At Target recently I saw a display for holders for lip gloss that attach to the back of one's cellphone.
I don't use lip gloss but I understand that some people do, and that in some professions it may need to be reapplied frequently. What I don't understand is why it would be stored on the back of a phone. Perhaps for influencers taking selfies? It seems distinctly odd, but it's not my generation, so perhaps someone can explain.
Addendum: reader Nuray found an entire iPhone case with a lip gloss holder incorporated into it:
The one at Target is a glue-on, like a PopSocket. I found an article at Vox that discusses the trend in lip gloss:
By all accounts, it seems like lip products have become more than just cheap, everyday essentials to mindlessly throw into your purse. In the post-pandemic era, where our mouths are unmasked most of the time, they’ve evolved into miniature status symbols for influencers and casual “makeup girlies” alike...Lee notes another important selling point for lip augmentations: “Fuller lips are not only a feature of beauty; they’re also a sign of youth.”... Right now, Gen Z seems to be experiencing a collective crisis over looking old, which has resulted in an interest in so-called anti-aging skincare for many tweens. That said, it’s not a surprise that young people are running to lip products that offer color and a sheen but promise dermatological benefits...Aside from the skincare aspect, there seems to be excitement among people on social media who collect these lip products in large numbers. MacKenzi Nelson, art director at beauty PR company Helen + Gertrude, says this current hoarding of lip gloss represents a pre-existing consumer trend....Additionally, Nelson says that the “sensory” element of these products has a lot to do with their popularity, as they provide “a moment of ritualistic self-care, comfort, and play.” Li agrees with this sentiment, stating that the lip products are “definitely habit-forming.”...Other brands, like Topicals, include their lip glosses alongside other items you would find in a wealthy person’s bag, like a Louis Vuitton wallet and a roll of cash, on their Instagram... Chanel’s foundation can range from $55 to almost $80, while its Rouge Coco Gloss retails at $40. Non-drugstore but not-exactly high-end brands like Rhode and Summer Fridays offer lip balms and oils are under $30...In a moment of economic downturn and general doom about the world, it’s comforting to know that we can impulsively spend money on the latest it-girl item and delight in the same vain activities as Kylie Jenner or Hailey Bieber.
It's for a vape pen.
ReplyDeleteHere in NYC you frequently see women on the subway who are applying makeup using the front-facing camera on their phone as a mirror. I can see that it might make it easier with quick access to the lip glo
ReplyDeleteI think it is marginally useful, cheaply produced trash that is designed to create an impulse "ooh, I could use that" feeling in a busy consumer in "buying mode", just cheap enough to toss in your cart and expensive enough for the retailer to get a good margin (hell, the retailer likely already broke even just on selling the end-cap position for it)
ReplyDeleteDang! Purdy good analysis.
DeleteThis was originally designed and sold by Rhode Beauty (at least from the sequence of events I've seen it unfold). The item at Target is a copy/dupe of that and is just the holder component whereas the one sold by Rhode is an entire silicone iPhone case: https://www.rhodeskin.com/products/lip-case?variant=45782524788974
ReplyDeleteExcellent find, Nuray. I'll plan to add a screencap of that advertisement to the post. Wow - some people must really use a lot of lip gloss.
DeleteMany people are moving away from carrying a bag and just keep a phone in their pocket.
ReplyDeleteAs someone born in the 1950s, I can attest that addiction to lip balm is a real thing. I started using Carmex in the 70s, to this day cannot be without it. I have a tube next to my nightstand, next to my reading chair, one in my car's cupholder, and a small basket near the back door so I can pop one in my pocket whenever I go out without my car. My favorite Carmex is the original, so there's no fancy tint or flavor, just some miraculous goo that my lips now feel alien without.
ReplyDeleteAlso, pop sockets aren't glued to a phone, they are magnetic and can be removed from the phone by twisting the base plate. I use one on my iPhone, not for lip balm, but with the original pop up button. I have a huge iPhone because my vision was also born in the 1950s, and it's hard to hold in one hand without the pop socket.
Apples and oranges. From the Google Artificial Intellect Beast: "While both lip balm and lip gloss are applied to the lips, the key difference is that lip balm is primarily designed to hydrate and protect dry lips by providing deep moisture, while lip gloss is primarily used to add shine and sometimes color for a cosmetic effect, with less focus on intense hydration; essentially, lip balm is for lip care, while lip gloss is for a cosmetic look."
DeleteSo what's this other, glossy "addiction?" Perhaps an addiction to looking cute, sexy, etc. To what end, you might ask? Well, sex is power. Same as it's always been. But now we have an absurd number of double standards (don't objectify me, please objectify me) and denial that sex is power, when common sense should tell us what we need to know.
The US cosmetic industry sells something like 60 billion dollars worth of product per year. That's about 75 thousand dollars per homeless person. It seems the revolution never happened.
In their pocket if they have one. If not it's in their hand. A handy warm lip gloss will be used more often. More will be sold. More corporate profits. Isn't that what America is all about now?
ReplyDeletexoxoxoBruce
I know it's not related to the content of the post but I had to smile at the question in the title as my fiancé and I have a folder of photos on our computer labelled "Why does this exist?" which all started when she took a picture of a hand made sign put up in a coffee shop imploring customers to "Beware of seagulls. Please keep your food out of their reach and dispose of your rubbish in the bins. We are not responsible for food theft"
ReplyDeleteOur conclusion, and the running joke of the photo collection being that we know precisely why that sign exists! Someone has definitely made that complaint.
One of my favourites was "Warning! Tokens for the car park are recycled. Please don't put them in your mouth."