What they are: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Vinyls are thick lip glosses in stick form that coat the lips quite heavily for a glassy, high-shine finish that smooths over the look of lip lines. This is not plumping formula but the thickness of the product has a plumping visual effect. 

Price/Quantity: $26 for 2.7 gram / 0.095 oz

Availability: Tarte, Sephora

Shade Range: 16 Shades. 8 of them are shimmery and the other 8 are not. Of those that are not shimmery, 4 are sheer and the other 4 are more opaque.

Packaging: Slim click up pen with a lid that snaps on and off. The clicking mechanism feels a bit more high quality (quieter, smoother, requires less force to press) in this pen than the ones from NYX and Elf. Other than that, the rest of the plastic casing feels like comparable quality to those brands.

Smell/Fragrance: All 8 of the ones I’m reviewing here have the same noticeable but not very strong sweet scent. It’s not fruity or floral, just a generic sweet scent, similar to a sugar cookie. They do not taste sweet and are not minty/tingly either. In addition to the fragrance, I also smell something that reminds me of synthetic oil.

Expiration/Shelf Life: 12 months after opening.

Ingredients: Dextrin Isostearate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Synthetic Wax, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Malpighia Punicifolia (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Flavor/Aroma, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Trihydroxystearin, Glucomannan. (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985). Source: Sephora.com

Performance

Texture/Consistency/Finish: These are like thick solidified glosses at room temperature that melt instantly as they touch the skin. They have a fairly thick feel and transfer heavily as I swipe them across the lip. They look and feel thicker than most lip glosses or oils I’ve tried as well as the NYX Slick Clicks and Elf Pout Clouts. This causes them to smooth over the look of lip lines better than those products. For the most part I don’t find the thicker feel uncomfortable and as long as I don’t go overboard, they don’t get too goopy. If I am too heavy handed, they can start to gather a bit toward the corners of my mouth. The color mostly stays evenly dispersed over the lips, even if I press them together several times.

Half of the shades have shimmer/sparkle and the other half do not. For a few of them, if I press my lips together, the feeling of the shimmer is hardly noticeable. I have to really try hard to feel that the shimmer is there. Most of them have a mixture of ultra fine shimmer and slightly larger sparkle. Shimmering Mixed Berries and Shimmering Rose are the only 2 that do not have larger sparkle and have more of a glossy satin finish. The shimmer and sparkle in all the shades is subdued and not super noticeable unless you’re looking really close.

Application: For the sheerest shades, I am able to simply sweep these across the lips, doing maybe 2-3 passes for an even coat. For all of the opaque shades I feel the need to use a lip brush to apply the product cleanly around the edges of my mouth just because so much of the product deposits even with a light touch. I can reapply the deeper shades decently well without a brush as long as it holds up okay around the edges. Reapplication of the sheerer shades is no issue and I don’t feel the need to remove the previous layer for a fresh layer to look good.

Pigmentation/Color Payoff: This varies by color and finish. Of the non-shimmer shades, 4 are sheer and 4 are nearly opaque. All of the shimmer shades are sheer. Because the formula is so thick, I feel the color for the majority of the sheer shades shows up very well and is buildable if I feel like I want it to pop some more. Sheer Petal is the least pigmented and the only shade that is basically like a clear gloss on me.

Longevity: They do not seem to absorb, or dry down after wearing them but after an hour or so I notice the glassy reflection they have upon initial application begins to fade to more of a soft balmy glow. The color also seems to migrate over time even if I’m not eating or drinking anything. When wearing the shade Apple for a couple hours, I saw that the pigment started traveling into the very fine lines around the edges of my lips and the product in general starting moving into the corners of my mouth. I don’t think this is as much of an issue with the sheerer shades.

Pros and Cons

Things I like:

• Not sticky when pressing lips together.
• Smooths over look of lip lines more noticeably than most other glosses/oils/balms I’ve tried.
• If I press my lips together, the color doesn’t slide around and create weird looking lines on the lip. 
• The sheerer/lighter shades do not look milky.
• Packaging feels ever so slightly better quality than the drugstore alternatives.

