lip service

7 luscious, low-may lipsticks every Houstonian needs for that perfect pout

Hydrate and glow with Eco Lips Brazilian Vegan Lip Tint.

Photo courtesy of Eco Lips

This season’s on-trend makeup look is low maintenance and high impact. Think lip balms with extra hydration and SPF, low-effort lip stains or lipstick reminiscent of your favorite Disney Princess. (We see you, Moana! Read on for more on her.)

To celebrate National Lipstick Day on Friday, July 29, we’ve curated a list of seven lip products worth adding to your rotation. Don’t worry about heat and humidity melting away your color of choice; these summer 2022 makeup picks are hot-weather friendly.

Shop from well-known Houston makeup artists or go national with must-have brands to keep those luscious lips hydrated, low-may, and on-point.

Longwear Lipcolor
Jentry Kelley; $27
Houston’s favorite makeup maven, Jentry Kelley, spun her magic and created a lip color that stays on for hours without having to reapply. Available in 11 rich shades with names like Skinny dip, Nosey Rosey and Azalea Trail, her lip products promise to go on ultra-light with a touch of shimmer. Jentry makes it easy to get your hands on her products by shopping online or in her seven Houston-area locations.

Vitamin C Lip Balm
Makeup by Mari; $22
Perfect for those who want a hint of color and the ultimate in lip protection, Houston makeup artist and entrepreneur Mari Metzler has you covered. Her coveted lip balm contains not only Vitamin C but also jojoba and avocado oils to keep hydration locked in. Mari’s full line of lip products are available online or in her Premier Aesthetics Houston boutique.

Crème à Lèvres Douce - Lip Gloss
artonitmakeup; $30
Ultra-glam Houston makeup artist Sergio Escalona’s lip glosses are made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness. Available in 10 shades and infused with antioxidants to protect from environmental damage, those in the know scoop them up from his San Felipe store or add to cart online.

MYX Blend Bar
$50 and up
Why not celebrate National Lipstick Day by creating a custom lip shade? Located in Rice Village, MYX Blend Bar will help you choose from different styles and shades of lipsticks to compliment your skin tone. Enhance your masterpiece with glitter, vitamins, SPF, or anti-aging treatments and pick the perfect custom packaging for your new bespoke product.

Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain
Fenty Beauty; $24
This first-ever lip stain from Rhianna’s Fenty Beauty sold out just as quickly as it launched. Unlike other lip stains that can leave lips dry and flaky, this oil-in-water formula goes on glossy for all-day hydration and a low-maintenance look. Available in four shades, snag one before they’re gone.

Brazilian Vegan Lip Tint
Eco Lips; $5.49
Made with ethically sourced babaçu and pracaxi oils along with cupuaçu butter, Eco Lips’ line of tinted lip balms moisturizes and protects. Fairtrade certified the fruity flavored balms provide matte coverage perfect for on-the-go use.

Moana, Pochahontoas, Rapunzel Lux Lipsticks
ColourPop; $10
ColourPop just dropped three additional colors of their nostalgic Disney Princess collection. Moana, Pocahontas, and Rapunzel now have shades in ColourPop’s iconic full-coverage set. These lightweight lipsticks are infused with jojoba and pomegranate seed butters that add extra hydration and softness for long-lasting wear.

Try all 11 shades of Jentry Kelley’s Longwear Lipcolor.

$Jentry Kelley\u2019s Longwear Lipcolor$

Photo courtesy of Jentry Kelly

Try all 11 shades of Jentry Kelley’s Longwear Lipcolor.

shopping beauty

DAZZLING DETAILS

Houston artist's Indian heritage inspires luxe new jewelry collection

Photo by Hung Troung

Maison Merchant’s debut collections feature sculptural gold designs, diamond accents, and customizable details handcrafted by master artisans in India.

Houston’s luxury jewelry scene welcomes a sparkling new addition with the official launch of Maison Merchant, the fine jewelry brand founded by Houston-based artist and designer Sneha Merchant.

The jewelry line is a new creative endeavor for Merchant, whose background as an artist serves as the foundation for the collection’s sculptural, highly detailed aesthetic.

“Maison Merchant is a fine jewelry collection inspired by my artwork, intricate circular motifs, and timeless craftsmanship, blending high jewelry with meaningful design and storytelling,” Merchant tells CultureMap. “This launch represents a deeply personal evolution of my creative journey, expanding my world as an artist into the realm of fine jewelry through pieces that feel luxurious, wearable, and enduring.”

Born and raised in Mumbai, Merchant's appreciation for jewelry began early when she would visit the family jeweler with her mother. “Being surrounded by that world from such a young age gave me a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, detail, and the emotional significance jewelry can carry,” she says. “Over the years, I began designing pieces for myself, and wherever I wore them, people would constantly ask about them.”

This led Merchant to debut her jewelry line with three collections. Cœur du Monde is inspired by mandalas and balanced geometry, while Muse d’Art transforms Merchant’s original artwork into wearable fine jewelry. The third collection, Renaître d’Or, explores transformation through sculptural gold designs accented with diamonds.

Sneha Merchant brings her artistic vision into the world of fine jewelry with the launch of Maison Merchant, a collection inspired by intricate motifs, craftsmanship, and personal storytelling.Photo by Hung Troung

“Every piece is designed to transition effortlessly from day to evening while retaining the craftsmanship and presence of high-end jewelry,” says Merchant.

Clients can personalize many designs in existing collections with different colors and material selections. The pieces are then handcrafted by master artisans in India with more than six decades of experience.

“Bespoke jewelry has always held deep meaning for me because I grew up watching my mother create custom pieces to mark the most important moments in her life,” she says. “Those pieces eventually became far more than jewelry. They carried history, emotion, love, and memories that were passed down through generations.”

Every Maison Merchant piece begins as a hand sketch, which she says is often the most time-intensive part of the process. “As an artist, translating a two-dimensional artwork into a wearable, three-dimensional form requires immense detail, proportion, and refinement before the design ever moves into production.”

Merchant's long-term goals go far beyond the debut collection, which is available exclusively online. “I want people to feel an immediate sense of confidence, refinement, and presence when they wear Maison Merchant,” she says. “My vision for Maison Merchant is to create collectible pieces that people return to season after season and eventually pass down for generations.”

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