Matte, but far from flat, Highlight Cosmetics has the lipstick that's much more than its pigments. Vishwa Shah, CEO, wants her customers to feel as beautiful on the inside as they look on the outside with her new natural lipsticks.
 
 
Launched in late 2016, Highlight Cosmetics, Los Angeles, has produced a wide array of all natural lipsticks that appeal to any skin tone. The 10 shades range from nude to bright red in plain and metallic mattes.
 
 
What makes Highlight stand out from competitors is their use of natural ingredients. Highlight lipsticks contain turmeric, sea kelp, green tea and white tea, as well as a benefit peptide.  


“Not only will this help the outside, but the inside as well,” she asserted.
 
 
Highlight lipsticks retain a creamy, hydrating feeling while still staying matte thanks to the turmeric infusion. The peptide helps reduce rough appearance on the lips. The formula also includes vitamins C and E. All that good stuff isn't cheap—each lipstick retails for $25.


Highlight's entry into the market comes at a time when the prestige lipcolor segment has lost some of its shine. According to The NPD Group, sales of prestige skin care products rose faster than makeup in the second quarter of 2017, said Larissa Jensen, executive director and beauty industry analyst, The NPD Group.


“Makeup’s slowdown in performance has been observed since 2016, and amplified in 2017 by fewer launches, a struggling lip segment, and softening average prices,” she noted. “Despite this, there are areas of growth in the category, like palettes and sets, which may help fuel greater gains for the remainder of the year, as cost conscious consumers continue to seek out value.”


According to NPD, Q2 makeup sales rose 4% to $2.0 billion. Skin care sales increased 6% to $1.4 billion and fragrance sales added 1% to $868.5 million.


Highlights expects to buck the overall slowdown in color with skin-caring ingredients. The brand's natural infusion is helpful to all skin types due to its soothing vitamins and oils. This goes hand in hand with the Highlight Cosmetics’ philosophy, “take care of your inside while the outside is highlighted.”
 

Of course, color counts, too, and the CEO's favorite shades are  sandstone cashmere and terracotta dream. Among customers, Broadway Red and Sandstone Cashmere are the brand’s most popular colors so far.
 
 
Highlight Lipsticks can currently be found online on their website and on Amazon. Already in a few beauty stores, the company is looking to expand into other stores. Currently in talks with Beauty Collection and Blue Mercury, you might see the brand in a store near you soon.
 
 
Looking toward the future, Highlight Cosmetics plans to unveil eyeshadows and luxury brushes by the end of this year. Also on the agenda for the company is anti-aging and other skin creams.