New Zealand natural lipstick brand Karen Murrell has launched a new lipstick tinted using keratin pigment made from strong wool. The formulation marks the first time a wool source was used in a commercial product and a world-first in beauty.

The limited-edition lipstick, dubbed ‘Kera Kisses’, was created in collaboration with Wool Source, in line with its purpose to commercialise innovative new uses for New Zealand wool. It saw wool fibre deconstructed into a keratin powder pigment, which still retained wool’s performance benefits.

Karen Murrell natural lipsticks do not contain any water and the insoluble form of the powder was a great ingredient. “Using products in a circular economy model, where unused products found a new purpose, was important,” says Murrell.

The lipstick is said to tick all the boxes in terms of look, feel, fragrance, and performance. According to the lipstick founder and designer, the ultra-fine keratin powder is undetectable in the application and is soft, non-gritty, and applies like a very smooth, balm-like lipstick with a deep red colour. The absorbent nature of the keratin powder in the pigment and its light sponge-like character locks the moisture in close to the skin, keeping lips hydrated too. Adding to its benefits, wool keratin powder absorbs and neutralises pollutants, preventing them from damaging skin, she says. 

The wool used for the pigment was from Westmere Farm in Ashburton and the product could be traced back to its origin. Its packaging design features the actual farm that the sheep were from.

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