I just met a girl named Blue Jean

Lipstick Queen Jean Queen Lipstick and Lip Gloss
A review by Angie W and Jessica M

Jean Queen is the latest stroke of genius – or “jean-ius” – from Poppy King and Lipstick Queen: a set of matching lipstick and lip gloss designed to complement denim and other casual looks. Poppy says, "I was inspired by downtown's urban-chic style to create Jean Queen. Like New York, it teams the pretty with the tough." As usual, we couldn’t wait to try these new products and tell Annie and Blogdorf Goodman about them.



We’re happy to report that the Jean Queen shade is about as universal as a lip color can be. It’s a neutral peachy pink that would flatter any skin tone we can imagine; it falls midway between Lipstick Queen’s Saint Pink and Saint Coral. It’s incredibly easy to wear, because it gently warms up the face without looking too bright. Both the lipstick and the gloss are sheer, but they still have enough color to be flattering and noticeable in a “your lips, but better” way.

Jean Queen gloss is contained in plastic squeeze-tube with a brush applicator (like Lipstick Queen Fired Up), and it's formulated to stay put on your mouth, instead of sliding away within minutes. The lipstick is a moisturizing formula (similar to Lipstick Queen Medieval) that doesn’t even need lip balm underneath. It has a healthy-looking sheen without any shimmer or frost. (Our dear friend Cavewoman, who recently bought her own Jean Queen set, had one request: she wishes that this shade was also available in a second, “Sinner”-like lipstick with a matte texture.)

Lipstick Queen’s packaging for Jean Queen is perfect, as usual. The lip gloss cap and the lipstick tube are both deep, shiny blue-jeans blue, and the cardboard box and backing are printed to look like actual denim with stitching. Ironically, neither of us ever wears jeans. But we’re both trying to add a little variety to our all-black New York “uniforms” this fall: Angie is looking at tailored navy and cobalt pieces and has already received endless complements on her new navy Jil Sander trench coat, and Jessica is keeping an eye out for soft scarves and feminine cardigans in rosy-pink tones. Jean Queen would fit into either of our updated color schemes.

And, even if we don’t own jeans ourselves, we can appreciate them for being casual but classic, and totally versatile. In this way, no matter what the rest of you is wearing, Jean Queen really is the cosmetics equivalent of jeans. If you're shopping for fall basics, Jean Queen would be the ideal choice for a daytime lipstick or gloss that will take you anywhere.

Lipstick Queen's Jean Queen lipstick and lip gloss ($18 each) are available at Barneys, Space NK, Henri Bendel, and the Lipstick Queen website, http://www.lipstickqueen.com .

Disclaimer: press samples were provided by Lipstick Queen
Title lyric: David Bowie
Images: product photos by Jessica M; “Teenage Girls Wearing Blue Jeans,” Nina Leen for LIFE magazine, 1944