Drawbacks and other considerations:

• Deeper and more opaque shades require using a lip brush for the best looking application.
• Deeper shades travel into fine lines around edges of lips and migrate into the corners of my mouth after wearing them for a while.
• The deeper shades are more high maintenance than I prefer.
• The synthetic oil scent is not super pleasant to me and I continue to notice it as I wear it.
• Many of the shimmer shades are way too similar to each other.

Do I Recommend Them?

If you like a thick glossy lip product that’s not sticky, I think you’ll enjoy these. I’m not as much into the more opaque shades personally because I don’t feel they look as flattering and are not as easy to use.

Swatches

Sheer Petal

Sheer Petal is an ultra sheer pale pink without any shimmer or sparkle. This barely adds any noticeable color to my lips and mostly looks like a clear gloss.

Sheer Iris

Sheer Iris is a sheer pale mauve without any shimmer or sparkle. This one has slightly more color payoff and opacity than the previous shade and the color itself is super close to my natural lip color which is more muted and cool toned.

Sheer Lotus

Sheer Lotus is a sheer bubblegum pink without any shimmer or sparkle. This shade adds a noticeable brightness to my lips but still looks pretty natural.

Sheer Berry

Sheer Berry is medium, cooler-toned, purplish berry without any shimmer or sparkle. It is applied somewhat heavily here but can be worn more sheered out if you want. It is the deepest of the sheer shimmer-free shades and I am still able to apply it straight to the lips without the help of a lip brush. The next four shades are the opaque shimmer-free options and I feel the need to use a lip brush with all of them.

Rosy Brown

Rosy Brown is a nearly opaque medium pinky brown with no shimmer or sparkle. This one is more difficult to apply. As I swipe it across the lips the, product melts a little too easily so ALOT of it transfers. With the sheerer shades, it’s not as much of an issue and doesn’t look bad. But this one being so pigmented, that heavy application can look very messy/goopy and with sloppy lines. I mainly sweep this on to transfer a decent amount of color to the lips and then use a lip brush to clean up the lines around the edges and make sure the product is sitting evenly/smoothly on the lips. Once I do that, the color mostly stays where I put it and remains even-looking, even if I press my lips together.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a nearly opaque warm reddish mauve without any shimmer or sparkle. I apply this one the same way I apply the previous shade.

Apple

Apple is a cool-leaning red without any shimmer or sparkle. It has a bit of depth to it so it doesn’t look too bright on me. It also doesn’t not start to look pink or orange if it is sheered out. I most definitely need a lip brush for this one.

Cacao

Cacao is a deep brown without any shimmer or sparkle. I also need a lip brush for this one.

Shimmering Mixed Berries

Shimmering Mixed Berries is a lighter, cooler toned sheer pink with a lot of super fine shimmer particles. The shimmer in this shade is smaller than in some of the other ones. It doesn’t look super obvious or add much noticeable sparkle unless you are looking super close up. I’d describe it as a glossy satin finish.

Shimmering Pink Lily

Shimmering Pink Lily another sheer pink that is a tiny bit brighter, warmer, and pinker than the previous one. This one has a mixture of the same fine shimmer as the previous shade as well as some slightly larger sparkle. The larger sparkles are a bit more noticeable on the lip.

Shimmering Bright Pink

Shimmering Bright Pink is similar to Sheer Lotus in that it adds a noticeable pink hue and brightness to the lips without looking “unnatural”. It also has a mixture of fine pink shimmer and larger sparkle.

Shimmering Cranberry

Shimmering Cranberry is a sheer cooler red with a hint very fine pink and gold sparkle.

Shimmering Cinnamon Spice

Shimmering Cinnamon Spice is a brownish nude with more prominent gold sparkle. The sparkle in this is the largest of all the shimmer shades so far, but is still not large enough to actually feel gritty on the lips. I don’t feel it at all if I press my lips together.

Shimmering Rose

Shimmering Rose is light peachy pink with all fine shimmer and no larger sparkle. It is SOO similar to Shimmering Mixed Berries, however this one is ever so slightly warmer. Both have the same subtle satin gloss finish.

Shimmering Daisy

Shimmering Daisy is a pale cool pink with some larger, more noticeable gold sparkle.

Shimmering Coconut

Shimmering Coconut is a pale warm nude with larger gold sparkle.

What they are: Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oils are sheer, lightweight lip oils with a thinner but still very smooth and glide-y consistency and a slight minty tingle. 

