This Is the Red Lipstick I Wear to My Most Important Meetings

COMFORT AND JOY This Is the Red Lipstick I Wear to My Most Important MeetingsTo open Allure's February 2022 issue, editor in chief Jessica Cruel explains how she uses beauty to take on her imposter syndrome.

By Jessica Cruel

January 11, 2022

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Since being elevated to the position of editor in chief at Allure, I have been on a roller coaster of emotions. First euphoria, then fear — impostor syndrome set in within 48 hours — then a sustained feeling of being overwhelmed. Reader, I had to fall back on the age-old advice: "Fake it till you make it." Most mornings I swipe on my favorite high-shine lip gloss (Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil) and a bright pink Nars blush to mask my underlying sense of worry. And if I have an important meeting or presentation, I turn to red lipstick (Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored) and become the Boss.

For centuries, Native American warriors painted their faces before battle. Applying reds and blacks served as a preparation ritual for the fight ahead. The patterns and color combinations also conveyed meaning. For me, red lipstick makes me feel powerful and sets my mind to the day's tasks. To put it plainly: I use makeup to get my mind right.

This month, Allure takes a look at the connection between our mind, our emotions, and our outer appearance. There are so many things that influence the way our brains work and, in turn, how we feel. Scrolling on your social media platform of choice can have you vacillating between raucous laughter and painful insecurity. A great loss can be written all over your face. And swiping on a bright eyeliner to match your outfit — as Brazilian singer-songwriter Iza demonstrates in this issue — can bring joy.

Joy is certainly the best word to describe how I feel about having Janet Jackson on the cover of Allure for the first time. When I was growing up, my mother played The Velvet Rope on repeat as we drove from dance rehearsals to family cookouts. And Jackson's red hair on the album cover inspired an entire generation of Black women to go maroon way before red-velvet hair color was trendy on Instagram.

In her interview with Robin Givhan, Jackson talks in turns about capturing and giving up control. None of us are masters of mind control (yet) and we certainly don't have the power to sway what happens in the wider universe. What we do have in our power is how we show up for ourselves. I always sort of cringe at the word "wellness" because it often brings to mind weight-loss ads and overpriced jade eggs (you know the ones), but something the wellness industry does get right is urging us to honor our mental health.

At Allure, we use beauty as a tool to bring positivity to the world and challenge the way we think about ourselves. Have I perfected that process in my own life? Far from it. But I put on my power lipstick and do my best to cultivate happiness — and confidence — every day.

This story originally appeared in the February 2022 issue of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here.

Read more stories about redefining beauty:

• The Future of Hair Loss Treatments Will Involve a Lot More Robots
• How 6 Black Women From Around the World Define Beauty
• How I Feel About My Breasts Now That I've Had Breast Cancer Treatment

Now watch pop legend Janet Jackson break down her most iconic looks:

Don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter.

Jessica Cruel is the editor in chief of Allure, where she leads the development of multiplatform editorial content for print, digital, and video platforms. At Allure, she spearheaded the launch of The Melanin Edit, a new platform exploring all things relating to Black beauty.

In her decade-long career, Jessica... Read moreEditor in Chief

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Keywordsjanet jacksonrepackageeditor's letterletter from the editorred lipstickFenty Beautymental healthself-careNARS