Ingredient-led. Editorially driven.
The Lipstick Index is a term popularized by the late Leonard Lauder, chairman emeritus of Estée Lauder, who passed away earlier this month, June 2025. Lauder observed that the surge in lipstick sales following 9/11 was not solely driven by affordability. Rather, it reflected a deeper need for comfort and a sense of control during …
From almond orchards in Provence to pistachio-scented mists and Asia-Pacific success, Groupe L’OCCITANE’s global rise blends ethics, storytelling, and savvy retail alliances. Rooted in Provence: Heritage, Ethics, and Authenticity Few beauty houses walk the line between heritage and innovation as deftly as L’Occitane en Provence. Founded on principles of traceable sourcing, rural preservation, and cultural …
Just days after Clean Beauty Co. published a piece exploring the relevance of the “lipstick index” in today’s economy, Leonard Lauder—the man who gave the phenomenon its name—passed away at age 91. Lauder, the eldest son of Estée Lauder, helped transform a family-run cosmetics company into one of the most powerful forces in global beauty. …
Fragrance is intensely personal.For many, discovering a signature scent is one of life’s rare luxuries, an invisible accessory that becomes part of one’s identity. Among the few eaux de parfum I’ve returned to over the years is Costume National, an Italian niche house. Their scents, formulated without phthalates–one of the more scrutinized synthetics in clean …
Curiosity Killed the Cochineal Insect After posting about lip products favored by the British royal family, curiosity got the better of me. What is it about the Clarins Lip Perfector that would appeal to the future queen of England? Is it possible that her Wimbledon appearance with it was a subtle favor arranged by a …
The short answer: not necessarily. But if you’ve ever read the children’s book The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson, it’s likely out of the question. Snail mucin is often praised for its hydrating, soothing, and skin-repairing benefits. And yes, it has some real strengths. It’s rich in humectants and nutrients that help support …
It’s a question that hit me somewhere between removing my makeup and reading the back of my tinted moisturizer. A preference for sheer, natural coverage over full-coverage foundation often leads to tinted moisturizers, yet what’s surprising is how hard it can be to find one without sunscreen. Whether you’re headed out in the evening, live …
WELL PEOPLE’s Lush Lip Tinted Oil captures the spirit of clean beauty—not just in formula, but in design. Well People is a brand that was co-founded by a cosmetic dermatologist. The company is headquartered in California, however since the brand was acquired by e.l.f. Cosmetics in 2020, it seems many (though not all) of their …
Clean beauty didn’t invent transparency, but it helped popularize it. And now, more than ever, that expectation extends beyond ingredients to funding, ownership, and accountability across the beauty industry. Clean beauty has always promised more than just better ingredients, it has promised integrity. Transparency about what’s in the bottle, where it comes from, and how …
Adapted from The Last Lipstick Generation, an upcoming editorial on the cultural shift from glam to glow in modern beauty. Beauty has long been considered one of the most resilient discretionary categories, a belief tied to the so-called Lipstick Effect, an economic theory that when consumers sense a recession looming, sales of affordable luxuries like …
And Look at Her Now. We just unpacked the latest science behind titanium dioxide in lip products here, but let’s take a lighter moment to ask: what would Joan Collins say? Joan Collins is 90-something, fabulous, and possibly walking, talking proof that decades of titanium dioxide-laced lipstick haven’t killed anyone. Watching her in this interview, …