Price/Quantity: $26 for 4.5 ml / 0.15 fl oz

Availability: Summer Fridays, Sephora, Kohl’s

Shade Range: 4 shades

Packaging: The product comes in a heftier plastic container with a soft frosted finish and feel. The lid twists open and closed easily, feels secure, and seems sturdy enough to not break easily. The stopper inside the bottle is sized well so that I am able to remove the wand without excessive effort. The doe foot applicator has a nice soft, plush feel.

Smell/Fragrance: It has super faint minty scent and taste. They are not sweet or fragranced and what little chemical scent I do pick up on is ultra subtle.

Expiration/Shelf Life: 6 months after opening.

Ingredients: Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Octyldodecanol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Squalane, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Siraitia Grosvenorii Fruit Extract, Menthoxypropanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-) Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090). Source: Sephora.com

Performance

Shade Selection: The shade selection is a little sparse for me. The two midtone options are a bit too similar for it to be worth having both. I like that there’s at least one very light and one somewhat deeper option. It would be nice to see some brighter shades because the way they impart color noticeably but evenly is really nice for a gloss/oil type of formula.

Application: The applicator holds a bit too much product for me, so I wipe some of it off into the neck of the bottle. I don’t feel like I need a very thick layer for color to show up, but applying it more heavily does definitely amp up color payoff.

Texture/Consistency/Finish: This has a thinner, more slippery, but also somehow more plush and moisturizing feel than some other recent lip oils/glosses I’ve tried. It feels like it has a plumping ingredient in it and gives the slightest hint of tingle (not burning/hot or painful, more in line with a minty feel but not really cooling). Not sticky and really nice feel. 

Pigmentation/Color Payoff: Depends on the shade. The lightest one has barely-there color payoff but the three deeper ones give me a noticeable tint. I can see my lips through the color but they add some life to my naturally very pale lips. They definitely have more color payoff than the Elf Lip Oils.

Longevity: These wear off pretty easily. If I don’t eat or drink anything, they will stay on for a couple hours. But they seem a little more easy to sheer down with any type of touch than other glosses/oils.

Pros and Cons:

Things I like:

• The texture feels really nice.
• The amount of color payoff and the smoothness of the way that color looks on the lips.
• Gives a slight smoothing effect to lip lines.
• Very little scent.
• More of a light minty tingle (prefer this over the hot/burning ones).
• Impressed with all the nice oils in the ingredients list.

Drawbacks and other considerations:

• Not a cheap option.
• Wears off easily.

Do I Recommend Them?

It’s going to be up to you to decide if it’s worth buying a $26 lip oil/gloss. I think it’s a nice product and I enjoy it but I’m not sure it’s THAT much different than cheaper options. There are things about them I prefer to other similar products I have and I’ve found myself reaching for these over those. The texture and color payoff are the main things for me. Personally, I’m on the side where I prefer the thinner/lighter formula but if you like a thicker feeling product, it’s possible these might not do it for you.

Pink Cloud

Pink Cloud is a very sheer, pale, cool pink. This gives my lips a hint of pink color, where they would otherwise blend in with my face with nothing on them.

Blush Dreams

Blush Dreams is a warm pinky nude with a little bit more color payoff than Pink Cloud. This shade is similar to the next one in depth and color but is just a tiny bit warmer.

Soft Mauve

Soft Mauve is a cooler toned pinky nude that leans more in the purple direction than the previous shade.

Rosewood Nights

Rosewood Nights is a deep but quite sheer purply brown. This one has the most impact color-wise on me but when I consider the depth, it seems sheerer than the two midtone shades.

What they are: Elf Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pens are sheer balmy lip products that lie somewhere between a lip balm and a lip gloss. None of them have any shimmer or glitter and they have a lightly minty tingle. They are supposed to plump but I don’t get much of a plumping effect. They are hydrating and I feel that helps to give the lips a smoother appearance.

Price/Quantity: $8 for 0.07 oz / 2.0 grams

Availability: Elf, Walmart

Shade Range: 8 shades

Packaging: Slim, plastic click up pen. It has a button on the bottom of the pen in a color matching the shade inside. I have to press the button 3 or 4 times to push the product up enough to swipe over the lips.  Once I push product up, it cannot be retracted back into the pen like with a twist-up style lip product. The lip product itself is very soft and melts easily so this kind of packaging works well. The lid snaps off and on with a good amount of tension. It doesn’t feel like it will fall off easily but isn’t too difficult to remove either. The names of each shade are on the pens on the bottom of the button but the lettering is so tiny and so thin, it’s nearly impossible to see without the help of a magnifying glass. The white label I’m showing on the lid below is just how I decided to make my life easier so I know the name of each shade as I grab for them.

