Lord of the Rings made a 50-year-old Clinique lipstick relevant again

Pre-teens and teens alike were faced with many questionable cosmetic choices in the early aughts. These included bold eyeliner colors, vibrant lip glosses, and flavorful Lip Smackers. Twenty years ago, there was a lipstick that held sway over anyone obsessed with Middle-earth.

The Lord of the Rings films’ 20th anniversary is in 2021. We couldn’t have imagined exploring the entire trilogy in one story. We’ll be going back to the movies every Wednesday for the rest of the year. This will allow us to examine how the films remain timeless as classics. This is Polygon’s Year of the Ring.

2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring It burst onto the screens across the globe and started a culture reset. Liv Tyler’s Arwen wore the perfect shade of lipstick in Fellowship. It was eye-catching, yet understated, and shockingly from a brand synonymous with Macy’s department stores and the bottom of our mothers’ purses. What is the brand? Clinique. Shade? Black Honey.

20 years ago, the first release The Fellowship of the RingArwen is experiencing a revival of sorts. In late June, a trend emerged on TikTok that led to users seeking out Clinique’s Black Honey lipstick online and in-stores, and once again trying to replicate Arwen’s iconic look for themselves.

Arwen Undómiel first appeared in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Frodo Baggins’ arrival in Rivendell is the beginning of the trilogy. However, the vast majority of her story is contained within the appendices. The Return of the Kings, which expanded the rich tapestry of lore in Tolkien’s legendarium. Although she didn’t play an important role in the original source material, Peter Jackson wisely made her more involved in the franchise. By doing so, Jackson brought Aragorn and Arwen’s love story to the forefront of the films and that alone sparked a different kind of love story with the fans.

Arwen, a young woman looking to find her place in Middle-earth became an inspiration for many. She had a profound impact on all levels of the audience. It isn’t just cosplayers that are tracking down Black Honey lipstick to complete their costumes — TikTok is filled with regular, everyday people looking to incorporate it into their go-to make-up routines. Éowyn, with her “I am no man” line, is undoubtedly the first name who comes to mind when you think of strong female characters from Lord of the Rings. But it’s Arwen that seems to be inherently bound to the cultural memory in such a way that people long to recreate her aesthetic.

The hashtag #CliniqueBlackHoney received nearly 25,000,000 views on TikTok in just a few months. Many users went viral for their makeup routines. Lauren.Does.Cosplay is a cosplayer. Her video, where she tried out the product, has over half a million hits.

“Arwen has always been an icon to me since I watched Lord of the Rings when I was eight years old,” she told Polygon. “Not only is she stunning and the embodiment of a woman who can also be a warrior, but her love for Aragorn and her willingness to give up her immortal life for him is such a wonderful love story.” She went on to say, “I admire Arwen’s courage to follow her heart, even in the face of the world’s greatest evils.”

For Clinique’s part, Black Honey lipstick was first introduced in 1971, a mere five years after an official edition of The Lord of the RingsIt was a bestseller in the US. Contrasting with the vibrant colors of the disco and psychedelic era, this lipstick was deep-colored and rich in raisin. While it might look dark before application, the lipstick, according to Clinique, is a blend of blue, red, and yellow pigments which works for every skin tone—even Liv Tyler’s pale complexion. When the shade was first introduced, it was sold in a gloss pot, but in 1989 Clinique relaunched Black Honey in the same sleek tube that it’s sold in today. Lauren agreed with this sentiment, noting that she had already incorporated the lipstick into an everyday routine, “It’s the perfect lip for running errands.”

Peter Swords Kings, the hair and make-up designer for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, told Polygon that he chose Black Honey because it had “dark undertones, but at the same time it was sheer so [it] would look like the colour of her lips rather than lipstick.” When asked about how his make-up designs have endured as a go-to look for so many fans, King said, “I find it absolutely amazing that people are so influenced by something that I did so long ago. This is very flattering, as it’s my 50th film in a designing capacity. It will continue for many more years. “

Many details about the Lord of the Rings Films have been passed on like folklore for the past 20 years. The internet’s impact on our lives has been dramatic. In some cases, it took with it important information. Others have taken care of that work.

Lord of the Rings was released in 2001 Noreen Wilkie, a make-up artist was interviewed by InStyle Learn more about her work The Fellowship of the Ring. The interview included the first reference to the Clinique Black Honey lipstick that was used “to soften” Liv Tyler’s lips. At one point the article was uploaded onto TheOneRing.net (TORn), a site dedicated to everything a fan could need — scanned articles from magazines, information about community meet-ups, and vital links to other sites like AlleyCatScratch.

This example shows how information was passed on within the Lord of the Rings. Over the years, fandom has grown. First published in the printed version of InStyleBefore appearing temporarily online for AOL InStyle Customers. TolkienOnline.com was formerly Tolkien Estate.com. TORn had links to InStyle for a short time. At some point between 2001 and 2008, the interview post was deleted, but the information was preserved on one fan’s personally-run site, Very-Faery.com. Very-Faery shared the article on their website after saving it in Microsoft Word. Although the site was deleted now, it was saved and kept by Wayback Machine. To ensure vital fandom information is available for future generations, it takes commitment. It is becoming more difficult to save important fandom sites such as GeoCities from being deleted in mass.

Photo: Clinique.com

This information was not available on the Wayback Machine. The only evidence that Black Honey lipstick was used by Arwen is a blog post, which was uploaded prior to April 2008. The dedicated fans at AlleyCatScratch created a handy guide to Arwen’s make-up, which listed both the screen-accurate palettes and less expensive alternatives to replicate the look.

Today, fans aren’t necessarily looking for alternatives that are cheaper — but ones that can be found on shelves at all. Clinique’s website claims that every three minutes a tube of Black Honey lipstick is sold, and that may not be bluster. This lipstick has been difficult to find because of the renewed interest from TikTok. Licensed cosmetologists like Jenn Aédo have been providing viewers with alternatives — including cruelty-free or vegan dupes like Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Red Dahlia, E.L.F Sheer Slick Lipstick in Black Cherry, or Tarte’s Quench Lip Rescue in Berry.

Aédo went viral in August with nearly 3 million views on a video where she discussed the Black Honey trend. She explained in an interview that all the shades she carries at Sephora are sold out. Although no one has mentioned Arwen to her when they inquire about the lipstick she expects that more people will search for it at the upcoming comic conventions. At the time of writing, Black Honey lipstick was still available to be ordered in Sephora’s Sephora Favorites collection, on Amazon, and at Dillards.

Fans can’t be more than a few miles away from the official release. The Lord of the Rings The initial excitement surrounding the trilogy gave rise to characters that are still with us today. They can do this by wearing the Ruling Ring around the neck, or using Black Honey lipstick to get ready for whatever challenges await them. Arwen’s look remains a classic for fans. As Peter King Swords said, “Long may it endure.”