I’m by no means an expert on lipstick… I can’t tell the difference between a Maroon and a Burgundy, but I know enough to be able to say that the Yanzhi Lipstick Card is an incredibly clever idea. Packaged in a neat, card-sized device, the Yanzhi Lipstick’s easy to spot, store, carry, and apply. It’s one of those sensible ideas that make you wonder lipsticks are shaped the way they are, and why they haven’t changed in literally centuries.

The Yanzhi Lipstick’s card-shaped design makes it easy to carry in your pocket, purse, or even wallet (it’s 2021 and anyone can wear lipstick). The card detail is great for branding purposes, and allows you to easily see the color on a much larger swatch than on the top of a cylindrical lipstick container. The most important part about Yanzhi’s experience is in how you apply it. Designed to be used sort of the way you’d use a tissue or blotting paper to absorb excess lip-gloss, all you do is eject the lipstick from the card and place it between both lips and move them around almost as if you were picking meat off a pair of BBQ ribs. Once you’re done, slide the lipstick back into its card-cover, and voila! You don’t need a mirror, and thanks to the protective wall on the edge of the lipstick card, you won’t have a red line running across your teeth either!

The Yanzhi Lipstick is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2021.

Designer: Yuru Zhang