Lip Service
Dior’s Iconic Early 2000s Lipstick Gets A Reboot
Our high school selves are screaming.
Fact: the early 2000s’ aesthetic is back. Celebrities adorn their baby braids with butterfly clips, tiny purses complement even tinier going-out tops, and Lindsay Lohan just inked a two-picture deal with Netflix. Just in time for the Y2K revival, Dior Beauty is launching a reboot of one of its most iconic products of all time: Dior Addict Lipstick. Characterized by its signature upside-down tube design, high-shine finish, and celebrity adoration, Dior Addict’s 2022 update couldn’t have arrived at a better time. But the new Dior Addict comes with an undeniably modern twist: sleek, interchangeable cases modeled after some of Dior’s most recognizable motifs and a new formula made with 90% natural ingredients. It’s at once sustainable (you can now just purchase the lipstick refills to reduce plastic waste) and stylish, making a bag-matching lipstick as easy as a few clicks and twists.
To get an inside look at the reboot, Bustle spoke with Dior Beauty’s creative and image director Peter Philips. Scroll on for all you need to know about this buzzy relaunch.
The New Formula
Among Dior’s now-legendary lipstick collections, Philips says Dior Addict was originally designed to be a bit more rebellious, a bit cheekier than the brand’s more refined ranges — the Dior Addict wearer is someone not necessarily young in age, but absolutely young at heart. Working backward from the Dior Addict wearer archetype, Philips says, they developed the new formula according to what that wearer ultimately wants in a lipstick. “What makes it exceptional,” Philips explains, is the high-shine, one-swipe pigment that settles into a “thin film, made from 90% natural-origin ingredients.” Jasmine wax, chosen for Christian Dior’s favorite flower, combines with vegetable-based oils to deliver that undeniable shine, while plum oil — prized for its rich, fatty acid content — simultaneously moisturizes and nourishes lips. 40 shades round out the collection, including a universally flattering, yellow-toned brick red, Dior 8, named for the legendary designer’s lucky number.
The New Case
As Dior Addict Lipstick was originally conceived partially as a fashion accessory in its own right, the new interchangeable cases naturally take that idea to the next level. The denim-finish case feels like the real deal, while the pink quilted edition is the beauty equivalent to a tiny Dior Lady Bag. Finally, a reflective chrome case looks futuristic while doubling as a mirror for application on the go. The lipsticks can be ordered in plain bullet form to fill the sold-separately cases, or purchased pre-loaded into a black lacquer case emblazoned with the Dior logo.
“It’s kind of amazing to see [2000s beauty] coming back,” Philips muses, joking that the revival makes him feel a bit old considering how closely he worked with the now-retro beauty trends back in the day. “It was the first time we started playing with highlighters and bronzers and things that make the eyes pop, like gold mascaras.” But Philips points out that those just starting to experiment with makeup today have it easier than in the actual aughts. High quality makeup wasn’t nearly so accessible in those days, he says, and even the best formulas were still only so-so. “I often did lip contour with an eye pencil and Vaseline, and after a half-hour, it was all over the face!” he says, adding that it’s interesting to see the trends of yesteryear make a full-circle resurgence. “When I started doing makeup in the late ‘90s/early 2000s, quite often the references were from the ‘60s. Every time it comes back in, there’s a new approach with new materials, new formulas, and new ingredients.”
As for what’s next in makeup, Philips says it’s a real hodgepodge of eras – which makes it all the more fun. “You could do a ‘50s eyeliner with ‘70s freckles, a psychedelic flower on your face with a classic red lip,” he says.
The Faces
Dior tapped three thoroughly-modern tastemakers to bring the lipstick campaign to life: Anya Taylor-Joy, Jisoo, and French painter Sharon Alexie, all of whom personify the irreverent feel of the makeup. Philips had worked with Taylor-Joy a few times previously and was excited to be reunited, and he says Alexie simply shines upon entering any room. As for BLACKPINK’s larger-than-life Jisoo? Not only does Philips call her impossibly sweet, but shares that she could barely go outside because of the hordes of dedicated fans following her around Paris. “People went berserk!” he shares. “She is so popular with the young kids.” All three stars, he says, represent Dior Addict in their own unique way.
Considering the endless versatility of both Dior and Philips, we can already start speculating on what the inevitable 2050 Dior Addict reboot might look like.
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