A new makeup brand provides push-back for put-downs
Let’s face it: re-appropriating slurs can be a real bitch. But The Smear Campaign, a new cosmetics company with much more than beauty in mind, has a kiss-worthy solution. Inspired by a dissertation she wrote about how severely swear words affect women and female sexuality, founder Alyssa Skinner created the brand to put a bold twist on redefining derogatory terms. Using makeup as a physical tool of empowerment (and a conversation starter for the way we talk about women and sex), she launched the brand with three lipsticks called Tease, Bitch, and Slut in vibrant shades of red ($15, thesmearcampaign.com). The only thing off-color about them is their names, which won’t be for long if The Smear Campaign has its way.
Written by Courtney Bissonette
Photographed by Megan Senior
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2016 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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