Ruby red lips are, of course, a powerful weapon of seduction, but did you ever think that bold l ipstick could have an anti aging effect? No, I’m not talking about the cocktail of anti-wrinkle ingredients that most lips products include nowadays. I mean, a purely optical anti-aging effect.
Scientists working for CE.R.I.E.S. (Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center), a department of Chanel Research and Technology dedicated to skincare and face appearance, along with Prof. Richared Russell, have reached an interesting conclusion: as we get older, the colour of our skin intensifies, while the pigment in our lips begins to fade away. Thus, the contrast between our lips and the rest of out skin is increasingly low as we age.
289 people with ages between 20 and 70 were compared to reach this conclusion and after that, another experiment was conducted, to prove the theory. More than 100 subjects were asked to guess the age of people in photos that had been altered so that the contrast between their skin tone and their features would be lower than normal. What was observed was that the people in the photos were perceived as being older than they really were. Moreover, when the contrast was intensified, the people in the photos were perceived as looking significantly younger.
Not that there was anything ever holding me back from rocking the most delicious shades of red and fuchsia on my lips, but now, I also have an excellent excuse to justify my alarmingly huge collection of lipsticks that is taking up more space on my vanity table than any other beauty product.
BROOK STONEBRIDGE 