LONDON — Liparazzi hopes to shed serious light on lips.
The fledgling brand, which was created here by husband-and-wife team Max and Nina Leykind — the duo behind niche makeup and treatment brand Eyeco — will introduce Liparazzi, a line of five lip glosses, next month.
Each gloss’ packaging is fitted with tiny bulbs that when switched on illuminate the product, making it ideal for after-dark touch-ups — its packaging also comes with an attached mirror.
The founders came up with the concept after seeing showbiz friends desperately trying to refresh their makeup before leaving clubs and restaurants, so as not to be caught looking anything less than glamorous by a swarm of paparazzi.
“When you do experience that hanging out with friends, you see the paparazzi firsthand and the flashes going off, and you realize you have to look gorgeous,” said Nina Leykind. She claims the glosses can illuminate the inside of handbags, making searching for keys or mobile phones a cinch, too. The lit glosses can also be used to navigate walks home to country houses or be waved at concerts in the place of lighters.
“It’s glamour utility,” Nina Leykind quipped.
The glosses, which come in five colors, will be followed by the launch of up to five lipsticks next spring and a compact next summer — all equipped with lights, of course. The items, with a logo that is a sketch of a pout, will retail for $25 each.
Henri Bendel in New York will get the glosses in December and Sephora USA will introduce the line in February. It will also be sold on the brand’s Web site. Industry sources estimate Liparazzi could generate $3 million in wholesale volume in its first year.
The Leykinds are beauty industry veterans. Before introducing Eyeko, the pair launched eyebeauty.com. Max Leykind brought Hard Candy to Europe before it was sold to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 1999, and Nina Leykind was that niche makeup brand’s publicist in the U.K.