In a matte rush

ONLY two months shy from its first birthday, Velvet Vanity Cosmetics has managed to woo over 24,000 Instagram followers on the premise of a single product: the liquid-to-matte lipstick.
The local label is quintessentially millennial. Its sole product rides on an ongoing make-up trend, and Velvet Vanity’s overall image – while vibrant – is professionally executed and tastefully designed, from its packaging to the ecommerce platform (www.shopvelvetvanity.com). The team behind the brand makes sure to update its Instagram profile at least twice a day with high definition, artistically orchestrated “flat lays” and selfies – all of which feature Velvet Vanity’s star product, of course.
Nonetheless, the appeal of Velvet Vanity’s lipsticks is not unfounded. According to managing director Nur Adlina Nadirah, the brand’s first batch of 3,000 lipsticks were wiped out within half a year. And if you think selling 500 units a month isn’t too shabby for a start-up, the lipsticks went out of stock within a week of expanding to Singapore via an independent beauty distributor. Come May, the brand will call TANGS VivoCity its second home in Lion City.
“I wanted the lipsticks to be pigmented, because you want the colour with just one swipe – there shouldn’t be a need to touch up. At the same time, I wanted it to be easily removed, and not leave your lips dry. Matte lipsticks from the US can stick on like paint, but ours sit comfortably on the lips,” said Adlina.
Indeed, as claimed by many reviews found online, Velvet Vanity’s liquid lipsticks boast a creamy, mousse-like texture that gently dries out to achieve a matte finish. Regardless the shade, it makes a strong impression with minimal application, and stays on as long as greasy food is at bay. The latter also means that cleaning up is pretty painless – requiring only an oil-based remover – and your lips will not be left flaking. This is a feat even (some) satin-finish lipsticks cannot accomplish.
Regarding Velvet Vanity’s limited colour selection, Adlina revealed that it took four painstaking months of trial and error before the first three shades were released.
“Making the perfect shade is hard; what’s more to suit all skin tones! Anyone can achieve a pink, but a colour can be red-, blue-, or brown-based so it’s a complicated process.
“In fact, we’ve been experimenting with mauve pink and terracotta brown for two months now. We’re hoping to launch them by the end of March,” divulged the 24-year-old.
While getting the colours right remains a priority of the brand, so is ensuring an increasingly health and moral-conscious breed of consumers that her products are 100% vegan and not tested on animals.
“I keep in touch with my manufacturer. From the certificates I received from the Ministry of Health, and the list of ingredients, I can assure you that our lipsticks are 100% vegan,” said Adlina, who’s also an architecture graduate.