Smell/Fragrance: These have a light scent that reminds me of coconut oil (which is not listed in the ingredients) and a very faint sweetness. It doesn’t seem to me that these were made to smell intentionally fragranced as the scent I do pick up on is barely there. They do have a cooling minty sensation that is a bit more noticeable than the mintiness that was in the Elf Glow Reviver Lip Oils (review). There is no minty scent though. 

Expiration/Shelf Life: 12 months after opening.

Ingredients:

These are the ingredients for the shade In The Clear. The other shades have very similar ingredients listed and the “MAY CONTAIN” section varies a bit for each shade.

Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Synthetic Wax, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol; MAY CONTAIN: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

elfcosmetics.com

Performance

Shade Selection: None of the shades contain any shimmer or glitter and I LOVE that there is a completely clear option in a formula like this. I often apply a lip balm or lip mask when I start doing my makeup so that if I feel like wearing a lipstick at the end, my lips are all prepped. The clear one is perfect for this. 

The shades are all different enough from each other to tell them apart once they are on the lips. Just Peachy and Pinky Out look too similar when swatched but Just Peachy is noticeably much lighter on the lips. Bust A Mauve and Wicked Cherry are pretty close but Wicked Cherry is more red.

Application: These apply about as one would expect — just swipe across the lips like a lipstick. A couple of passes very easily transfers product and color. For some of the deeper shades, I found it helpful to have a lip brush nearby to smooth out the edges of my lips. Because the product is so melty it’s not hard to lose precision. That meltiness also makes me feel like I’m using a lot product each time I apply one of the shades, and could quickly run through an entire pen. 

Texture/Consistency/Finish: These melt easily when they come in contact with the skin. They feel like a cross between very thick lip gloss and a very melty lip balm. Pressing my lips together, the product doesn’t feel like it is too thick or heavy and it is not sticky or goopy at all. They feel soothing and protective like a nice lip balm. Swatching these wasn’t the easiest thing because a lot of product would come off in patches as I moved it over my skin, leaving a thick uneven looking swatch. I smoothed over pretty much every swatch with a brush but here is how it swatches without me messing with them and how the product looks in the tube afterward.

Pigmentation/Color Payoff: I can get sheer but noticeable color from these. They can be applied a bit more lightly for a pretty natural look or I can layer them up to get the color to pop more. I feel like I have a good amount of wiggle room for layering these before they start to look too thick or uneven on the lips, but they do have a limit. The midtone and deeper shades are easier to apply more heavily but the lighter shades like Just Peachy and Pinky Out start to look goopy on me if I apply too much.

Longevity: These are thick enough and stay on for a few hours if not touched. They don’t absorb or evaporate or seem to disappear on their own. If I eat or drink they do easily transfer but even then, they still hold on pretty well. I wore one to work and drank water throughout my shift. After a couple of hours, I could tell the product had worn away from the center of my lips but was still holding on around the edges of my lips. Where it was still holding on, it maintained its comfortable balmy feel.

Pros and Cons

Things I like:

• The clear one is nice as a lip balm alternative or lip treatment before makeup.
• Minty feel.
• No shimmer.
• Feels really comfortable and smooth. More moisturizing and soothing than a waxy lip balm and thicker than a lip gloss or lip oil.
• Good price.

Drawbacks and other considerations:

• It seems like I could use them up quickly.
• The lighter shades don’t build up as well as the deeper ones and can easily look goopy.
• I don’t really see plumping from these. They help fight dryness and keep my lips moisturized which helps them to look a little more smooth.

Do I Recommend Them?

I definitely recommend the clear one for anyone as an alternative to a lip balm. For the ones with color, maybe go for shades that are a bit deeper than your natural lip color (just based on how the lighter ones applied on me). If you actually want them for plumping though, you’ll probably not get what you’re hoping for.

