Amused or Offended, Ismaya Ffrench’s Lip(dick)stick Will Catch Your Second Look

Isamaya Ffrench is no ordinary makeup artist for anyone who knows her. She is the representative of contemporary art – yes, an artist in the real sense of the word. This internationally acclaimed beauty artist’s rebellious display of art on the runway is fit to scandalize even the more progressive section of the beauty world. However, by Valentine’s Day of 2023, she took things up another notch with the launch of a lipstick in the shape of a penis! Hard (no pun intended) to believe?

Love It Or Hate It, There’s No Denying The Audacity Of The ‘dickstick’!

Outlandish is an understatement when it comes to Ffrench’s wearable art seen on stage. Ffrench-owned makeup line tagged “Beauty Without Restraint’ sums up her art perfectly. And this new introduction to the series is a perfect addition to the Isamaya Beauty line. The Collina Strada “Don’t Eat My Friends Show” in February this year, saw her models transfigured into birds, cats and pigs going so far as to using prosthetics and special effects, giving the audience an otherworldly experience. At Dion Lee, Ffrench’s models crawled in like enchanting reptiles with their iridescent green eye shadow and lizard-effect stencils. The 33 year old fashionista is also known for her creation of labels such as Thom Browne, Vivienne Westwood, Junya Watanabe, Balmain and Off-White. Speaking about her on-stage art, Isamaya Ffrench said in an interview:

“I’m really happy it was as well received as it was, I would have been bummed out with society if it wasn’t.”

Now, the latest penis-shaped lipstick is a proclamation of sexuality that has taken over social media conversations with the boldness and graphicness of the design. Not so much about the formulation but about the presentation and expression that can be called a never before stepped into arena for the beauty industry.

Isamaya has released three makeup collections under her brand which are named creatively and most befitting her artistic ideal and aesthetics. These again are sure to raise eyebrows, whether in surprise or horror: B.D.S.M., cowgirls and phalluses!

“What I needed to do for Isamaya was have this regularly evolving, interesting brand that would hopefully feel very relevant because it would be rooted in some kind of zeitgeist,” she said.

Isamaya Ffrench’s lip product is also unlike anything you have ever seen in the market. It cannot escape the eye. It will turn heads and get anyone to have a second look. 

The design couldn’t get any more explicit. An unmistakable black shimmery water balm resembling a black dong and a “cardinal” red satin lipstick in a silver cock-shaped casing. Women have already declared that this is a must have for every lady in her makeup kit for its extraordinary looks. “LIPS”, as it is called, comes in 2 shades 0 vivid red and glossy sheer black.  The luxurious heavy metal packaging the brand claims is reusable and refillable, which would make it a cost-effective buy for users who are going to stick to it. Ironically, it’s vegan!

LIPS promises a sensual experience in the applying and sexy lips as outcome. Described on Isamaya’s e-commerce website as “our new lipstick signature”, the brand confesses that it is out to “challenge how makeup is perceived” with LIPS. Ffrench even proudly quips,

“What I’m really loving is that old ladies loved it,” she said, laughing. “Do you know how many people said, ‘My grandma saw your lipstick and wants one’?”

Ffrench says her academic training in product design was a short one at Central Saint Martins. While studying  product design, she happened to take up children’s face painting as a side hustle before moving on to serve as an adult face painter for performance company Theodore Adams. This prepared her for body painting which changed the course of her career and life. 

“It was a gradual process from a varsity approach to makeup, and I had to get to grips with regular makeup at some point,” she said. “It worked backward for me. I refined and refined and learned along the way.”

Now Ffrench herself can be seen in her brand campaigns in erotic and glamorous avatars, her latest being for LIPS. In a seductive fashion draped in red latex, she leans over onto a 13.5-foot chrome penis.

Netizens were eager to share the look on their  social media, with one of them exclaiming in apparent disbelief on twitter:

“Isamaya ffrench’s lipsticks are too iconic likeeee”

Another was outright about her intention declaring “i want the isamaya penis lipstick”

“She got that dickstick on her…crazy” tweeted another viewer.

It is sure to get some eyes rolling, but the response on the internet is majorly positive. With its stunning metallic appearance, we predict this lipstick is going to be a highlight to any beauty collection – or maybe even an art collection for that matter. The lipstick is simply a piece of art in itself.