"THE COOLEST PART, IN MY OPINION, ARE THE LIPSTICKS."
“We believe that beauty trends of the future will be created by the customer, so customization has always been a major part of the Finding Ferdinand DNA,” says founder Nhu Le. “I really wanted each and every customer to be able to create something that they would love and love to use.”
The coolest part, in my opinion, are the lipsticks. (It’s how the brand got its start.) You begin by choosing your finish: sheer, creamy, or matte. Then you have a virtual palette of 15 base colors to choose from, like Red Fantasy, a true fire-engine red; Berry Jam, a juicy blackberry; and the hot coral Orange Sorbet. You can click on up to four shades, then use a handy little slider to adjust the percentages of each pigment that appear in your custom blend. Adjustments are made in 10 percent intervals, and a little preview swatch immediately updates as you slide and ponder. The lipsticks cost $30—and you can even order a sample size for $6, in case you want to test the color or even just use as a mini for travel or your purse. My custom shade is this wonderfully creamy magenta. It’s ideal for a night out because it’s striking enough to catch the eye but not over-the-top in the least. The formula glides on pretty easily, and the payoff is immediate. I haven’t tried the matte or sheer options yet, but those are definitely next up.
The newest addition to the brand is the Overnight palettes, which just launched. Each comes with your choice of highlighter (two options), blush (19 options), bronzer (three options), and five eye shadows (50 options). Each pan is magnetic, so you can just pop different options in and out. And if you just want someone else to do the work for you, there are also six ready-to-go combos that you can select based on your skin tone, ranging from fair to rich. (Or, to be honest, you could probably just pick whatever palette you like—the skin-tone thing is more of a suggestion.)
Finally, we need to talk about the packaging because it is the sort of adorable that makes you squeal. The palettes come in a pink-and-mint-green case with a side of gold foil stickers, so you can decorate to your heart's content. And it comes with your name on it. Swoon.
I personally went with the middle-school notebook aesthetic and haven't felt that degree of satisfaction since I was bestickering a Trapper Keeper in the '90s. Each purchase arrives in a little silver-and-pink pouch that has your customization requests written on it. (I mean, this is some A+ detail here.)
All around, I give Finding Ferdinand two thumbs-up emojis.
Originally seen on Allure: Makeup