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| Photo credit: Jane Russell |
I am sure, if you are reading this - that you well have known orgasm.
I mean that rush of warm gold against the folds of frosted pink that have been the subject of many a woman's flight of fancy. It had been the stuff of legend so much so that we were given second, third, multiple and super servings of it.
Some say it is overrated but everyone admits that you have to poke and fulfill your curiosity before you can turn it down.I am of course talking about the most successful shade name in the history of makeup- NARS orgasm- why it has been quoted in many a film and tv series (my favorite of which is in the TV series United States of Tara- which i highly recommend or am I so late in the program already?)
Now, had its name not been such, say for example peach rush - it would not have sold nor been talked about as much. I, for one wouldn't have bought one because this is so not a shade that works for me.
But, being able to say that I paid for an orgasm is already worth the money. And it got reviewed a lot because it just is so much fun talking about it- ah the double entendre of it!
Whether to say you are disappointed of the orgasm, you are buying an orgasm, you would like a second orgasm, you have run out of orgasm- it is a great story!
And honestly, this is the kind of bullshit i wouldn't mind. Do not just give me a cheek blush, give me a good story- give me a conversation piece, make me feel naughty, reckless, alive - heck- liven up my life- give me orgasm. Not unlike the bullshit like the "growth mascara" that has the malicious intent to deceive- but this one, i prefer not to live without.
So I think it is such a waste to name shades by the number *cough body shop cough* - as they do not know the power and the gift to joy that they could have been unleashing.
Back where I was in the biz, we would submit our product proposal with our shade name to this wonderful Russian woman who would predict how much the shade would sell.
Can you imagine what kind of talent that is? Back then, I just shrug it off but on hindsight now- it would take a fantastic female brain to do this.
Anyway, the racier my shade name gets, the more sales she would give it to and she has a very good batting average. Yup, in girls as in shade names, horny beats pretty anytime.
So to all the orgasms in the world- hit me!
Ok, your turn to confess gurlz- which products have you bought because of the pull of its shade name?
i never have actually. i dont know what half of the shades i use are, i just go for the color. like anything coral related for blush i will likely immediately buy.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's why i have Nars orgasm. And Lippmann's Happy Birthday nail polish. And quite a number of polishes....
ReplyDeleteI am from Hong Kong, and I notice that in Asia (especially Japan), nearly all these products become nameless with only series of numbers. You can see that most of the Japanese cosmetics are named by numbers. Maybe this helps to solve the language problem, but loses all the stories and the sexiness behind. All in all, sex sells, that's always true, right?
Thanks for this nice series, hope to see more!
Names definitely give products more personality, and make them easier to relate to. It plays into how we buy things to define ourselves, however pathetic that may sound. Like CND's polish shade Fedora, it's a vampy shade and there are so many like it but it feels a bit more special because fedora's make me think of a sexy pinstripe wearing femme fatale.
ReplyDeleteI think nail polish is the only thing I've ever purchased because of the name. Probably because of the smaller price tag.
ReplyDeleteVonzi, Sandi- Oh yes- I always tke it for granted that my company pays for my orgasms so I take for granted the price. Heehee!
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy Lee- Wow, I have a reader from Japan! How wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThere are 4 reasons for the conversion of shades to numbers in Japan/Asia, elsewhere:
1) We wouldn't make the effort to hire a good translator- it is not only the price but the time to debate it through
2) And even if we do -we get lost in translation (not only names, but we have to consider cultural differences)- risky
3) We have limited characters to fit the names (For my global brand, I am limited to 11 characters, including spaces, no special characters)
4) Japan regulations are freaking shit difficult yeah!
Hi Dianerdoll-
ReplyDeleteI have researched this fedora shade as I also would like one if only for the name. Brand is not available in freaking Belgium and shade is discontinued or out of stock- methinks.
I wonder if its worth to form a coalition here to buy them disconinued shades en masse. It is possible but there are minimum quantities we have to contend with.
I'm a sucker for OPI names. My current fave - Ski Teal We Drop !
ReplyDeleteThanks Jona!
ReplyDeleteGawd, that is a lot of characters! 17! I wud lurv to work with english only shade names. Becomes more complex when we try to serve the whole world. See Cathy Lee comment above.
Hardest is to come up with a new global brand name! Much worse than naming a baby as it has an executive committee, regional and local management and government authorities to approve it.
I never bought Orgasm (not a good color for me) but I must have looked at it half a dozen times and considered it, so there you go. I love to read the names of products and often wonder what went into a name, but I don't know that I've purchased based on name alone. I enjoy Rescue Beauty's name because Ji often tells her inspirations. OPI must have an entire naming team with all the colors they release.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Sorry about the user name; it's a gmail glitch that can't seem to be fixed.
