I have noticed that this year in 2013, many brands have come out with liquid lipsticks and lip lacquers as part of their product line.To me, these are anything that have claims of high pigmentation and long wear, in a liquid form with a brush or doe-foot applicator. True to my inner junkie, I have tried out a few different products in varying price ranges from high end to drug store to review for you. I have decided in aims to make it informative and comprehensive I will give you a little blurb on each followed by a rating out of 5 in the following categories that I feel are most important when looking into a product like this:
- Pigmentation
- Longevity
- Moisturising
- Bleeding/Transfer
- Build-ability
- Value for Money
I will go from the most affordable option to the ones that might break the bank a bit and let you be the judge of what you would like to try.
1. Australis Velour Lips
These are marketed as a ‘matte lip cream’ and come in some phenomenally bright colours. They are highly pigmented but I have found that the colour payoff between the colours can vary. I find that some (Toki-o and Ny-cee) only need one (maximum two) swipes for a very opaque matte colour. However some (Rio-d) takes a few layers to build up. They definitely dry down matte, however I find that if my lips are even slightly dry or chapped it settles into the lines. It certainly isn’t drying on the lips, but doesn’t really add much moisture either. They last a decent amount of time, not as long as some of the others I will review but not so short lived that it will get frustrating on a night out.For the price point and the unique colours I am a definitely fan. The dryness can be avoided by applying some lip balm a couple of minutes before application and I don’t really mind that on some I have to work a little harder to get an opaque colour. They have a strong grape (think hubba bubba) fragrance, which to some can be a bit sickening but I don’t mind so much.
- Pigmentation; 4/5 (only because it is inconsistent within the line)
- Longevity; 3/5
- Moisturising; 3/5
- Bleeding/Transfer; 3/5 (I have experienced some bleeding throughout the day if I do not use a lip liner)
- Build-ability; 3/5 (once its on it is on, you cannot keep applying layers to it once it dries as it just starts balling up and flaking off in places. You will have to remove it completely and start again if you want to reapply through the day)
- Value for Money; 5/5 (definitely a winner for something in this price range)
Buy Now: http://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/lips/lip-glossstain/velourlips-matte-lip-cream-10.0-ml $9.95 AUD
2. Rimmel Apocalips
These are marketed as a lip lacquer and thus have a much thinner formulation than the creamy Australia Velourlips, but are not thin and runny. They have a more glossy finish to them, not super shiny but certainly not matte.The colour range is more traditional than the Australis range, but for most people that’s really what you want. Something I love about this product is the applicator, it actually has a small indent in the centre of the doe foot applicator that holds more product so you don’t need to keep dipping into the tube every time to get more! I also fine the shape and size of the applicator perfect for my lips! It is definitely pigmented and I never need to dip bag into the tube to achieve full opaqueness. The other thing I love about this product is that because the formula is thinner, it can be layered through the day when you feel the colour is fading a little bit. It doesn’t clump or ball up as long as you don’t cake it on, which thanks to the pigmentation you do not need to. I do find them quite drying on the lips and they definitely accentuate any lines or chaps in the lips. The last a fairly similar duration to the Australis Velourlips which is definitely enough for most people as a day colour, or on a night out. Due to these being easier to reapply, they may serve as a better day to night colour than the Australis. The only thing I really dislike about these is the scent. I am not someone easily affected by scents, but not only is this a strong scent it is one I don’t really like right under my nose. It does wear off after a while, so I still wear them but it is definitely not my cup of tea.
- Pigmentation; 4/5
- Longevity; 3/5
- Moisturising; 2/5
- Bleeding/Transfer; 4/5
- Build-ability; 4/5
- Value for Money; 4/5
Buy Now: http://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/lips/lip-glossstain/apocalips-lip-lacquer-5.5-ml $11.95 AUD
3. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks
I am going to keep the description of this one short and sweet. I LOVE THESE! They last all day, are highly pigmented, do not dry the lips out or accentuate the lines too much, do not have a repulsive scent and can be worn without a liner as they do not bleed or transfer once they have dried down. They do dry down to a matte finish however, you can try the Stila Vinyl Lips range if you want something similar with a gloss finish. I am still personally playing around with the Vinyl range but so far they seem comparable to the liquid lipsticks just with a glossier finish. The only qualm I have is build-ability and reapplication on this is difficult as once again it tends to layer and peel and not look so great any more. Though, the fact that they last so long, I have never really felt the need to reapply.
- Pigmentation; 5/5
-
Longevity; 5/5
- Moisturising; 4/5 (they don’t add too much moisture but are not drying or unflattering)
- Bleeding/Transfer; 5/5
- Build-ability; 3/5
- Value for Money; 4/5 (these do clearly run more expensive but to me, it is totally worth it)
Buy Now: http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop/Stila/StayAllDayLiquidLipstick/ $36.00 AUD
4. Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick
This product I find the worst in terms of reapplying through the day. You really do need to wipe all the previous product off before touching up your colour; so it isn’t really a touch up any more is it? The colours are gorgeous and last all day on the lips, but I find some of the lighter colours really highlight any dry patches. These don’t have any noticeable scent to them that irritates me which I love, but is also typical of most high end or luxury products. These once again dry down to a creamy matte lipstick like finish and I truly do love the finish of these. They are super dooper expensive though and while I feel very luxe having these in my collection, personally I think that you are much better off with the Stila, which is cheaper and a better formulation.
- Pigmentation; 4/5
- Longevity; 5/5
- Moisturising; 3/5
- Bleeding/Transfer; 5/5
- Build-ability; 2/5
- Value for Money; 2/5
Buy Now: http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au/shop/Hourglass/OpaqueRougeLiquidLipstick/ $42.00 AUD
So the final verdict, I love this whole concept that the cosmetic world has come up with. In general these products last WAY longer on the lips than a traditional lipstick, which to me is always a win. While the finish between each of these products is slightly different, I think they are in general quite comparable. For the most part, what you pay for is what you get, however I do feel the Hourglass is slightly overpriced. So if you haven’t tried these out be sure to pop in to your store and give these a go.
xox your local bohemian
A Bohemian Existence 