founded as an actively anti-plastic, luxurious sustainable house based in French beauty traditions. The founder Nicolas Gerlier worked for a mainstream beauty brand for a long time, but was inspired to create change after realizing just how polluting the industry is—including the fact that a *billion* lipsticks are thrown away every year. The balms are formulated without petroleum derivatives, beeswax, or silicones, and cruelty-free and vegan, and produced in the Loire Valley. The hero ingredient is hand-harvested seaweed from St Sauliac, France. They also contain West African shea butter, olive-based squalene, jojoba oil, castor oil and hyaluronic acid for plumping. You are supposed to do the scrub every three days, and the night balm every night for seven consecutive days if you’re really struggling with “peeling wallpaper” lips. The day formula comes in four colors and “white balm” for a subtle color.
But wait, there’s more. La Bouche Rouge seems to be really determined to win awards for most thoughtful. Its red paper case is made of recycled paper and recyclable metal, without any plastic pieces. They also offer a forever refillable case ($80) made of upcycled leather (which, I personally do not recommend obviously, as a vegan) and vegan leather (yay!). If you are truly in the mood to self-celebrate, you can add your initials for $10.
The brand is also committed to helping human communities. Because water shortage is one of the leading causes of infant mortality, La Bouche Rouge contributes to Eau Vive Internationale. For each lipstick sold, they provide 100 liters of safe drinking water to children in Togo.
Gerlier says, “For me French Beauty is effortless and chic. A bold red lip, a clear and healthy skin and that’s it. That’s how we conceive Beauty.” I would say oui to that! He also adds, “70% of the selective make-up market is represented by French Brands, and yet not one is fully sustainable or clean. We are the first Parisian clean beauty brand!”
Red Balm, $40
I would definitely be interested in trying all three lip treatments in preparation for my big day. Not my typical beauty purchase, but I think it would be a great experiment. I have always wanted rose-petal soft lips and have been incredibly lazy in trying to get them! Doing nothing won’t solve my chapped lips, you know? What do you think?
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Photo: La Bouche Rouge