Swatches

In The Clear

In The Clear is a totally clear, shimmer and sparkle free shade with shine nearly like that of a lip gloss. It doesn’t have the same wet, glassy effect of a gloss, but has more reflect than a lip balm.

Just Peachy

Just Peachy is a super pale peach. This one is surprisingly too light for me. The arm swatch is heavier than the lip swatch. I can see this one settling into my lip lines and it become more obvious the more I build it up. Out of all the shades, I enjoyed this one the least.

Pinky Out

Pinky Out is a light warm pink. This one is a bit better for me than Just Peachy for a natural/neutral looking color but can also look heavy/goopy if I apply it too heavily on the lips. I don’t notice it settling into my lip lines as much probably because it’s just deep enough of a color.

Toasted

Toasted is a light peachy caramel. It’s not too orange and not too brown and not too light lol. If you’re into brownish shades, this is an interesting one. On my lips, it pulls a bit more pink because of the shade is sheer and my natural lip color kind of skews the overall effect. I can go a little more heavy handed with application starting with this shade as well as the rest below without it looking bad on the lips.

Bust A Mauve

Bust A Mauve is a medium coolish mauve. This one is a little deeper and cooler toned than I usually think of mauve being.

Wicked Cherry

Wicked Cherry is a medium-deep brownish red. It’s is somewhat similar to Bust A Mauve but more red and warmer.

Red My Mind

Red My Mind is a medium-deep pinky red.

Plum On Over

Plum On Over is a deeper reddish berry.

NYX Duck Plump Lip Glosses are spicy, plumping lip glosses in a range of 16 higher pigment shades and 1 clear shade. These are $13 each and available to purchase from NYX and Ulta. They provide a tingly warming sensation on the lips much like the Maybelline Lifter Plump Lip Glosses (my review). Ginger is the ingredient NYX features the most, however this also contains capsicum frutescens fruit extract (chili pepper extract). The heat and plumping I get from these feels nearly identical to what I get from the Maybelline glosses but these are much more colorful and pigmented. They plump the lips a little bit for me but not a very noticeable amount. I tend to have drier, liney lips and this can help to smooth them out a bit and make them look a little more hydrated.

For the arm swatches below I just swiped the applicator directly out of the tube on my arm. The applicator is very heavily coated in gloss when I pull it out, so much so that I ended up using a lip brush to apply the lip swatches. Many of the arm swatches look darker just because the product is applied thicker. On the lips, I have a thinner application. Attempting to use the applicator to apply the product is possible but it can look pretty heavy/uneven and is difficult to get clean lines around the edges. Maybe with use over time, as less product is in the container, it might not be such an issue.

If applied lightly, these feel comfortable and non-sticky. If I apply it straight from the applicator without dabbing off excess, it feels like I have too much on, and if I press my lips together the excess will kind of bunch up and slide around on the lips. I don’t get too much color/pigment settling in the lines of my lips though even from the shades that are lighter than my lips and the very deepest shades. Even a thin layer gives me a noticeable amount of color payoff, which is nice. Some of the deeper and more intense shades stain my lips slightly. None of them contain any shimmer or glitter.

I have all the shades that are currently available swatched here but my favorites out of all these are Lilac on Lock (for a my lips but better shade), Brick of Time, Mauve Out My Way, Strike A Rose, and Hall Of Flame.

01 Clearly Spicy

Clearly Spicy has a very slight peachy tone to it but is totally transparent on the lips.

02 Bangin’ Bare

Bangin’ Bare is a light nude beige. This shade is a tiny bit lighter than my natural lip color (which is very pale) and gives me the nude lip look that could go well with darker eye makeup.

03 Nude Swings

Nude Swings is a light pinky beige. This one is about the same depth as my lip color but a hint warmer in tone.

04 Apri-Caught

Apri-Caught is a nude peach.

05 Brown Of Applause

Brown of Applause is a medium caramel brown. This is the first shade that starts to look like it has some depth on me.

06 Brick Of Time

Brick of Time is a medium reddish brown.

07 Mocha Me Crazy

Mocha Me Crazy is a medium milk chocolate brown with hints of red.

08 Mauve Out My Way

Mauve Out My Way toes the line between being a purple-toned, and pink-toned mauve. This one is a like a deeper version of 10 Lilac On Lock.

09 Strike A Rose

Strike A Rose is a medium cooler-toned pink.

