There's something to be said for that applicator tip...and the TMed phrase "MAXILIP" (lmao). To your point, both those elements seem like a subtle nod to med spa tech (the tip looks like a hydrafacial wand?), which makes me think the brand marketing strategy is actually attempting to address exactly what you're pointing out about the fact that this can only be achieved through injectables by med spa-washing the product.
This quote is so demoralizing. 'In fact, her latest product - the first intended for the lips - has been more than five years in the making because it took that long to figure out the perfect formula. "It's difficult to get it right because we set our standards so high for ourselves in the clean category that getting something effective and clean is tricky," Johansson says. "There's always going to be some sort of wax or stabilizing product that's not clean. So we went through several iterations [of the Lip Oasis]."' The complete degradation of the word clean from any kind of legitimate meaning. Clean is just ~vibes~.
This is something that is frequently said in these situations, be it skincare or makeup, etc. ugh. “Yes you may think we’re too slow, but, in fact, dear consumer, because we care so much about you and your [insert organ or body part] we had to take our time to make sure we came up with the most exciting (pink? Gold?) packaging and created the best and most absurd advertising filled with misleading but enticing statements—incorporating, of course, the latest and best buzzwords and evocations of current aspirational desires—not to mention making the amount of product as scant as we could get away with while still setting the retail price to, um, [cough], let’s just say to a competitive price in this market. (In other words, high enough that you don’t feel like you’re purchasing junk and we maximize our loot, er, profits. Profit margin. Which is low, very low. So roughly $945 for all entries in the line that come in containers smaller than a boiled egg—large.)”
Cleeeeeeeeaaaaannnnn! Now I want to do a clean girl zombie for Halloween. I'll just have lots of little makeup pots and wear athleisure and a high pony tail and be very very very shiny.
Totally! That's the point I was trying to make in the second to last graf about how none of these celebrity beauty brands do the work of celebrity beauty access/teams/etc
Man, you are a WEAPON when it comes to unpacking the culture of beauty. I mean, your final statement on Johansson being a ‘little tacky’? That’s the gems I come here for. Quality essays. Thank you.
Does anyone else thinks it’s weird that Jessica would attend a cocktail party for a brand and thereby ostensibly align herself with beauty products? If you want to critique the product, why show up to the party? Happy to have my thinking challenged though.
Lol I am a beauty reporter... being around brands and customers and beauty editors, largely in part to get interviews but also to get a read on the industry from the inside of it, is part of my job and always has been. And anyway, I very clearly outlined my reasons for attending this party in the second paragraph; I had a specific list of questions I wanted to ask the founder and this was the only way to get access to her. Attending this event was also the only way to come away with a pretty damning quote from the co-founder about *why* the brand launched this product (to capitalize on the public's obsession with Scarlett's lips and encourage imitation) — a detail that has not been previously reported (as far as I know). This is what independent reporting is.
And what an impressive list of questions you had. It struck me as highly intelligent in comparison to the emotionally exploitative reason for the product and its launch.
Well I mean beauty (or physical appearance, for the purposes of this conversation) becomes capital in the leveraging of it — leveraging makes it transactional
I think I miss understood your use of "irreproducible." At first I thought you meant Scarlet Johansen was getting uglier over time. But I think you meant that her beauty capital is not reproducible for the average woman, not matter how much lip treatment they apply.
Well done. And of course, ScarJo knows she has great lips — why not follow the advice of your PR team and capitalize on those assets? The surprising part is that the co-founder was (intentionally?) transparent about it with you! BTW I work at a jewelry store and so many of our customers want Johansson’s ears (well, mainly the piercings she’s curated), and not just her, well, everything!! Related: I’m waiting until ear maintenance and grooming becomes the next big thing…
It’s surreal to have people gathered somewhere to state that some lips are “iconic”, promising that you will “get them”. Can this be a true desire? How is that possible…? 💔
There's something to be said for that applicator tip...and the TMed phrase "MAXILIP" (lmao). To your point, both those elements seem like a subtle nod to med spa tech (the tip looks like a hydrafacial wand?), which makes me think the brand marketing strategy is actually attempting to address exactly what you're pointing out about the fact that this can only be achieved through injectables by med spa-washing the product.
