Raspberry extract and sesame oil: What makes silk-inspired lipstick from Hermes special?

The National

25-06-2025

In the rarefied world of Hermes, beauty is an extension of the artisanship the French maison is renowned for, and the sixteenth metier (craft) for a brand that has been devoted to perfection since it was founded in 1837.
The house, which is known for its leather goods, silk scarves, jewellery, watches, home decor, equestrian products and men's and womenswear, launched Hermes Beauty in 2020.
A natural extension to its existing line, the brand's chief executive, Axel Dumas, described it as 'part of who we are – a house where everything comes from creation, driven by artisans who seek to accompany the men and women of today with elegance, and with the integrity and authenticity that we represent'.
Five years after that first foray, Hermes Beauty unveiled its latest offering, Rouge Brillant Silky, a glossy lip colour inspired by the sensuality of silk.
It was created by Hermes Beauty creative director Gregoris Pyrpylis as a gossamer veil of colour – translucent and comfortable. Designed not to mask the lips with saturated pigment, this featherlight wash is designed to enhance natural lip colour.
Applied in a single stroke, it lends a mirror-like sheen and a barely-there tint that can be layered to create something more personal.
Pierre Hardy, the creative director of Hermes shoes and jewellery, and designer of the 2020 lipstick cases, has once again returned to design the packaging, staying with the bold, colour-blocked stripes that quickly made the launch products collectible objets d'art.
As with everything in the Hermes universe, design is inseparable from the product. The Brillant line comes housed in a brushed gold and black metal tube, and topped with a white cap embossed with the signature horse-drawn landau carriage.
The Brillant palette offers 14 permanent shades, as a reworking of famous Hermes colours in the new, sheer formula. Rouge Casaque, the house's quintessential red, is now airy and luminous, while Rouge H, the famous 1925 burgundy, is moody and transparent.
Elsewhere, there is the warm woodiness of Rose Boise, the spiced vitality of Rose Epice, the golden gleam of Brun d'Ambre, as well as the sun-baked elegance of Rouge Brique.
There are also three limited-edition colours – Rose Gelatine, Orange Flash and Beige Halo – all encased in distinctive, mirror-polished metals, as gleaming duos of lavender with orange, lime green with sky blue and brick with celadon.
The bullet itself is slanted for easy, intuitive application, barely requiring a mirror. This is not about the perfection of a saturated lip, but the effortless swipe of a lightly pigmented gloss.
The formula is enriched with hydrating raspberry leaf extract, Abyssinian and sesame oils for supple softness, and Morus alba (white mulberry), a house favourite, prized for its antioxidant prowess.