I never wear blush or bronzer, so nars orgasm never tempted me ;)
ReplyDeleteBut I fell for many eyeshadows and nail polishes because of the names.
Once or twice I even bought a color I wouldn't normally wear because of the funny or ridiculous name, but mostly I had to decide between for example three purple eyeshadows which I all liked and then I bought the one with the funniest name.
While speaking of orgasm, there is a nail polish brand with that name *lol* and I really bought polishes from them (to try them out, nail polish collection is ever growing ^^), I liked the bottle-shape a lot and I thought the names were funny.
Like "what happens under the covers ..." or "too sexy for you" or "don't even think about it!", "don't tell your mother!", "how was it?", "not now, not ever!", "your mother said NO!" and my personal favorite, "what the hell!", a lovely mid blue shimmer :))
I love blue nailpolish ^^
But - I also bought pinks and reds because of their funny names, thinking half "I can always use them as a funny present for someone who wears pink or red" and half "maybe one day I start liking reds" ;)
Names are not only a possibility to increase your sales (I'm pretty sure if a non-expensive nail color company would bring out a line with Justin Bieber song-titles, a lot of teenage girls would buy them as fast as they could), but they also help you remembering which shades you already own.
My artdeco-polishes for example (and the manhattans, too) only have numbers. Right now in this moment, sitting on my desk are numbers 75, 78, 70, 81, 71 (all nude-taupe-lightpink-shades) and 65, 68, 69 (three shades of gray).
Now when I go shopping and see that full tray in front of me, do you think I can remember if I have number 65 or 72 or 77 at home?
No I can't.
But I do remember names, especially if they are funny ones or at least catching ones, not only "dark blue" "red" "bright orange", but stuff like "summer breeze", "tropical bouquet", "emerald depths" or something.
Of course a name like "what the hell!" or "your mother said NO!" sticks even better in my memory ^^
Hi Z' No probs! Just hard to spell, that is al, lest to pronounce, that is all.
ReplyDeleteHmm, too bad I do not have Rescue Beauty and OPI my end of the world.
Hi Caitlyn- Wow! What passion you have! I wish the cosmetic biz have as much people with passion like yours.
ReplyDeleteI want to launch a blush like orgasm and call it fake orgasm and of course price it less. I am sure I can outsell them- heehee!
Hehe ... still wouldn't wear blush *gg* but why not, a lot of girls will surely give it a try. Just make sure to put a big shiny glowing sparkling "NEW!!!" on it *gg* heehee.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, do you know there are even songs with your name? ;) Yesterday I was surfing in youtube and I found Rowena's theme by Unshine and Rowena by Bad Habit. Unshine is a kind of rockmetalband with a female front singer, who has a nice voice but a strange way of singing.
And Bad Habit seems to be an 80s glamrockband *g*
The chorus is quite catchy though ^^
Hey Caitlyn- this is mad! Haha! I didn't know- thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf you were looking for videos of my girl band- we didn't make it that far - haha! (it was long tie ago before cellphones had videos - or heck it was before cell phones!)
i had a video when i did singing telegram with friends for the love of- thank gawd it didn't make it to youtube (fingers crossed, they never would). heehee!
Nope, in fact, I have purposely NOT purchased things with names like that because I will NOT be manipulated. LOL I think I might be Russian...LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Brown Eyed Sue!
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not think you are Russian as this tactic works well with Russians, i know.:-) I know that Russians do not like the SexInTheCity girls. Think they are losers for not being married. At least that is what our research revealed. No kidding!
Max Factor creme puff in "Gay whisper"....haven't bought that, obv x
ReplyDeleteYallaBambi-
ReplyDeleteNo way! How can they call them that?!
My people at MaxFactor are having an identity crisis for quite a while now- haha!
I haven't bought anything for its name, since, well, it looks like just a marketing strategy, but I do enjoy seeing how some companies (OPI, for example; and yes, when I saw the Orgasm for the first time I thought 'What a nifty name, they better not discontinue it, it must be selling really well') name their products - I enjoy the creativity behind it and I enjoy the same thing I like about this blog - seeing the psychology and smoke and mirrors behind it.
ReplyDelete(Yeah, you are after my money, but I do appreciate the skill behind even that.)
:D
I hope I was clear, translating isn't my cuppa when I had little sleep.
Hi Ana-
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I love this design bs skill, its the ambiguous wording with intention to baffle that you know has stepped the line.
Very clear! Lack of sleep becomes you- heehee!
I know I'm a little late to the game here, but in response to Caitlyn:
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention Justin Bieber nail polishes. In WalMart the other day, I that that OPI's Nicole brand actually has a Justin Bieber collection.
