The beauty industry thrives on two things: our insecurities and creating solutions to problems we didn’t know we had. Recently, Rhode Beauty opted for the latter.
Upon launching their new Peptide Lip Shape, the internet was instantly divided. Half of the users involved were disappointed by the product’s lack of longevity — a coveted characteristic in a lip liner, one might argue. The other half responded, somewhat condescendingly, with statements like, “I think people are really misunderstanding what this product is meant for,” claiming that lip contour is, in fact, very different from lip liner and doesn’t require the same long-lasting properties.
The industry at large is no stranger to this kind of contrived segmentation. We’ve seen it time and again: lip oils marketed as revolutionary when lip gloss already exists, or skin tints pitched as innovative despite serving the same purpose as the BB creams of a few years ago. With every “new” invention, we consumers are encouraged to abandon the perfectly functional products we already own in favour of their supposedly improved successors. This trend has been especially evident with the rise of lip contouring products.
Rhode Beauty’s Peptide Lip Shape (Contouring Lip Shaper) attempts to set itself apart from existing lip products in several notable ways — or at least, that’s what the marketing suggests. The product page emphasises that it’s “creamier and more seamless than a lip liner”, implying not only that most lip liners are the same, but also that this one is superior in texture. It’s a strange claim, given the vast array of lip liners on the market, many of which vary significantly in softness.
The reference to a “seamless” finish appears to reject the previously popular trend of sharply defined lips, now replaced by a more diffused, blurred aesthetic. But in reality, a simple swipe of the finger over any lip liner can achieve the same result — no new product necessary.
Finally, Lip Shape builds on Rhode Beauty’s bestselling Peptide Lip Treatment by incorporating one of its key ingredients into the formula. With skincare now one of the most profitable global industries, it’s unsurprising that this much-hyped compound has made its way into makeup as well. But it begs the question: is it really necessary to include the latest fleeting skincare trend in the pencil meant only to outline our lips? Surely, a good lip balm will suffice.
Whether or not a lip contouring pencil is something you consider essential to your makeup routine is ultimately a matter of personal preference. While I may not see the need for this particular product, I certainly indulge in others that may seem excessive to some. At £24 per pencil, this seemingly superfluous item may well be just that — a frivolous addition to a makeup bag. More than that, it highlights a broader trend: the beauty industry’s constant invention of new categories to keep customers engaged. Its survival depends on our continual consumption. As consumers, we must ask ourselves — does excessive consumerism really drive innovation, or is it all just clever marketing?
Photo by Peter Kalonji on Unsplash