A Full Flush

The Arctic is the least likely inspiration source we’ve heard of yet. So to find out that it’s the Far North- that is the ice-cold Arctic and sub-Arctic polar regions- that serves as a starting point for the Hermès  Autumn/Winter 2026 lipstick collection, we’re intrigued. 

3 new lipstick colours and cases, the former devised by Beauty Creative Director Gregoris Pyrpylis and the latter designed by Pierre Hardy, the trio are less beauty products than miniature studies in colour, collectible mini artworks. Though each lipstick houses a brilliant crimson shade, ranging from a rose, to scarlet and cherry (inspired by what Pyrpylis terms as “this meeting of cold and colour” in the Far North, as in your cheeks should you visit there!), the crux of the trio’s collectability is actually the inspiration behind the packaging, within which Hardy has created a metaphor able to pull at anyone’s heart.

Across each lipstick case, unexpected flashes of colour interrupt the cold. Canary yellow beckons amidst a glint of magenta, whilst elsewhere an electric blue and a deep teal reminiscent of the frozen seas beneath collide with crimson red. These choices are not arbitrary. They are, in fact, an echo of the occasional houses and buildings scattered across the polar landscape, their brightly painted facades standing almost defiantly against vast expanses of white. Put simply, a tiny beacon of life and proof of the fact that warmth can exist even where you least expect it. 

Beneath the surface, of course, there is still the lipstick itself. Which is fit for every climate. Whether you want a glossy finish for some extra moisturisation should you also be taking a trip to the Far North- the Rose Hermès Rosy Lip Shine Enhancer in shade 38 Rouge Arielle would be your calling, or perhaps if you’re looking to swipe some of that extra oil away via a matte route should you wind up closer to the equator, the Rouge Hermès Matt Lipstick in shade 83 Rouge Scandinave might be your partner in crime. If you are really stuck for choice however, the Rouge Hermès Satin Lipstick in shade 21 Rouge Épicé would be a safe bet- it combines both some of that shine, without ever leaving you feeling too glossed up.

Whatever the weather, these are lipsticks guaranteed to bring some warmth to your lips this winter.  Just one note to self: do not leave it in the bottom of your bag to get scratched!

The Autumn/Winter 2026 Limited Edition collection will be available from August 2026 in selected Hermès retail outlets worldwide.