In the 2010 cult-classic film Burlesque, Christina Aguilera plays Ali Rose, a talented singer who leaves her Midwestern hometown to become a star in Los Angeles and ends up working at a flashy burlesque club—ditching her long hair and minimal makeup for high-octane glamour befitting the opulent location. If there’s one thing we know about Aguilera, it’s that she’s never afraid to take a beauty risk, on- or off-screen—including bringing a little gothy goodness to the middle of a London summer.
Though Burlesque was mostly panned when it came out, the movie has taken on new life due to streaming and recently turned into a stage musical. For the premiere of said musical, executive producer Aguilera started spooky season early with dramatic almost-black lipstick and her signature icy, near-white platinum blonde hair.
In the movie, Ali frequently wears a bright, Marilyn Monroe-inspired red lip while performing for the club guests, but Aguilera ditched the Old Hollywood glamour of her onscreen alter ego in favor of a rich, deep lip color for the London premiere, crafted by makeup artist Hector Espinal. At first glance, her lipstick looks pure black, but upon closer examination, you’ll notice the subtlest hint of a blood-red tone in the mix, giving it depth and dimension. The moody color was a striking juxtaposition against Aguilera’s long, light-blonde hair, which she wore long and loose, and added a dramatic contrast to her otherwise-summery look of fresh, gleaming skin, defined brows, and a swoop of black eyeliner, plus a delicate, sheer white manicure.
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