A $48 Lipstick...Is It Made of Gold?

I am an incredibly pale person.  Like, looseleaf paper white.  And, as all my fair-skinned compatriots know, finding the red lipstick is somewhat of an arduous journey.  Either the color is too flashy, turning my face into a garish, cartoon pin-up version of it's normal Casper-esque self, or it's just...WRONG - too purple, too blue, not bright enough.  Oh the problems we have!

BUT I thought I found one, the one.  The ultimate hue I would never have thought to pick out for myself.  Flipping through the November, 2011 issue of Instyle magazine, Kate Bosworth's spread showcasing the makeup line of Tom Ford instantly floored me - such an incredibly striking color.  An orange based red (which us sallow ones always hear is a no-no), it completely brightened Ms. Kate's countenance - and left me oh so covetous.

The hitch - $48.00.

I shuddered.  How could one possibly justify such a costly cosmetic?  Especially me-of-the-drugstore-$2.50-Nivea-cherry-tinted-chapstick?

I agonized.  Deliberated.  Totally stewed over this lipstick.  Until my husband posited the following - if you get a raise or a bonus, buy it.

A few months later, with a very rewarding end of the year goodies package, I finally caved - Neiman Marcus, can you hear me?

And the results?

I have never gotten more compliments on my makeup.  Ever.

The packaging alone is completely luxurious - a hefty black and gold case at your disposable - shipped to me, no less, in a VHS cassette-sized box.  This, apparently, is a very-important-purchase.  Or so they wooed me to believe.

The lipstick goes on completely smooth right out of the case (I know, I know - you are supposed to use a lipstick brush, primer, and such.  But it's just fine as is).  The color stays all day long - which I've never fully experienced, not even with those scientific 8-hour formulas.  Perhaps a little drying towards the end of the day...but it still looks smashing, then, under my cherry lip balm.  And it is winter, of course.

So, no, not made of gold - but certainly worth a few doubloons.

Look – Instyle Magazine, November, 2011 Ed.