Forbidden Lipstick: Darkest Deeds

Darkest Deeds: An impossibly vibrant, stunningly rich inky purple that we formulated in our lab exclusively with carmine to create the color. Carmine offers a range of rich tones from reds to magentas to purples, and after discovering a remarkable incarnation of the pigment, we knew that we had to create a new lip color to fully encapsulate its deep, dramatic hue.

About Carmine Pigment: Carmine is made from the cochineal insect, and has been worn by women for centuries. Because of its rarity, it is vastly more expensive than synthetic coal and petroleum-based colorants used in most cosmetics. It is a true luxury of incredible beauty.

Early modern production of carmine was sparked in Peru as an effort to stimulate the economy with traditional natural resources, with cochineal bringing farmers similar rates as coca and therefore offering them a viable alternative. The areas where cochineal is harvested supports local economies and education, and those areas are scattered across Peru to ensure sustained growth.