I don’t think those Harry Potter lipsticks do the characters justice
When I heard that magic Harry Potter themed liquid lipsticks were a real-life thing that even a Muggle like me could purchase, I was more excited than Dobby with a sock. I immediately Googled the products, wand – I mean, credit card – at the ready. At first glance, the LASplash Cosmetics’s line of “smitten liptint mousse” took my breath away faster than a Dementor on a rampage: the matte lip colors are incredibly pigmented and come in so many dazzling shades, ranging from deep navy blue to sweet baby pink.
However, I don’t think these shades do some of my favorite people — I mean fictional characters — justice.
For instance, “Raven Claw,” is not only spelled wrong, it’s a deep shade of crimson. I know I’m being picky, but any fan of the books or films knows that Ravenclaw’s house colors are blue and bronze. “Gryffindor” would have probably been a better name for that lipstick. I’m sure the misspelling (and the lack of any actual affiliation with the Warner Bros. brand) can be chalked up to avoiding the dark arts known as copyright infringement.
“Hermione,” a loud pink, also sets off fangirl alarms in my head. In my opinion, neon just doesn’t fit Hermione’s neurotic, clever, perfectly and seriously brilliant personality. It reminds me of evil Umbridge! Plus, Miss Granger rarely wears bright colors, and even though her Yule Ball gown was fuscia in the movies, in the book, she wore icy blue dress robes. Maybe a multi-purpose, time-saving shimmer stick that can be used as lipstick, eyeshadow, blush, and hair gel would have been a better fit.
Don’t get me wrong: Some of these lipsticks are perfect, especially the one’s named after some of the series’ seedier characters. There’s a poison purple called “Bellatrix,” and a bold green called “Nagini.” “Alastor,” an electric blue, makes a gorgeous tribute to Mad-Eye Moody’s magical eyeball. But then, I notice that the name “Severus,” as in Severus Snape “probably the bravest man” Harry Potter ever knew, has been paired with a glowing turquoise. Ummm … I doubt Snape would approve.
This isn’t just about spending my galleons – the lipsticks cost $14 a pop, by the way – but about respecting fans who spent a solid chunk of their childhoods obsessing over this fictional universe. If buying a product called “Love Good,” makes you feel good, then that’s awesome! Personally, purchasing a product that is potentially half-heartedly named after one of my all-time favorite characters doesn’t make me feel so great. I guess I could be having a hard time letting go of my own little dreams for an entire Harry Potter cosmetics line.
The collection would include Minerva McGonagall’s Cat-Eyeliner, Sorcerer’s Stone anti-wrinkle moisturizer, and lipsticks in every shade of red in honor of every single Weasley. There would be Invisibility Cloak concealer and Draco Malfoy hair-lightening kits and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Lip Glosses and Expecto Petroleum Jelly … I could go on.
I’m still psyched that companies want to incorporate Harry Potter into fun products like liquid lipsticks. If anyone needs help coming up with appropriate nomenclature in the future, you know where to find me (in bed re-reading The Prisoner of Azkaban).
