Lipstick and Drag, a pairing almost as essential as bottoming and lube. So it just makes sense for Atomic Cosmetics to match some of Philly's hottest drag queens with various shades of lipstick. Dr. Jen Dietrich of Atomic Cosmetics gave us insight into her project!

Chris Balbi: What makes Atomic Cosmetics different from standard cosmetics?

Dr. Jen Dietrich: Most importantly is our pledge to always produce healthy, non-toxic products. The FDA provides virtually NO oversight when it comes to what’s produced for the personal care market. Which means manufacturers have carte blanche to produce cosmetics and supposed skin care products using pretty much any ingredient they wish – no matter how unhealthy or useless it might be. Second, our products are simply better quality. When developing our makeup line, we made it with burlesque, stage and drag performers in mind – all people who need assertive colors that won’t sweat off while they’re on stage. From that we were able to create makeup for anyone who wears makeup – onstage or not. Healthy cosmetic and skincare products that are more reliable than anything you’ll get in a department store is what we’re all about.

CB: Is drag queen color pairing something you've been yearning to do for a while? Where did the project come from?
JD: Not specifically, but we’ve definitely matched a drag queen or two! As I said, we’ve worked with Drag performers since we opened in Seattle in 2012. We’re excited to take Lip Service around the world, though! We’ve heard from people all over the place who have seen the lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes we’ve created for performers like Jinkx Monsoon and Ben Delacreme, and they’re excited to get in on the action. Who doesn’t want a lipstick named after them?

CB: Describe Atomic Cosmetics in 1 tweet (less than 140 characters) Bonus Points for Hashtags!
JD: Colors That Go Boom!!! #atomiccosmetics #healthyskin #nosignofaging #YourMakeupIsTerribleButOursIsAmazing #getyoface #yaaasssqueen #blessed

CB: Do you have a personal Favorite Product and why?
JD: The "Time Rewind Serum" is made of pure magic, and was a gift from some deity… Actually, it’s made from Science, but the results are nearly mythological. Our BB Creams are a favorite of performers and non-performers alike (even men are into it! gasp!) And I couldn’t live without the "Vixen" lipstick. Quite possibly the most perfect red lip ever.

CB: What's the future of Atomic Cosmetics?
JD: World domination, once face at a time! We’re making some expansions to our website (www.AtomicCosmetics.com) and looking forward to traveling the trade show circuit and getting the word out there. Non-toxic doesn’t have to mean boring, or ineffective – we’ve been proving that for years. We’re excited to reach deeper into the world and see what people out there need. Sometimes they need a sparkling red eyeshadow… we can do that for them!

More about Dr. Jen…
Dr. Jennifer Dietrich is a mad scientist bent on taking over the world, one makeup bag at a time. She received her B.A. in Pathogenic Microbiology (University of KS, 1999) and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics (University of KS, 2004) with a focus on cellular mechanisms of aging. In 2007, she discovered that her favorite skincare and makeup products all had hazard ratings of 7 out of 10 (sometimes even higher!) from the EWG-Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database. After ditching the contents of her medicine cabinet and makeup bag, Dr. Jen used her big brain to make fresh, seasonal skincare and cosmetics, and in the summer of 2012, opened her first retail/manufacturing location in Seattle, WA.