Posted on July 05, 2022.

Like many women of colour, the search for a truly natural-looking lipstick has proved elusive – that is until the latest drop from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s brand, Rose Inc. Here’s my full review.

There’s a common refrain in the beauty world, uttered by celebrities and make-up professionals alike: a nude or natural lipstick should look like your lips – but better. An oft-thrown-away comment, the “[insert facial feature] but better” chorus has seen a steep rise in popularity following the clean look aesthetic and the advent of pseudo-invisible make-up. 

Where HD brows and heavy over-lining once ruled Instagram, soft, full-looking eyebrows and gently flushed warm skin are officially an entire make-up oeuvre right now. As for lip trends – well, you guessed it. My social media feeds are saturated with natural lip colours, a healthy, sometimes glossed sheen and subtle liner pairings.

And, while I spent the majority of my adolescence and young adulthood searching for the product (or products) that would allow me to partake in the effortless lipstick event, it took a recent launch from a celebrity beauty brand to answer my sidelined request: Rose Inc’s Satin Lipcolour Rich Refillable Lipstick collection. 

Stylist beauty editor Morgan Fargo wears Rose Inc. Satin Lipcolour Rich Refillable Lipstick in shade Graceful with a clear gloss overlay.

Founded by model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in 2018, Rose Inc. is a skincare and colour cosmetics (make-up, to you and me) brand with a refreshingly simple ethos: sensible, efficacious products that nourish the skin, work hard out of the packet and are intuitive to apply. In fact, the fact it’s founded by a famous face often slips my mind, the impressive product formulations taking centre stage in my memory.

So, when the new Satin Lipcolour Rich Refillable Lipstick range landed on the Stylist beauty desk, I was pleasantly surprised at the niche colour palette Huntington-Whiteley had chosen for her latest launch: a core edit of dusty pinks, subdued peaches and plummy brown-toned reds, I felt as if I was looking at the millimetre side of a ruler – the differences between each shade subtle and yet significant.

As a brown woman, the search for a truly neutral lipstick has eluded me for decades. Like many women of colour, small differences in undertone colour and pigment payoff can quickly relegate a promising lipstick to the disaster pile. Graceful, my chosen shade from the Rose Inc. range, proved what intelligent colour formulation and naturally hydrating ingredients (each lipstick has a supple, moisturised finish) can really mean – a lipstick you’ll stay loyal to for years.

Enriched with reparative vitamin E, hydrating squalane and gently blurring swertia flower extract, the result is a creamy, highly pigmented finish that feels comfortable and non-drying on the lips. Plus, when you reach the end of the bullet, simply pop in a colour refill – no new cartridge required. 

“I wanted versatile and easy-to-wear lipstick shades that could go from morning to night and leave your mouth looking supple,” says Huntington-Whiteley about the collection. “With neutral, soft-satin hues, the collection puts the focus on you rather than your makeup.”

This summer, your lips but better, thanks to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – what a win. 

Original Post: Rose Inc’s refillable satin lipstick collection is timeless and brilliant with a focus on supple, natural colour