Five New Shades for Spring

The naming of lipsticks is a mini literary genre. Papers have been written on the subject. According to Debra Merskin, who penned 'Truly Toffee and Raisin Hell: A Textual Analysis of Lipstick Names' (2007 Springer Netherlands), 'understanding how meaning is constructed through lipstick naming is an important step towards apprehending the role of cosmetics in conflating femininity, self-esteem, and body image with the goals of patriarchal hegemony.' Now you know. She found that most lipsticks are named after food, beverages, sex and romance. Perhaps things have moved on since 2007. Nars, for instance, currently features reams of more subtle and surprising titles, leaning heavily on geography (Tanganyka, Porte Vecchio, Tashkent, Valparaiso, Bilbao, etc), throwing in a bit of psychology (Mindgame, Beautiful Liar, Success) and even trains (Trans Siberian, Transeurope Express, Shanghai Express). Far more interesting than Shade No.37.