Lipstick's own intrinsic magnetism. Five ultra-fine pearl metallic lipsticks that make you impossible to look away from.
The Metals collection has been discontinued along with the wider Lipstick Queen range. The distinctive gunmetal casing with iridescent interference pattern makes it easy to identify on eBay and Poshmark. Metal Red and Metal Nude surface most frequently; Metal Cake is rarest. We recommend the alternatives below as your best ongoing options.
The Metals was Lipstick Queen's most overtly glamorous collection — a tribute to lipstick's own intrinsic power of attraction. Poppy King's inspiration came from a high-school memory: "I remembered my old science class on magnetic metals and was inspired by how certain metals exert a force on the world around them. It struck me that lipstick has the same ability to attract people towards you." The result was a collection engineered to be mesmerising and completely magnetic to the eye.
The formula was unlike any other in the Lipstick Queen range: an ultra-fine metallic pearl base at high concentration, paired with rich colour pigments and balanced with Apricot Kernel Oil and Vitamin E for a drag-free, comfortable application. The finish was intense satin metallic — not frosted, not glittery, but with a burnished, multi-dimensional metal quality that caught the light differently at every angle. Five shades covered the full spectrum from a metallic pillarbox red to a rose-gold nude to a metallic lilac, all in the same distinctive gunmetal casing with its shifting iridescent interference pattern.
The Metals launched in November 2013 as a holiday collection — three shades (Metal Red, Metal Nude, Metal Wine) that became Lipstick Queen's most commercially successful holiday release to that point. The concept was rooted in Poppy King's long-held conviction about lipstick's social power. Her observation that lipstick exerted the same kind of attraction as magnetic metals — drawing the eye, creating presence, generating a force field of attention around the wearer — gave the collection its name and its organising metaphor.
The collection expanded from three to five shades over subsequent seasons, adding Metal Noire (metallic blackberry) and Metal Cake (metallic delicate lilac), giving the range a full spectrum from accessible nudes through vivid reds to the more unconventional lilac. The gunmetal casing — distinct from every other Lipstick Queen tube — had an iridescent interference pattern that played with light, producing a shifting rainbow effect that made the tube itself a piece of metallic jewellery. Color For Chocolate noted that the casing "reflects a rainbow of color" and made the entire collection feel uniquely high-end.
British Beauty Blogger, noting that metallic lipstick was something she would previously "run from," was converted by The Metals: "Far from being garish, they're just beautiful smears of sheeny colour... definitely statement but not shouty." This was precisely Poppy King's intention — metallic lipstick that felt like a natural extension of personal style rather than a costume piece.
The five shades of The Metals covered the full spectrum of lipstick occasions — from the everyday metallic nude to the maximalist metallic lilac. Each shade shared the same ultra-fine pearl formula but used a distinct pigment combination to produce its metallic character.
The Metals formula was architecturally different from every other Lipstick Queen lipstick. Rather than the Castor Seed Oil base used across the Saint, Sinner, Butterfly Ball, and Silver Screen collections, The Metals used Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride as its primary carrier — a lightweight ester that provided exceptional slip and glide without the heavier, balm-like feel of castor oil. This base was specifically chosen for its compatibility with the ultra-fine metallic pearls that were the formula's defining ingredient.
The metallic pearl system used Mica particles coated with Synthetic Fluorphlogopite and Tin Oxide, combined with standard interference pigments. The key distinction from conventional shimmer lipsticks was the concentration and particle size: "ultra-fine" particles at "high concentration" rather than the larger, more visible shimmer particles typical of glittery lip products. This produced the burnished, continuous metallic surface quality that reviewers described as "beautiful smears of sheeny colour" rather than sparkle or glitter.
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil — the same ingredient used in Possessed Metal and Cupid's Bow — provided the drag-free, silky application quality. Apricot Kernel Oil is a light, fast-absorbing oil with a high oleic acid content that prevents the metallic particles from creating drag or feeling dry during application. Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) served as the antioxidant stabiliser. Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Copolymer — a synthetic polymer used in high-performance cosmetics — contributed to the formula's long-wearing quality and gave it a film-forming property that helped the metallic finish maintain its integrity for hours.
The Metals were designed for direct bullet application. Apply a single smooth pass from the centre of the lips outward. The ultra-fine pearl formula distributes evenly without drag in one pass — avoid going back over the same area repeatedly, as this can disturb the metallic surface and create uneven pearl distribution. One clean application is better than multiple passes.
