It was worth the wait. I have known for a long time that Dustin Lujan was developing a new cosmetics line, starting with a
lipstick collection. Dustin chose to align his new beauty brand with his partner, fashion designer Victor de Souza, and so
Victor dE Souza Beauty was born. I am so thrilled for my sweet friend Dustin.
The long-awaited launch occurred in New York City on April 28. The party, hosted by Victor and Dustin, featured five models - from students to media strategists - and eight-foot tall banners showing their glam shots wearing Dustin's lip colors. Over 150 guests attended. I wish I could have been one of them. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me to work the full day and add on a round trip to New York before it was time to work the next day.
Beauty has always been an important focus for de Souza, coming from a family in which both sisters are skilled makeup artists. Victor has worked with some of the top makeup artists in the world, including Francois Nars and and Dustin Lujan, to make shocking and beautiful images for his fashion shows, making the makeup a centerpiece along with his fashion designs. Cosmetics were a natural transition for his portfolio; his father was one of the top chemists in Argentina. As he grew up, he and his sisters tested makeup formulas.
As a creature of design, Victor collaborated with Dustin, former creative director and development consultant for several top, luxury beauty houses, to work on Victor's own beauty line. Max Factor's design from the 1920's was one of the main inspirations of Dustin's designs, using all-metal packaging that is sleek and heavy. The upgrade to the classic inspiration was the metal spike on the top of each case, adding a modern edge resembling the pawn of a chess piece to combine classic, contemporary, and intellectual design factors.
The lipstick formula, developed by Dustin, consists of an ingredient called Hyla-Bubble, exclusive to Victor dE Souza Beauty. Hyaluronic acid is trapped in micro-bubbles and released when the lips are pressed together, replenishing moisture and redepositing color to the lips. This ingredient attracts and holds up to 1,800 times its own weight in water to fill the space between collagen and elastin fibers in the skin. Dustin spent over 10 years developing this masterful formula.
The lipsticks come in three different formulas. All are priced at $68. All shades stay on forever. To get them off my arm, I had to use soap, water, and makeup remover. That's unusual. The shades must have a long-lasting tint in their formula, making them highly resistant to transfer and color loss.
- Prismatic Lipstick, which offers extra moisture and shine
- Satin Lipstick, for the most sensitive lips with a true-to-life "lip finish"
- Matte Lipstick, for a moisture-intense matte lip with flair and life
I purchased one of the shades, and Dustin graciously sent me all of them. I was able to take swatch photos this past weekend. I took the lipstick photos in full, mid-day sunshine and grouped them by formula.
The first photo above shows the two Prismatic Lipsticks. Doom Generation is shown on the left, and Liquid Sky is shown at right. I was lucky to get photos at all. It was incredibly windy, and the lipsticks kept moving around on me.
The swatch photo for these two Prismatic Lipsticks is shown directly above. The two Prismatic shades could not be more different. Liquid Sky is a very slight, shiny pink, and Doom Generation is a deep plum. It makes a statement.
The next grouping of colors (directly above) shows the Satin Lipsticks. Mysterious Skin is shown at left, and Stage Fright is shown at right. It was Stage Fright that really caught my eye in Dustin's model's photos. It gave me palpitations. Shown below on student Kyla Malbon, it was an instant must-have.
My swatch photo of the two Satin Lipsticks is presented directly below. Mysterious Skin, a peachy nude is shown at the top of my arm, and Stage Fright, which appears to be coral, is shown below. Both shades are definitely affected by your own lip pigmentation, in most cases making them more pink than they appear on my arm.
The Matte Lipsticks surprised me. They are not dull mattes. You can even see in my swatch photos below that they reflect light, giving them a spectacular finish.
Even though they were moving around with the wind, I managed to focus on Female Trouble at left, Raspberry Reich in the middle, and the ultimate red, The Hunger, at right. My swatch photo, with the lipsticks shown in the same order as I moved down my arm, is shown directly below.
From the fuchsia Female Trouble, to my favorite of the three, a rosy pink Raspberry Reich, to the perfect red, The Hunger, these shades were designed to provide a pop to your face.
Here is a cute photo of Victor and Dustin, taken at the launch party. I don't have to tell you who's who because so many of you know and love Dustin.
Although the cases are gunmetal grey, I love the photo above, provided by Dustin. It shows how classy these lipsticks are - even without color.
You can purchase these Lipsticks from
Victor dE Souza Beauty online. If you don't follow Dustin on Facebook, you really should. In a run-up to the launch, he posted photos of the models wearing each shade. They are masterfully edited, showing the flair of both Victor and Dustin.
What's next for Victor dE Souza Beauty? What one makeup product does every woman need - besides lipstick - on a deserted island? Mascara! I may be spilling a secret, but I knew you would ask me. Before long, Dustin and Victor will have developed a full, luxury beauty line, with worldwide distribution.
What do you think? Do you have a favorite shade? Will one or more go on your must-have list?
Update 5/18: In my original feature, I mixed up Raspberry Reich and The Hunger. I'm sorry. The Hunger is the perfect red. I have confirmed this with Dustin, who didn't notice at first either (so I don't feel like such a ditz). Thanks to "Anonymous" for pointing out the confusion. I have corrected the copy above.
Photos courtesy of Victor dE Souza Beauty and by Best Things in Beauty
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