Day 2: She Blinded Me With Science: Lipstick Queen Big Bang Illusion Gloss
A review by Jessica M





The original Big Bang Theory is a scientific hypothesis that explains the origin of the universe. Lipstick Queen’s Big Bang, on the other hand, is a line of glosses designed to create the illusion of fuller lips. These glosses don’t include any stinging, itching “plumping” ingredients; instead, they give the impression of fullness through color and light effects.

Inside each of the Big Bang see-though containers, which look like test tubes from some very beautiful laboratory, you can see the “futuristic formula” of this gloss. It has a gleamy, iridescent finish without any detectable particles of shimmer or glitter. This is the kind of sheen you see more often in high-end nail polishes, or in nature: in mother-of-pearl, for example, or on a hummingbird’s feathers.

All the Big Bang shades are tempting to the eye, but I limited myself to purchasing two. Cosmos (third from the left in the photo) is a “glittering cherry red.” It’s a true red that reminds me of Chinese lacquer or ruby slippers. It looks sheerer on the lips, without losing its luster or its depth. I’ve been using it alone, and sometimes over a swipe of Lipstick Queen’s Medieval, and I’m working up to trying it over a more opaque red or berry lipstick for a more dramatic look.

Creation (sixth from the left) is defined as a “sparkling rose.” It’s a slightly cool-toned, medium pink with a dreamy pearly cast. This is my newest favorite lip color for everyday use. I’ve been wearing it on its own, for a soft, springtime glow, or as a second layer to give my Minor Crisis Oxymoron or Saint Rose lipstick some extra brilliance and intensity.


When I was shopping for these glosses, I was also intrigued by the Space shade (at the far left in the photo). The Lipstick Queen website describes Space as a “sparkling lilac,” although it struck me as more of a silvery taupe. It’s reportedly created by mixing black and pink pigments. (Annie definitely needs to try this one!)

On the lips, Big Bang Illusion Gloss feels satiny, without any stickiness or slipperiness, and it gives a luminous tint without an overly “wet” appearance. This is a sophisticated way to wear color and shine; you could even say it takes lip gloss into a new dimension.

Lipstick Queen Big Bang Illusion Glosses are sold for $20 each at Barneys New York and through the Lipstick Queen website, http://www.lipstickqueen.com/.

Product photo courtesy of Lipstick Queen. Photo of a student nurse by H. Armstrong Roberts (1947), via Corbis.