Funnily (is that even a word?) enough, I almost bought a couple, until, I realized it was a Justin Bieber collection! :P
Hey Eryka!
ReplyDeleteJustin Bieber?! WTF is the world going to?
And you know what else is insane- my favorite boxer, Manny Pacquiao, is sporting a Bieber haircut.
I need alcohol. heehee!
You and me, both, sister. You and me, both.
ReplyDeleteHey Rowena! First off, I love your blog. I keep reading and re-reading your posts to dissuade me from my impulse buys.
ReplyDeleteSecond, you love Pacquiao? In that case I oughta give you some love from the Philippines! Pacquiao is our biggest and greatest export at the moment :) According to him, though, his hair is a tribute to Bruce Lee, not the Bieb.
Hi Krysty-
ReplyDeleteKabayan!!!! Well, I am somehow relieved it is Bruce and not le Bieb. Heehee, I am laying down on the drinking then.
But my real idol is Mommy D. Have you seen her tweeter?
@Ofacial Dionisia- i lurv it!
I confess, I am sucker for names. And I have bought more than one Orgasm product as the color works for me. And I love OPI and various nail polishes with cool names. What I hate, is real women's names on any product. No matter what the product, I will see the one I just LOVE and then see the name. And the name is of someone I hated in high school, my husband's first wife (popular name for shoes, bedding, etc.) and then I can't bring myself to buy it.
ReplyDeleteI actually chose the interior paint for my living room in part because of it's name: Atomic Vomit Green. I kid you not. We will be repainting, but it made a great story!
ReplyDeleteBarefoot Domestic Goddess-
ReplyDeleteOh I am so with you on that! I will forever hate the names of that gurl who stole the lurv of my life!
Hi jessica! I pity the fool who will go for apple green if they can have "atomic vomit green"- yeah!
ReplyDeletegotta see that!
you are so right - i bought OPI's nail polish named 'Tasmanian devil made me do it' just because of the name 'though i'd not needed any red polish. surprisingly i use it a lot, so it wasnt just waste of money :)
ReplyDeletei have bought shades called tarte, hahaha to that.. but since i am always on a budget and buying drugstore brands, my colour names read like a true colour chart. brick red, spice red, soft rose,
ReplyDeletehi of rainy days-
ReplyDeletenothing wrong with drugstore brads at all!
i once proposed a name for a cake shop - cheeky tarts- unfortunately, bakeshop didnt take off. you can always rename your polishes or your own makeup shade for your own entertainment! i name my shade of lipstick "rowena red". why leave this exciting task to marketeers- bah!
hahah rowena , i wish the cake shop did take off..love the name. and thts a good idea to give them names once we are done buying , instead of buying because of the name.
ReplyDeletebtw love your blog, and now i know why the cheap compact powder that worked wonders is off the shelves for good.. am i sad or am i sad
Heya!
ReplyDeleteWell, i would partner up with any good bakers out there just to have that great cake name out there!
keen to know what your shade names will be!
Ah, yes, Tara. Too bad there won't be another season, I really hate that, especially now, that Eddie Izzard is on board too. :/ I love the name Orgasm, but I don't use blusher, so I have no need for it. ;) But I did buy one polish for the name, Show Must Go On (Queen, what can I do), luckily it's an awesome colour too. And I totally wanted to buy the OPI that had Sparrow from Pirates of Carebbean in the name, but it turned out soft pink, and frankly, it could be named Johnny Depp and I doubt I'd buy it. Well, cut that, I'd buy any polish with Johnny Depp on it ... I'm so easy.
ReplyDeleteEddie Izzard on Tara?! That would be amazing! I love him!
ReplyDeleteHmm- i would cast him as Freddie Mercury any time!
Ok, i give you the dib on Johnny Depp!
NARS now has super orgasm. What a joke! It is described as having gold sparkle as opposed to golden shimmer. I mean c'mon! Super orgasm is actually less vibrant than orgasm anways. Not impressed. I do have orgasm, but its not one of the blushes I reach of the most, although sadly probably one of the most expensive.
ReplyDeleteA bit tardy to the party, but I just discovered your blog - what a treat!. And I just discovered *BRAND'S* G-spot. It was a little hard to find at first, but once I did...wow! - blah, blah, blah, (it actually is quite a nice shade).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, keep up the cool - it's awesome.
*really* late here, but Nars reeled me in by naming a dark glittery black cream liner/shadow deal "Tatar." I am strangely obsessed with all things to do with Tatar culture and history so I went out and bought it...only to discover that they made a foundation in my shade called "Siberia" in a lineup of foundations named after luxury beaches,
ReplyDeleteThe effect was ruined when the snooty makeup counter attendant asked if I wanted "Tar-tar"
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