INTERVIEW: Poppy King, and her lipstick comeback!

Poppy King is such an industry stalwart and innovator, and gosh it's good to see her back in the makeup biz where she belongs, and made such serious inroads back in the 1990s.

They say if you have experienced a fashion trend the first time around, then perhaps you should not engage in it again...

I'm guessing this is a loose rule... flouro: a hard no, unless for fancy dress. 1960s fashion, always IN.

What about makeup? What if an impactful trend resurfaces?

An innovative concept stands the test of time, and taps into nostalgia... who were you the first time around when you bought the product?

Then add the curiosity factor: I wonder if it's a new formulation? Is the colour the same, has it been tweaked a tad to reflect an updated cosmetics colour palette?

Add in the absolute magic of social media - the right TikTok colour swatch clip, or an unboxing Reel and voila... you have a renewed hit on your hands.

We can't think of a better, more gorgeous example of this than the Poppy King brand.

After calling New York home for the past 21 years, the Melbourne residing entrepreneur is based back in Australia.

She has a new manufacturing base in the city, and has, at time of writing, re-released the iconic, everyone can wear universal shade...

The 'Original Sin' red.

According to the brand website:

"Original Sin is the lipstick, where a golden snakeskin finish meets apple.

An entirely new metallic idea of red. A temptation to grapple."

And I can vouch: it is the most gorgeous shade of red I have seen... so versatile, so pigmented, a touch of metallic which really adds to dimension to lips, and reflects like just so beautifully. It's that fail safe red that somehow suits every skin tone, you simply can't get it wrong with a slick of this colour on your lips.

EDIT: since publishing this post, Poppy has announced she is bringing BACK several Poppy King faves:

They are:

Indolence

Anger

Avarice

Envy

Decadence

Vanity

Lust

Known as the 'Lipstick Queen', Poppy King began her business venture at the age of 18, in 1991. Searching for lipsticks that gave her that old-Hollywood look, Poppy created the Poppy King brand herself.

Her business flourished into a very successful venture, even garnering her the title of 'Young Australian of the Year' in 1995, and reported profits of $6.5 million.

Fast forward, after several years of sky-high success, and being the absolute hottest thing in Australian makeup, with much deserved kudos for being a disruptive innovator and producing an exceptional product, by 1998 Poppy Industries had sadly entered receivership, and in 2002 Estee Lauder bought the brand, which saw Poppy move to New York to work for the company.

With Poppy's return to Australia with her new company 'Lipstick Queen', the relaunch has heralded back in the original matte lipstick formulas, her original manufacturer from Melbourne and her original vision.

I had all the Poppy things:

From buying ALL the 'Seven Deadly Sins', to investing in the Poppy King Shine Pots complete with the 'gift with purchase' red satin-y bag (which I just uncovered again in my makeup stash!). 

See the original advertisement below:

All up, the brand boasted 21 shades.

Fresh from her New York base for over two decades years, Poppy explains in our interview:

"It’s a relaunch from the original factory, not a relaunch into the beauty world," says Poppy.

Poppy acknowledges that the year 1998 was a "difficult period with investors."

"There was lots of publicity around the problems", before adding:

"It was reported as a scandal - a very common story at the time", Poppy reveals to Josie's Juice.

She adds: "The business was sold to those who own Harris Scarfe."

It's no surprise Poppy is a thoroughly hands on businesswoman.

She's across all the elements: from packaging, marketing, and of course those incredible formulations.

A pioneer is her field, she agrees she has always had an "unconventional approach to marketing." 

Most important of all is that "people coming back from that era saying how much they remember and like it."

And you'll see evidence of that on her Instagram, with the very people who bought Poppy King lippy the first time around remain deeply loyal aficionados of the brand and its performance.

Discover it all right here: https://poppyking.com/

And follow Poppy on her socials journey HERE.

Poppy King today; photo: Justin McManus.