Metal Red was specifically recommended for layering to add three-dimensional depth. Apply a first coat, let it set for 30 seconds, then apply a second coat in a slightly different direction. The metallic pearls orient differently with each application, creating the multi-dimensional "metallic that catches the light from every angle" effect that made the collection distinctive. Up to three coats could be layered without becoming heavy.
The metallic effect was most dramatic in direct light — the ultra-fine pearls needed light to activate their full reflective quality. For the best everyday result, apply in natural light or under warm artificial lighting. For evening, the metallic effect under directional lighting (restaurant candlelight, stage lighting) was reported as extraordinary — several reviewers specifically noted Metal Red under evening lighting as one of the most spectacular lipstick effects they had achieved.
As listed for Metal Red (lipstickqueen.com official listing):
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vegetable Oil (Olus/Huile Vegetale), Polyethylene, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Silica, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax (Candelilla Cera/Cire De Candelilla), Pentaerythrityl Adipate/Caprate/Caprylate/Heptanoate, Beeswax (Cera Alba/Cire D'Abeille), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Highlighted ingredients are key actives. Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is the engineered mica that forms the ultra-fine metallic pearl system. Mica coated with this ingredient creates the burnished, continuous metallic surface rather than conventional shimmer or glitter. Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Copolymer is the film-forming polymer that gives the long-wearing quality. Apricot Kernel Oil provides the drag-free application. Pigment colours vary by shade — Metal Nude includes Tin Oxide; Metal Wine and Noire include Blue 1 Lake for the cool, dark undertone.
Three metallic lipsticks that deliver the spirit of The Metals — the same burnished satin-metal quality, the same drag-free comfort, and the same magnetic presence that made the collection unforgettable.
For fans of The Metals who loved the concept of a metallic nude — Metal Nude's rose-gold quality — Pat McGrath's LiquiLUST in the nude-metallic shades comes closest to the burnished, non-frosted metallic quality that defined The Metals formula. The LiquiLUST formula uses a similar ultra-fine pigment system to produce a continuous metallic surface without obvious shimmer particles, exactly as Lipstick Queen intended. The range covers equivalents for every Metals shade from nude through red through deep wine and berry.
For fans of Metal Red — Lipstick Queen's most beloved metallic shade — Charlotte Tilbury Kidman's Kiss is a vivid, metallic-infused red that delivers comparable impact with a similar satin-metallic finish. The Hot Lips formula uses interference pigments for a dimensional quality closer to The Metals' burnished approach than to conventional shimmer. The shade itself is the closest available equivalent to Metal Red's "metallic pillarbox red with gold flecks" quality, and the Charlotte Tilbury formula matches The Metals' comfort profile with Vitamin E and conditioning oils.
For fans of The Metals who were drawn to the collection's overall philosophy of high-impact colour delivered without dryness or compromise — and who are open to a more liquid, pigment-rich format — NARS Powermatte in shades like Out of Control (wine) and Explicit Content (deep berry) capture the same unapologetically intense, no-compromise colour delivery that defined The Metals. While the format differs (liquid rather than bullet), the intensity and comfortable wear replicate the experience of Metal Wine and Metal Noire for those who prefer a flatter finish to metallic.
"Far from being garish, these are beautiful smears of sheeny colour — definitely statement but not shouty. Metal Nude has a shot of gold and Metal Wine is a sparky version of a sheen."
I am someone who would usually run from a metallic lipstick without even considering it as an option. The Metals changed my view entirely. Metal Red under evening lighting was one of the most spectacular things I have ever applied to my lips. The formula goes on smooth with no drag, stays on, and genuinely makes you feel magnetic. The gunmetal case reflects rainbow colour when you turn it. The packaging alone is worth the price.
"Lipstick Queen is bar none the best lip product out today. Metal Red is just AMAZING. It lasts and it leaves lips feeling great — the metallic pigment is not too overbearing."
I used Metal Red in a Marilyn Monroe inspired look as the base for multiple red layers. The shimmer gave the lip a great three-dimensional effect which was beautiful. As with all Lipstick Queen products the lipstick is beautifully packaged, goes on smoothly, and is generously pigmented. It lasts really well. The metallic is subtle enough that it looks genuinely wearable — a metallic effect that complements the colour rather than overwhelming it.
"The metallic pigment gives the perfect amount of shimmer — not overbearing, beautifully alluring. The texture is amazing and it lasts well on the lips."
The colors are beautifully alluring and the texture is genuinely amazing for a metallic. Semi-opaque coverage without feathering or bleeding. The Metal Red has rich colour with additional metallic gold and red sparkles that the camera cannot capture at all — you have to wear it to understand. The gunmetal case with its iridescent interference pattern is a special piece in your collection. Easy to find among many lipsticks too, which is a practical bonus.