I am beyond the moon to be chosen to represent the 19th color of Australian brand lipstick
RED BURLESQUE!
RED BURLESQUE is a premiere brand of lipstick "inspired by the sexy, teasy, steamy world of burlesque" and it is the largest range of red lipstick in the world. Each color is represented by a burlesque performer in the world, each with a signature color that they chose. I'll be joining the other RED BURLESQUE girls such as Melody Mangler (Seattle), Lou Lou D'vil (Finland), Michelle L'amour (Chicago), Roxi D'Lite (my idol!), Peekaboo Pointe (NYC), two other fellow Texans Coco Lectric and Ruby Joule, and more.
I met RED during the New York Burlesque Festival 2013 when I worked with Don Spiro for our photo shoot at The Slipper Room. Angie Pontani organized for those of us shooting with Don to get a free lipstick of our choice from RED (what a fun little perk!), so when I arrived that day, I walked up to the RED booth and was all (picture ghetto neck sway), "Um Umph. Are you sure you got colors that Asian skin can wear?" LOL - cause Asian ladies, you know what I mean! It is SO hard to find the right shade of retro red for our complexion! And if you are considered "dark" in Asian standards like me, it's REALLY difficult. I have at least 10 varieties of red lipsticks on my vanity ranging from drug store brands to luxury brands. None of them were completely satisfactory. I've found that the drug store ones loose moisture pretty quickly (flaking), and/or the red shade would change over wearing time. The fluorescent lighting in drug stores alter the way colors will really appear in day light. The red is either too bright with too much orange (clown face) or too dark (gimme a bandana and I'll rock that
chola-chinita look). And the Chanel lipsticks always bled no matter how I prepped my lips before application.
Imagine my surprise when I tried on
"Strawberry Siren" (as seen below) and it was a perfect match with my complexion. It felt smooth and moisturizing (I wore it the rest of the day with no bleeding or flaking!), and it just made me feel happy wearing a brand that believes, supports, and GETS us burlesque girls' insatiable need for glamour!
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| Wearing "Strawberry Siren". Photo by Don Spiro. |
RED invited me to find another color that would be my signature shade and I reached for the mysterious tube at the end of the display. It had a plum-like shade, sultry, and intense. Tried this baby on and she became "Calamity Chang"- the 19th color described as "an
incredibly rich and vibrant berry red with a hint of pearlised gold and a creamy high gloss finish. Enriched with Apricot Kernel Oil (Vitamin E) to soothe and protect the lips. 100% allergy tested and fragrance-free."
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| Wearing "Calamity Chang" by RED BURLESQUE. Photo by Mike Webb Photography. |
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| Wearing "Calamity Chang" by RED BURLESQUE. Photo by Mike Webb Photography. |
This is my shade's color palette.
I wear both shades equally. I tend to wear "Strawberry Siren" more during the day time. It's that perfect shade of red for Asian complexion to give you a feel of vintage but still not dowdy or matronly looking. "Calamity Chang" is very flexible in terms of looks. I wear it when I perform vintage acts inspired by Old Shanghai. It's a gorgeous deep gem tone that goes so well with other jewel tones like emerald and gold. This shade becomes super flirty and fun when paired with light pastels. I think "Calamity Chang" is the perfect representation of my burlesque personas.
I'll be able to offer "Calamity Chang" for purchase soon from my web site (within the US only), or if you are in NYC, you can just
drop me an email and I'll have it for you at my next show for pick up!
