referring to fig2 it will be seen that the lipstick unit designated as a whole by 1 comprises an external metallic shell , which is cylindrical in shape with a circular cross - section whose upper edge bent inwardly into a rounded rim 3 and which delimits a central circular opening 4 . within the shell 2 , a thin cylindrical liner 5 of a plastic material is fixed in an axial position . the liner 5 has a circular cross - section , but is smaller in height than the shell 2 , so as to delimit on the one hand , together with the rounded rim 3 of the shell 2 , an upper chamber 6 and on the other hand , a lower annular housing 7 together with the lower end of the shell 2 . two helical grooves 8 , which are identical but diametrically opposed , are arranged in the internal side of the liner 5 , in such a way that they do not open out at their upper and lower ends respectively into the circular upper and lower edges of the liner 5 . in the coaxial unit constituted by the shell 2 and the liner 5 , there is a sleeve 9 , made of a plastic material , and is mounted substantially coaxially . it is free for rotation around its axis , but is fixed in its axial position . the sleeve 9 comprises a main cylindrical circular cross - section tubular portion 10 with an external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the liner 5 and has its upper end formed into an axially retaining catch 11 which is accommodated in the upper chamber 6 when the tubular portion 10 is disposed in the liner 5 . two identical openings 12 extending axially over practically the whole height of the tubular portion 10 and having their upper and lower ends constituted by slots 13 and 14 extending in opposite circumferential directions , are arranged in diametrically opposed parts of the tubular portion 10 . at its lower end , the tubular portion 10 is joined , via an external radial shoulder 15 , to a cylindrical end fitting 16 whose internal diameter is equal to the external diameter of the tubular portion 10 and whose external diameter is practically equal to the external diameter of the shell 2 . at its lower end , the end fitting 16 has an internal radial flange 17 provided with a peripheral rim 18 directed towards the tubular portion 10 and delimiting a central circular opening 19 , ( fig1 ). when the sleeve 9 is in position in the liner 5 of the shell 2 , the external radial shoulder 15 is accommodated in the lower annular recess 7 so that the sleeve 9 is axially retained in the liner 5 against whose ends it bears with its catch 11 and its shoulder 15 . on the other hand , the sleeve 9 can be driven in rotation around its axis in the liner 5 by manipulation of the end fitting 16 which , projecting below the liner 5 and the shell 2 , is freely accessible . a presentation cover 20 , partly represented in broken lines , could be fitted on the end fitting 16 . the presentation cover 20 comprises a peripheral skirt 21 which can be of a square cross - section and joined to a bottom which is not shown but which carries a central cylindrical skirt 22 intended to be force - fitted in the opening 19 of the end fitting 16 when the cover 20 is displaced axially towards the end fitting 16 ; at the end of travel , the annular end wall of a cylindrical rim 23 surrounding the central skirt 22 bears on the external annular wall of the flange 17 . a cup 24 , of a generally cylindrical shape , is mounted in the sleeve 9 . this cup , which is intended to accommodate a stick 24a of lipstick composition ( fig1 ) is made of two portions 25 and 26 . the portion 25 is constituted by a cylindrical ring 27 which , at one of its ends , is bent inwardly at right angles to form an annular shoulder 28 at the free edge of which is a skirt 29 directed away from the ring 27 . the skirt 29 has a height which is slightly greater than that of the ring 27 and comprises in succession , firstly , a frusto - conical intermediate portion 29a ( fig3 ) having a half angle alpha at the apex of approximately 5 ° and flaring in the opposite direction from the shoulder 28 and secondly , a cylindrical end portion 29b . moreover , as may be more readily seen in fig3 the portion 29b comprises near its free internal edge 29c an external peripheral ring 30 delimited by an annular wall 30a which is substantially perpendicular to the portion 29b and a frusto - conical lateral wall 30b narrowing towards the edge 29c . axial slots 31 in the cylindrical portion 29b extend from its edge 29c , wherein each opens out in an enlarged neck , as far as an axial position situated substantially at the transition of the cylindrical portion 29b with the frustoconical portion 29a . the slots 31 are regularly distributed over the periphery of the cylindrical portion 29b and give rise to regularly disposed tabs 32 which are shorter than the rest of the said cylindrical portion 29b . the portion 26 consists of a cylindrical