Clarks Shoes: REVIEW + Roadtest

The whole back to school prep can be rather stressful - but only when it comes to shoes.

I have been like that for the entirety of my kids' lives... how do I get it right? Will I choose the wrong shoes for their growing feet and end up squishing their precious little tootsies (yeah, I baby my new 16 year old twins) and stunting their growth?

Yes, my actual thought process!

Especially given they wear these shoes daily, and in all sorts of situations, terrains, and weather, WHILE their feet are still growing...

So, I was thrilled to collaborate with Clarks... They are the absolute OG in quality fit, form, and style!

And: upfront: this is a #sponsoredpost - but I’d be buying Clarks shoes any day!

Clarks is devoted to caring for happy healthy feet heading back to the classroom and has the cred to back it up.

With nearly two centuries of experience, they’re legit committed to helping us #parents find the perfect pair of school shoes ahead of the school year.

All Clarks school shoes are extensively tried and tested to provide the best in the market in terms of comfort, fit, durability, fun, and style, for kids of every age.

And the range!

With over 100 styles of school shoes with unbeatable size and width options for all genders, you’ll have no issue finding the perfect pair of shoes for your child as they move through their school years.

And it’s the final two years for my twins, waaa!

You can choose from:

 lace up, self fastening, Mary-Jane, black, brown and school sport shoes. I chose these, see below:

You can choose from the ‘Premium Collection’, crafted using smooth, buttery leather that keeps the natural vibe of the hide and is coloured with dye, not paint.

They have first class cushioning technology providing a silicone gel, a super-supportive mid-heel, and an inner sole made from honeycomb!

For kids looking to bring their imaginations to life, their magical Cloud Castle range is back and features re-imagined fairy princesses across two new styles. Each pair comes with a Cloud Castle interactive shoe box as well as a cute keychain gift with purchase.

My two cuties chose classic lace up styles: Infinity for her. Daytona for him.

We did a fit check in store, but you can do it online with their fail safe sizing guide, and get them delivered yes!

Seriously, this has been my least stressful year of school shoe sorting, ever!

Best of all: (at time of writing) @clarksaustralia are currently on sale.

Some years, I have actually ditched the new shoes thing altogether - and waited until they actually, really need them and grow out of them... and that might mean in March or September!

What I love (and didn't know!) is that Clarks have over 100 styles of school shoes... I know, HUGE!

Follow THIS link and go shopping.

For kids with a vivid imagination (my fave kinda people!) the Clarks magical 'Cloud Castle' range is back and features re-imagined fairy princesses across two new styles. Each pair comes with a Cloud Castle interactive shoe box as well as a cute keychain gift with purchase. LOVE this!

The Clarks Minecraft range is also back more fun than ever, and so perfect for little adventurers -in and out of the classroom... two new styles and three new colourways are in this range, and it's the best way to get kids excited to "put on your school shoes!" Now, I am a bricks and mortar, and touchy-feely kinda gal when I comes to buying goods, especially shoes (and often clothing!). 

But Clarks DO offer their accurate online size guide 

So you can choose and they will deliver to your door! Clarks’ collection of school shoes is available in whole and half sizes, ensuring the best fit possible. Clarks is a market leader with various width options, ensuring that kids' feet are well taken care of.

I LOVE that they are Australian Made... The Clarks Australia School Range is exclusively crafted in Australia, and tailored for Aussie kids. 

All Clarks school shoes undergo rigorous testing, passing up to 20 (TWENTY!) stringent examinations to ensure maximum playability. Durable materials and robust soles not only keep feet safe but also maintain a smart appearance for longer wear.

EDIT:

Okay, I can attest: my kids have loved wearing their Clarks shoes, now that we are a few weeks in to the 2024 school year.

There was no 'breaking them in' - AT ALL!

They simply popped them on and... perfect!

So thrilled we went with Clarks this year... I highly recommend you do too!

See their whole experience right HERE on Instagram, too!

#sponsored #clarksaustralia #josiesjuice