My Love Affair with Lipstick

I first became infatuated with lipstick when I was three years old.  I remember my mother’s wooden makeup box, the interior lined with black velvet. It hosted a sparse collection of shimmery powders, brushes and two lipsticks.  Oh how I longed to put on the bright orange and deep rose shades.  My mother very rarely wore lipstick and I knew it was a special occasion when she would smooth rich color upon her lips.   

A few years later I remember spending a day with my Dad who at that time owned a tree trimming business.  He would occasionally take my younger sister and me along. We would climb trees, help gather branches and explore our new “playground”.  It was always quite the excursion.  This particular yard happened to have a tree house that my sister and I had always dreamed of and we eagerly climbed up into it.   There I discovered the greatest treasure of all.  A whole box full of tiny mini lipsticks in every color one could imagine.  My nine year old self was in heaven.  Although I knew it was wrong because they didn’t belong to me, I couldn’t resist trying on at least one color.  

I gazed upon the array of reds, bronzes, pinks, and oranges.  I immediately aimed for a daring bright crimson red.  My sister chimed in “We will get in trouble.”  I held the tiny tube in the palm of my hand...it beckoned me.  Finally temptation over took my reason and I put on the red lusciousness slowly following the curve of my lip.   Then I reached for a pink... then an orange.  I was hooked.  I couldn’t control myself.  I needed to try every color and feel it’s soft silkiness upon my lips.  I didn’t do a very good job cleaning up the evidence of my lipstick revelry,  most likely looking like a circus clown from a nightmare.  My mother was less than thrilled and made sure I saw in the mirror just how silly I looked.  Clearly I would have to work on my application technique.    I wouldn’t be allowed to wear it until high school.

I have since built quite the extensive collection of Mac Lipstick (my personal favorite).  It was no accident that my designers created Aprilierre’s logo to feature a Glamour girl sporting bright red lips.  I believe a woman should have simple little indulgences that immediately brightens her mood.  For me that is reaching for a trusted favorite shade of lipstick or the excitement of trying a new color for the first time.  

Sometimes jewelry is a little indulgence that makes a woman feel special.  As a jewelry artist, I love to create a piece that will become a notable item in a woman’s collection, be it something simplistic that can be worn as her everyday  jewelry or that unique piece she excitedly brings out for a special occasion.  I am so delighted with the thrill a customer expresses when she finds in my collection her perfect piece of jewelry, as personal as if it were made with her in mind by the artist wearing red lipstick.