Does it look deathly or just deathly cool?
Grey lipstick made an appearance back in 2009 at a Doo. Ri fashion show, and we’ve seen the dull hue swiped on the lips of celebrities like singer Ke$ha and model Chanel Iman since. But the look isn’t just for the runway anymore — and that has us wondering whether it's here to stay.
Makeup powerhouse MAC Cosmetics launched their “Grey Friday” lipstick on this year's Black Friday, and though it was only available online for one day, the shade sold out within hours. Estée Lauder also explored the trend, coming out with “GunMetal” in August as part of their limited edition “Vivid Shine” collection. The color is no longer available as of recently, but the lipstick is currently rated four out of five stars on the Estée Lauder website — proving that there is indeed a following among the masses.
Neil Young, a senior makeup artist for MAC, ventured a guess as to why the color might be so popular these days: "MAC consumers love the idea of a shade being exclusive. We had ‘Pink Friday’ in 2010, then ‘Black Friday’ in 2011, and this year it was 'Grey Friday,'" he told TODAY.com.
“The grey shade is a fashion statement in itself,” Young added.
We got our tip on the trend from our friends over at Fashionista.com, but we still have to ask: Is such a color just way too bold for the everyday woman?
According to New York-based makeup and beauty expert Raychel Wayde (the founder/creator of CheektoChic.com), grey lipstick is a bit too daring for right now — though at this point it’s impossible to know for sure which direction it will go.
“It’s difficult to tell right now whether this is a flash-in-the-pan kind of thing, because unlike clothing trends, beauty trends generally take a very long time to progress,” she told TODAY.com.
Her personal take on grey lips? “I can’t say I’m a fan yet. I think it depends on the entire look. Anything can be chic, but you have to commit to the whole look — the hair, the makeup, the outfit, the occasion; I always find that it comes down to how daring you are.”
MAC’s Neil Young agreed: “Grey is definitely a statement lip color and should only ever be worn alone with minimal makeup everywhere else. Wearing such a militant color is more about confidence, so if you have plenty of it, wear it with pride!”
So for the bold few who missed their chance to snag one of these limited-edition grey lipsticks, there are plenty of other options out there, like Manic Panic’s metallic version.
The color certainly is an interesting switch from the pinks, reds and nudes we typically see, but is it too adventurous for you? Or are you willing to try these daring new shades of grey?
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