Oh totally. Even the word "treatment" in the name seems vaguely medical
Love this analysis
They all love that medical / lab touch — it makes it seem like it really must work!!
This quote is so demoralizing. 'In fact, her latest product - the first intended for the lips - has been more than five years in the making because it took that long to figure out the perfect formula. "It's difficult to get it right because we set our standards so high for ourselves in the clean category that getting something effective and clean is tricky," Johansson says. "There's always going to be some sort of wax or stabilizing product that's not clean. So we went through several iterations [of the Lip Oasis]."' The complete degradation of the word clean from any kind of legitimate meaning. Clean is just ~vibes~.
This is something that is frequently said in these situations, be it skincare or makeup, etc. ugh. “Yes you may think we’re too slow, but, in fact, dear consumer, because we care so much about you and your [insert organ or body part] we had to take our time to make sure we came up with the most exciting (pink? Gold?) packaging and created the best and most absurd advertising filled with misleading but enticing statements—incorporating, of course, the latest and best buzzwords and evocations of current aspirational desires—not to mention making the amount of product as scant as we could get away with while still setting the retail price to, um, [cough], let’s just say to a competitive price in this market. (In other words, high enough that you don’t feel like you’re purchasing junk and we maximize our loot, er, profits. Profit margin. Which is low, very low. So roughly $945 for all entries in the line that come in containers smaller than a boiled egg—large.)”
“Clean.” Ughhhh.
Cleeeeeeeeaaaaannnnn! Now I want to do a clean girl zombie for Halloween. I'll just have lots of little makeup pots and wear athleisure and a high pony tail and be very very very shiny.
Yes genetics for Scarjo, but also the access to state of the art skincare etc. that only money can buy.
Totally! That's the point I was trying to make in the second to last graf about how none of these celebrity beauty brands do the work of celebrity beauty access/teams/etc
What’s the old saying? “You’re not ugly-you’re just poor!” 🤣
Thank you for always pointing out how celebrities persuade consumers to buy empty promises!
As sooooo many of them do.
Man, you are a WEAPON when it comes to unpacking the culture of beauty. I mean, your final statement on Johansson being a ‘little tacky’? That’s the gems I come here for. Quality essays. Thank you.
Does anyone else thinks it’s weird that Jessica would attend a cocktail party for a brand and thereby ostensibly align herself with beauty products? If you want to critique the product, why show up to the party? Happy to have my thinking challenged though.
Lol I am a beauty reporter... being around brands and customers and beauty editors, largely in part to get interviews but also to get a read on the industry from the inside of it, is part of my job and always has been. And anyway, I very clearly outlined my reasons for attending this party in the second paragraph; I had a specific list of questions I wanted to ask the founder and this was the only way to get access to her. Attending this event was also the only way to come away with a pretty damning quote from the co-founder about *why* the brand launched this product (to capitalize on the public's obsession with Scarlett's lips and encourage imitation) — a detail that has not been previously reported (as far as I know). This is what independent reporting is.
And what an impressive list of questions you had. It struck me as highly intelligent in comparison to the emotionally exploitative reason for the product and its launch.
"Irreproducible beauty capital." I like that phrase. But if beauty isn't capital, what else can you leverage?
Well I mean beauty (or physical appearance, for the purposes of this conversation) becomes capital in the leveraging of it — leveraging makes it transactional
I think I miss understood your use of "irreproducible." At first I thought you meant Scarlet Johansen was getting uglier over time. But I think you meant that her beauty capital is not reproducible for the average woman, not matter how much lip treatment they apply.
Well done. And of course, ScarJo knows she has great lips — why not follow the advice of your PR team and capitalize on those assets? The surprising part is that the co-founder was (intentionally?) transparent about it with you! BTW I work at a jewelry store and so many of our customers want Johansson’s ears (well, mainly the piercings she’s curated), and not just her, well, everything!! Related: I’m waiting until ear maintenance and grooming becomes the next big thing…
It’s surreal to have people gathered somewhere to state that some lips are “iconic”, promising that you will “get them”. Can this be a true desire? How is that possible…? 💔
Excellent! I have to think Johansson would concede your many points if or when she reads it.