Once in a rare while, I like to dedicate a post to something other than perfume. If you’re a regular reader of my monthly “Passing Fancies” posts or this blog in general, you might know that I’m also fairly obsessed with lipstick and I’m a longtime admirer and customer of Poppy King’s various lipstick brands — the original Poppy, Lipstick Queen, Femme de Poppy…

Here’s her latest: Lipcentric by Poppy King. I love the name — “lip-centric,” because lips are at the center of this line and Poppy’s entire oeuvre.

It also reminds me of “eccentric,” which Merriam-Webster defines as “deviating from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways.” (A very positive connotation, for me!)

This debut Lipcentric product, Silver Bullet, is a “mesmerizing and magical” lipstick that transforms from shimmering silver to sheer sparkling pink on skin.

If you were a fan of Lipstick Queen’s Frog Prince, Hello Sailor, et al., you already know that Poppy was a pioneer of color-shifting lipsticks! You may even remember Lipstick Queen’s Ice Queen, a semi-sheer frosted silver that worked well as a topcoat over other colors.

Silver Bullet, on the other hand, is a beautiful standalone product with “sophisticated sparkle.” And “Silver Bullet” is another excellent name — this lipstick might not halt every problem in its tracks, but it has definitely lifted my spirits lately.

Poppy herself posted this photo of Silver Bullet resting on a metallic mesh purse with a gradated pink sequined flower — and it’s a perfect match for this lipstick, since it hints at the “special effect” of Silver Bullet’s shape-shifting, multi-dimensional character.

Poppy has explained that well-crafted lipstick colors have both a foreground and a background. Here, the foreground is silver and the background is pink, and Silver Bullet’s evolution creates an illusion of fullness and shine.

Here’s a swatch of Silver Bullet on my inner arm, viewed from two different angles. These aren’t the most pro shots — I apologize! — but I think you can see that it shows up silvery in the photo on the left and more pink in the photo on the right. You can also get a sense of how this shade plays on light skin with neutral-to-cool undertones.

I’m still very camera-shy on the Internet, but here’s a QVC model wearing Silver Bullet — she has just applied it so it’s still showing its initial silvered, frost-y effect on her mouth.

And here’s a photo of a QVC host Sandra Bennett wearing Silver Bullet while she talks about it. On her lips, the color has settled down to a pearly rose shade.

I’ve worn Silver Bullet for nearly every Zoom meeting and videoconferencing event I’ve attended over the past two months, and it gives a flattering effect on camera. The micro-sparkle is more visible in person than on video, so I feel like I have a little secret.

Plus, this formula has moisturizing ingredients, so I don’t even need to wear lip balm underneath like I often do.

Lastly, a visual note: looking at the Lipcentric case design, I’m reminded of some Op Art from the 1960s. The example above, from Bridget Riley, has similar repeated, undulating patterns. It’s also “eccentric” in that its composition doesn’t have a geometric center!

(And the lettering is so 1960s-1970s, too — just think of the Bloomingdale’s logo or the old Gap font!)

Lipcentric Silver Bullet by Poppy King is available at QVC.com ($26). You can also spot the latest promotional video there. Give it a look and let me know what you think!

Edited 7.19.22, with an update: Poppy will be selling Silver Bullet online at her Instagram account, @poppykinglipstick, later this month!