Today, we spotlight Stiks Cosmetiks, a collection of intuitively designed lipsticks born and bred in NYC. |
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The idea for STIKS was born in January 2012 after Laura bought a flat luxury wallet from Hammitt LA, which she wanted to use as a day bag. Much to her dismay, her fat lipstick tube didn't fit! This lead her to question why nobody had ever made a "flat" lipstick, and motivated her to create one.
During the design process, Laura tapped into the other hassles she and many women faced when it came to lipstick. Sore points that came to mind included a detachable separate cap that can get lost or loosen in transit, having to wind up the bullet to access product, needing two hands to apply lipstick, and not fitting in tiny clutches, pockets and flat wallets. To address these, she engineered the lipstick to live above the base eliminating the need to roll it up every time, and added a flip top cap, while streamlining the thickness and shape of the packaging to fit in tight spots while being stable enough to stand on a flat surface. The '2 hands required rule' is simply disregarded with a single handed flip and twist mechanism of the package. |
5 fun facts about Stiks Cosmetiks
Product names will always be simple and true to their color.
The flat angled bullet makes it easier to apply lipstik and functions as a lip liner. The bullet lives above the base so you never need to roll it up to apply, just flip, apply, snap and go! The STIKs are Chrome so the packaging can be used as a mirror. The KIT has an ample mirror on the front to make touching up a cinch anywhere, anytime! |
Designed to be used with one hand. The swivel mechanism of the floating bullet is engineered with just the right amount of tension to allow for control and makes it possible to text and apply lipstick at the same time with precision.
Hi-shine chrome finishing allows the outer case to function as a mirror, while the 1.4 cm thickness of the tube (~size of a stick pack of Juicy Fruit gum), allows the lipstik to fit in the tiniest clutch and flat wallet. The angular lines of the rectangular bullet allows the user to use the Stik as a liner as well as color. The clear cut lines mimic artist precision, where stiff angled brushes are used to expertly define lip shape and neatly color. In addition, the shape also helps maintain that 'just bought shape.' |
The well edited core 6 shade palette isn't overwhelming and is on par with the 'less choice' design trend. Women typically have multiple shades of lipstick and often in the same color family. Whilst Stiks' offering is limited, the colors are distinct and can be mixed and matched for custom shades.
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The aesthetics of the packaging and Stik Kit is modern, sleek, and androgynous. It's clear to see how these Stiks can appeal to both men and women as the look doesn't discriminate between sexes, and truly reflects the brand's philosophy of simplicity and 'the democracy of makeup.'
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My advice for any woman wanting to jump start their idea is to have a clear and well thought out plan with one key message and a very unique market differentiator. There’s a lot of competition out there in any industry, so it’s important be able to set yourself and your product apart clearly and quickly. Also, make sure you're fully capitalized – finding funding for STIKS has been the hardest and most painful part of this entire journey. There aren’t many angel investors or VC firms that invest in women entrepreneurs to begin with and when you step outside of the tech industry, well let's just say it's challenging. It’s not easy to strike out on your own, so make sure you’ve got the courage, optimism, support system and undeterred ambition to get it done! It will be the most rewarding thing you'll do with your life. Good luck!
Laura Stiks Cosmetiks Founder and CEO |
Stiks Cosmetiks has beautifully translated the long held irks of women who apply lipstick on-the-go and interpreted them into a modern, androgynous and non-conformist functional designed lipstick.