There’s a quiet buzz at the entrance of make-up megastore Sephora. Lady Gaga ’s poker face looms large on enormous billboards, even staring up from the bottom of the baskets.
Haus Labs, her zingy make-up range, has been available in the States for a few years but has now reached our shores.
Fans – male and female – are gathering around the stand trying out the “supercharged” and “high-pigment” lip crayons, eyeliners and shimmering highlighters.
As terrifying as some of the colours at first appear, summer’s coming and so I have made a pilgrimage to the new outlet – although unless you can get to West London, ordering online is the only way to get hold of it for now.
So.... first things first, foundation. Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta – has 51 shades in her Triclone Skin Tech range. As someone who burns at a sniff of sunlight, I find the palest possible, gulping at the £47 price tag.
Next come the dazzling Bio-Radiant Gel-Powder Highlighters in 10 glimmering hues. Gaga promises a sweep of highlighter will give a “pure, radiant glow”. I opt for the soft pink Rose Quartz shade, at £44 a pop, that looks the most wearable.
On to the eyes, and two Optic Intensity Eco Gel Eyeliner Pencils – whatever that means. One in a very Gaga-esque lime green Chartreuse Matte, the other in Deep Cocoa Matte brown. The Hy-Power Pigment Paint then calls me, and there are a sticky few minutes during which my arm gets covered in ultra-glittery pastes.
The fuchsia pink Magenta Shimmer and a very metallic Gold Shimmer it is, both of which have clearly taken inspiration from a Christmas bauble.
A LeMonster lip crayon in Scarlet Matte finishes off the purchases – and my credit card – and several steadying breaths later, the total is more than £200. A security guard gently helps me out of the shop as I look round for a paper bag to hyperventilate into. French cosmetics behemoth Sephora has been widely established on the continent since 1970 and in the US since 1998, a mecca for any make-upaholic.
Back home, I unpack my haul. Vegan and cruelty-free, clearly Gaga has invested a lot of love in her range. The simple white packaging feels grown-up and high-end (just as well considering the prices).
Compared with Rihanna ’s Fenty Beauty, Gaga’s price point is higher (a Rihanna-designed foundation costs around £30), but her demographic is older. So how does it feel? The foundation glides on nicely and sets well. The highlighter, while pretty, doesn’t feel worth £44, and I expect more than the subtle shimmer it leaves on my skin.
The lip crayon is really impressive and stays put all day, even through an ambitiously messy lunch (soup) and dinner (pizza). My only quibble is that the tip of the pencil is quite thick.
The glittering paints are tricky. I go overboard on my eyelids and look like I’ve been to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I start again. Building up colour layer by layer yields happier results. I finish with the brown eyeliner across the upper lash line and into a cat-eye flick, but it’s not very gel-like. The chartreuse liner is better under eyes.
It’s a solid 7 out of 10. Some of the products are way out, but it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from Gaga – and those paints will come out for festivals, parties and the next time the Rocky Horror cast are in town.
