To celebrate the release of their new lipstick, Rouge Pur Couture Vernis Level Nude, Yves Saint Laurent Beaute held a contest to discover a new beauty model. The contest selected a woman from across Japan who embodied the brand's image and embodied the "rebellious" style that embodies the brand's image. After a first round of document screening, a second round of interviews, a user vote on Facebook, and a final round on the 19th, the grand prize went to Kiyo Matsumoto, a current university student and active model/actress. Matsumoto, an 18-year-old affiliated with Avex Management, has appeared in commercials and is scheduled to appear on stage in October. Over the next year, she will work as a beauty model in Yves Saint Laurent Beaute's media and events, as well as provide advice on product development. When asked on stage, "What has been a 'REBEL' in your life so far?" Matsumoto replied, "I had my heart broken yesterday, but I'm still smiling like this." Special judge Junichi Ishida commented, "She used her broken heart as a springboard to seize this opportunity. She's a woman with something special, and she's charming!" Fellow judge Etsuko Tanino, training manager at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, said, "The strength in Matsumoto's eyes conveys both her purity and the 'REBEL' hidden within." Maki Shima also won the YSL Fan's Choice Award, selected by public vote, and Ayumi Inoue won the Special Jury Award, chosen by Junichi Ishida. Other judges for the final judging included Aya Aso, beauty consultant for Vogue Japan, and hair and makeup artist Noboru Tomizawa. After the award was announced, makeup artist Eita applied Matsumoto's makeup. Gray eyeshadow is applied to the outer corner of the eye, and bold yellow shadow is applied to the inner corner. The lips are given a glossy finish with the new lipstick, and the hair is backcombed in a ponytail, creating the image of a "rebel" woman.
Rouge Pur Couture Vernis was released in Japan in February 2012. It gained popularity for its nail polish-like shine, and is now a best-selling product with one bottle sold every 20 seconds worldwide. This new product has improved moisturizing effects. The new colors are based on the concept of "colors that bring out and enhance the natural beauty of the lips," and come in a lineup of eight nude colors, from pearlescent colors to fuchsia pinks with a bluish tint.