10 Lilac On Lock

Lilac On Lock is a light purplish pink. It’s not so purple that it looks unnatural and blends in well with the color my lips.

11 Pick Me Pink

Pick Me Pink is a light blue-toned pink.

12 Bubblegum Bae

Bubblegum Bae is a bright medium blue-toned pink. It stands out but is much less loud than you might think based on the swatch. This one stains just a tiny bit.

13 Peach Out

Peach Out is a medium peach that adds some warmth to my natural lip color.

14 Hall Of Flame

Hall Of Flame is deeper cool-toned red that looks more like a deep rose pink on the lip. This one also stains a little bit.

15 Twice The Spice

Twice The Spice is a deep brown with subtle red tones.

16 Wine Not?

Wine Not? is a deep warm red that leans slightly orangey-brown.

17 Pure Plum-p

Pure Plum-p is a deep purple. The heavier I apply this shade, the cooler-toned it looks. If I thin it out, it looks a little bit more red. I feel like the lip swatch came out a little warmer here than what I see in real life, which is closer to the arm swatch. This one leaves the strongest pinky purple stain on the lips out of all the shades.

Elf Glow Reviver Lip Oils are sheer lip oils with a somewhat thick but non-sticky consistency and a very lightly minty scent and feel. They feel like lip glosses in their texture but have much less color payoff and none of them contain any shimmer. Because of how sheer they are, I feel they could have reduced the 7 available shades down to like 2 or 3. They go for $8 each, which I feel is a decent price for the quality, and can be purchased from Elf and Ulta.

One of the things I was most looking forward to with these was the minty feel. I like a good cooling lip product but I will say that this one is very subtle and I hardly feel it. I smell and taste it only a tiny bit as well. If you are very sensitive and the idea of mint is keeping you from trying these, I don’t think it will be much of a bother.

Out of all of them, my favorite ones are the three deepest shades – Rose Envy, Honey Talks, and Jam Session. They are all mostly clear-looking on the lips even though they look WAY more intense in the packaging. I cannot tell the lightest 3 shades apart from each other on the lips and the middle one, Red Delicious, is nearly clear as well. I can kind of tell the 3 deepest shades apart from each other when I’m wearing them though. My lips are very pale and I like that the deeper shades add just enough color to still look natural but add some life to my face.

They feel thicker than Maybelline Lifter Glosses or Fenty Gloss Bombs but equally non-sticky. While wearing them, they are generally comfortable but I don’t feel like I forget I’m wearing them. I am aware that there is something on my lips. If I am not eating or drinking anything for a long time, they stay on quite well for several hours, and if I do take a sip of something or eat, they hold up fairly well but may need a reapplication afterward.

Crystal Clear

Crystal Clear is truly clear with no shimmer or sparkle.

Pink Quartz

Pink Quartz has a very subtle pink tint that is mainly only obvious in the packaging. In the swatch, I can barely see it and on the lips, I really can’t tell at all.

Coral Fixation

Coral Fixation is a very sheer coral and has about the same level of color payoff as Pink Quartz. The warmth that comes across in the arm swatch does not translate to the lips. It is not enough color to overpower the natural tone of my lips or add any warmth to them.

Red Delicious

Red Delicious is a sheer pinky red. This is the first one that starts to become noticeable and add some level of color to the lips.

Rosy Envy

Rose Envy is light warm pink and has a bit more opacity to it than any of the previous shades. This one gives me a MLBB (my lips but better) kind of look.

Honey Talks

Honey Talks a light, warm, pinky brown. This is a cute and unique shade if you’re into more nude/brown lip colors. I feel it still looks natural on me but has a warmer and more neutral vibe.

Jam Session

Jam Session is a deep but very sheer berry. On the lips, this deepens the cool-toned mauve that my lips naturally are. This is probably my favorite of all the shades.

Maybelline Lifter Plump Lip Plumping Glosses are a new spicy version of their original Lifter Glosses. They come in 8 shades and retail for $12.99. The key ingredient to thank for the heat is capsicum frutescens fruit extract, or chili pepper extract.

