DIOR: THE SHINING

“[Sam] is Mr. Realism, you know, he wants people to look like people, and he wants to see the texture and a little light. So everything’s highly reflective,” says Kirsten Coleman, the show’s head of make-up, who also worked with Levinson on season one of Euphoria. “With Lily on The Idol, her skin was glossy because those are her natural oils and I just let it ride.” In fact, Coleman rarely uses matte-finish products on set anymore. “You lose dimension in the face,” she says. “Now, it’s like everyone wants to feel youthful and glowy.” A quick look around TikTok confirms as much. The gloss renaissance, it appears, is upon us.

Given its carnal appeal, it’s no wonder that the very first lip gloss was named X-Rated when it launched in 1928. Created by visionary Hollywood make-up artist Max Factor, the product, originally called “lip pomade”, was designed to give screen stars a sultry effect on film and prevent them from having to lick their lips between takes to achieve the same glossy finish. Marilyn Monroe, one of Max Factor Jr.’s most famous clients, took the idea one step further in the 1940s and ’50s, reportedly slathering thick layers of Vaseline under her make-up to create her signature, all-over glow. (The same transparent jelly would later become a staple for achieving the Seventies- era lustre that made frequent appearances on the disco dance floor at Studio 54 and in photographer Guy Bourdin’s images).

But it was Bonne Bell, not Marilyn, that forever linked glossy lips with youth. The Ohio-based cosmetics company’s contribution to the gloss canon arrived in 1973, with hints of strawberry. “Candy make-up,” is how Philips describes the Lip Smacker phenomenon, which made easily collectible and tradeable flavoured lip glosses the gateway make-up of choice for adolescent girls. “Growing up, lipstick was for the moms, the grandmothers, and gloss was the cool, modern thing because it was also easy: you could apply it to your lips without a mirror,” notes Philips.

From left: Maaike wears DIOR Forever Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Correct, Rouge Blush, DIORSHOW Couleurs, DIOR Contour, Rouge DIOR Forever, DIOR Addict Lip Glow Oil, DIOR Vernis. Xie wears DIOR Forever Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Correct, Rouge Blush, DIORSHOW Couleurs, DIORSHOW On Stage Crayons, DIOR Contour, Rouge DIOR Forever, DIOR Addict Lip Glow Oil, DIOR Vernis 

Lip gloss, flavoured or otherwise, came with a series of occupational hazards, though, which were easy to outgrow once you wanted to engage in the more mature pastimes of, say, eating or talking. “I remember going out in those days. Girls would apply and reapply their gloss, but then they would dance and there would be gloss in their hair,” says Philips, who points out that technological advancements in formulation have made the current gloss conversation an all-ages discourse. “Nowadays, we have things like non-transfer gloss which, I mean, is insane,” he says of Dior’s Forever Liquid Lacquer, which offers all of the beautiful plumping and volumising benefits without the sticky mess. Used as a topcoat on more saturated lip pigment, Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil achieves a similar effect with hydrating, non-greasy cherry oil. “I do feel like you can actually have a nice shine now without all the consequences,” adds Coleman, who prefers a shine balm on the high planes of the face, or on top of the Cupid’s bow of lips, to enhance “sensuality” on camera, and off.

Not every look is meant to be glossy, says Philips. “Gloss will show every imperfection that matte make- up will cover up,” he elaborates. But beauty’s current rallying cry to embrace our imperfections has long been one of gloss’s biggest selling points. “Gloss can run, it can move, and it still looks cool.”

Taken from issue 71 of 10 Magazine – FASHION, ICON, DEVOTEE – on newsstands now. Order your copy here. 

DIOR: THE SHINING

Photographer FANNY LATOUR-LAMBERT
Creative Director and Make-up PETER PHILIPS
Creative and Image Director for DIOR MAKEUP using DIOR BEAUTY
Fashion Editor NATHAN KLEIN
Text CELIA ELLENBERG 
Models MAAIKE KLAASEN at Platform Agency and XIE CHAOYU at Premier Model Management
Hair SEBASTIEN BASCLE at Calliste Agency
Photographer’s assistant NICOLAS RUBIO
Fashion assistant AMELIE RICHART
Make-up assistant KYE HOWELL
Casting DAVID CHEN at David Chen Casting Producer FLORENT NORCEREAU
Production co-ordinator CHLOE MINA 

All clothing and jewellery by DIOR Resort 2024 

Maaike wears DIOR Forever Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Correct, DIORSHOW Couleurs, DIORSHOW On Stage Crayon, Rouge DIOR Forever, DIOR Addict Lip Glow Oil, DIOR Vernis

Xie wears DIOR Forever Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Glow, DIOR Forever Skin Correct, Rouge Blush, DIORSHOW Couleurs, DIORSHOW On Stage Crayons, Rouge DIOR Forever, DIOR Vernis