Grand Rouge Mat: Behind the Scenes

What was the challenge? The goal was a long-wearing matte finish lipstick that goes on comfortably and has a non-drying texture. All of this and it couldn’t contain any silicone or cochineal carmine, plus it had to have a high content of natural ingredients.

To achieve color and coverage, we used a higher percentage of pigments than our regular lipsticks.

We chose the regenerative camellia oil – our favorite active ingredient – to ensure comfort.

We quickly realized that it's very hard to combine a matte effect with comfort. You’ve probably already noticed, but matte products are usually very dry and those that aren’t do not deliver a totally matte look...

Determined not to compromise, we continued our research.

Step 1: Selecting the least shiny raw materials and least drying powders.

We ran into many problems, one of which was cleaning the molds. Matte actually means making a formula packed with powder and pigment, which makes it a lot stickier. We had to test out a number of cleaning products before realizing that an ordinary washing machine for clothes was the best solution.

After three years of work, we have a lipstick we are proud of. It took us some time, but we did it for the pleasure of your lovely smile.

Now that everything works like a charm, here is the final recipe:

Then the process is scaled up at the plant. Your lipstick goes through many different assembly machines before it winds up in your purse!

And don't be surprised at how light the packaging is because we made sure not to use any metal – and that makes Mother Nature happy.