ring whose diameter only very slightly exceeds the external diameter of the portion 29b . the height of this ring 26 corresponds to the distance separating the external wall of the shoulder 28 and the upper wall 30a of the peripheral ring 30 . moreover , the ring 26 has two cylindrical radially outwardly projecting studs 33 whose size is such that each of them passes through a respective opening 12 of the sleeve 9 and is engaged in a groove 8 of the liner 5 when the cup 24 , constituted by the assembly of the portions 25 and 26 , is in the appropriate position in the sleeve 9 . the cup 24 is shown in the assembled state in fig1 and 3 where the ring 26 surrounding the skirt 29 of the portion 25 has one of its ends abutting the shoulder 28 and its other end abutting the wall 30a of the catch - engagement ring 30 , the radial studs 33 being situated beside the shoulder 28 . it will be understood that when the sleeve 9 is caused to rotate around its longitudinal axis in relation to the liner 5 and the shell 2 , thanks to the guidance of the studs 33 ensured by the opening 12 and the grooves 8 , the cup 24 is displaced axially in the tubular portion 10 of the sleeve 9 by being driven in rotation with this sleeve between two end positions . one is the bottom position where the studs 33 are located in the bottom ends of the grooves 8 , and the openings 12 , the slots 14 allowing locking in this position at the end of the rotational travel in one direction . the other end position is the top position where the studs 33 are located in the top ends of the grooves 8 and the openings 12 , the slots 13 also ensuring locking in this position at the end of the rotational travel in the other direction . the lipstick 24a may be positioned in the mechanism , which has just been described , as follows . a mould 34 ( fig1 ) is constituted by two half shells each formed by a vertical plate wherein there are formed two half mould cavities such that the two associated half mould cavities constitute one cavity 35 when the two half shells are brought together and secured to each other . the form of such cavity corresponds to that of the lipstick to be cast and comprises a cylindrical body and , in the conventional way , an oval - shaped and asymmetrical end to allow easier application to the lips . the cylindrical lateral wall 35a surrounding each cavity 35 intended to cast one lipstick 24a has , near the top 36 of the said mould 34 , an annular counterbore whose base forms an annular recess 37 having a width equal to or slightly exceeding the thickness of the ring 27 of the portion 25 of the cup 24 . the portions 25 of the cups 24 are then disposed axially on the top 36 of the mould , each portion 25 having its free external edge of its ring 27 abutting a said recess 37 surrounding a said counterbore of the mould 34 . this positioning can be effected manually , or also in an automatic manner by a vibrating dish . the composition of the lipstick 24a is then cast through the portions 25 of the cups 24 thus positioned . this filling may be effected by means of a volumetric filler device , and the filling level is stopped below the bottom of the slots 31 . the composition is allowed to cool . the sub - assembly constituted by the shell 2 and sleeve 9 has been formed beforehand , and the presentation cover 20 , if applicable , has been fixed thereto . the ring 26 of the cup 24 is inserted into this sub - assembly and is positioned in the high position , that is to say , in the position remote from the end fitting 16 . each sub - assembly thus formed is presented axially above each lipstick 24a and the associated cup portion 25 , and the sub - assembly is pushed towards the cup element to obtain the catch - engagement of cup portion 25 with ring 26 as represented in fig3 . it then suffices to separate the two half shells of the moulds a little to release the cast lipsticks 24a to permit withdrawal of the unit in an axial translational movement which allows the unit 1 to be obtained , the lipstick 24a being in its extreme extended position . the lipstick 24a may be placed into its other extreme position by manipulating the end fitting 16 or , if applicable , the presentation cover 20 , and the unit is closed by a conventional protective cap which for aesthetic reasons may , if presentation cover 20 is used , be situated in the extension of the cover 20 . the existence of the frusto - conical portion 29a with a half angle alpha as described above , ensures the hold of the lipstick 24a in the cup 24 when it is extracted from the mould . moreover , the shoulder 28 ensures a correct hold of the lipstick 24a during use by preventing it from being driven into the cup . it shall be duly understood that the embodiment described above is in no way restrictive , and may give rise to any desirable modifications without thereby departing from the scope of the invention .