It‘s an age old dilemma. If a lipstick is long lasting, it makes your lips feel dry. If a lipstick is moisturizing, it slides right off and is practically nonexistent after a few hours. Couture designer, Victor dE Souza, would appear to have found a solution to the problem with his new line of lipsticks that launched this week at the Cos Bar in New York City.
Although this is the first foray into the cosmetics industry for dE Souza, makeup and beauty are in his blood. “My father was a chemist. My mother was a hairstylist. My two sisters were makeup artists. My father did all of the products for them. I was born into this, I became a fashion designer, but this is my road.”
So what makes dE Souza’s lipsticks unique? “I know for a fact if the color stays, it dries your lips and if it’s too moisturizing, the color disappears. This is the perfect mix,” he explains. The secret lies in an encapsulated hyaluronic acid complex called hyla-bubble. When the lipstick is applied, it pops and releases moisture and pigment. What makes it truly special is that if your lips feel a little dry, you simply press them together and the color and moisture are resaturated. You don’t need to reapply. As an added plus, the lipstick case is made of metal, not plastic. It was designed by a jeweler and closes with a click, so you don’t have to worry about it opening in your cosmetic bag or purse.
Thursday’s launch party at the Cos Bar drew a wide ranging assortment of guests including members of the press and close friends of the designer, like Jean Shafiroff, who arrived wearing one of the dE Souza’s ensembles. Guests were also treated to a couture presentation by the designer, while they shopped and sipped cocktails. He describes his latest collection as drawing inspiration from “ a little bit of everything”; Victorian, romantic and the mostly forgotten Tartarian Empire.
The Cos Bar is the perfect location for dE Souza to launch his cosmetics line. He admires the retailer for the selectivity of its product line and also for its longevity in the retail industry. Though the Cos Bar is relatively new to New York, it dates back to 1976, when the first boutique opened in Aspen, Colorado as THE place to buy luxury cosmetic brands.
Victor dE Souza lipsticks come in seven colors, matte, prismatic and satin shades, and are available exclusively at the Cos Bar and victordesouzany.com