You know how every once in a while orange chicken from Panda Express somehow ends up a little extra spicy than usual? That’s what these are like, that’s the heat level I get from them. It’s mild, maybe approaching medium if you’re sensitive to spicy stuff. I think it’s totally tolerable and it comes on slowly. Once the heat takes hold, it stays spicy for quite some time. After a little bit, my mouth starts to feel the heat as well, like I ate something hot. 45 minutes after application, I can still feel it but at this point it is starting to fade.

They don’t seem to be fragranced and hardly smell like anything except a very faint chemical scent. The only detectable flavoring is just the heat. I get a barely noticeable plumping effect that just looks like my lips are very well hydrated but not any larger than they normally are. After consecutively lip swatching about 3 of them, I started noticing my lips getting red. One single application doesn’t seem to do that though.

I’m not a huge lip plumper person so I don’t have a whole lot to compare these to. I have tried the Too Faced Lip Injection and I would say these are more intense than that but it is a different feeling. That one has a unique sensation that is closer to stinging/pinpricks (a very toned down version of that description though). These are definitely just like spicy food lol.

Texture-wise, they feel similar to the original Maybelline Lifter Glosses with a substantial, almost balmy texture, but are still very comfortable and not sticky at all. They hang on and stay glossy for at least a few hours without disappearing from the lips or changing texture.

Blush Blaze

Blush Blaze a sheer light pink with very subtle and very fine micro shimmer. It is mostly a neutral pink and leans ever so slightly warm. On the lips, this is so sheer and so close to my lip color that it hardly looks like anything but a clear gloss on me. The micro shimmer in this is too fine to be able to actually see on the lips either.

Mauve Bite

Mauve Bite is a sheer light purplish pink with a scattering of larger golden sparkle. This looks almost identical to Blush Blaze when actually applied and the sparkle in this is hardly noticeable and somewhat sparse.

Pink Sting

Pink Sting is a sheer light bubblegum pink. This one is the lightest pink and is on the cooler side as well. It has no sparkle or shimmer in it at all and actually stains a tiny bit as well. It is the only shade that I found causes staining. 

Red Flag

Red Flag is an ultra sheer neutral red without any shimmer or sparkle. It is MUCH lighter on the lips that it appears in the container but does add a tiny bit of color to my lips.

Peach Fever

Peach Fever is a warmer creamy peach without any shimmer or sparkle. This one was noticeably more pigmented than all the previous shades and had a slightly thicker texture as well.

Hot Chili

Hot Chili is a medium brownish red without any shimmer or sparkle. This was like Peach Fever in that it had more color payoff than most of the other shades and a slightly thicker texture.

Cocoa Zing

Cocoa Zing is a sheer purplish brown with purple and gold sparkle. In the container, it looks deeper and the sparkle is more noticeable than it actually looks on the lips. The color of this is very similar to Fenty Hot Chocolit. Both have about the same level of color payoff and the sparkles in both are even the same color but the Fenty one has more visible sparkle and I can feel it more as well if I press my lips together.

Hot Honey

Hot Honey has a transparent yellow-orange base with lots of pinky-gold sparkle. It ends up looking clear and colorless on the lips but has much more noticeable sparkle payoff than any of the other sparkly shades. I can’t feel the sparkle if I press my lips together.

Ingredients as listed on Maybelline’s website:

C18-36 ACID TRIGLYCERIDE • BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2 • POLYBUTENE • PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE • TRIDECYL TRIMELLITATE • DIISOSTEARYL MALATE • SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE [NANO] / SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE • ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE • TRIBEHENIN • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • PHENOXYETHANOL • SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE • PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE • CAPSICUM FRUTESCENS FRUIT EXTRACT • ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN • SORBIC ACID • VANILLYL BUTYL ETHER • CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE • TOCOPHERYL ACETATE • SODIUM SACCHARIN • LACTIC ACID • MENTHA PIPERITA OIL / PEPPERMINT OIL • CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE • SILICA • TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN • COCOS NUCIFERA OIL / COCONUT OIL • PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1 • ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE • TIN OXIDE • SODIUM HYALURONATE • LIMONENE • TOCOPHEROL • SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE • ALUMINA • MAGNESIUM SILICATE • GLUCOMANNAN [+/- MAY CONTAIN: CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE • CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES • CI 15985 / YELLOW 6 LAKE • MICA • CI 15850 / RED 7 • CI 45410 / RED 28 LAKE • CI 19140 / YELLOW 5 LAKE • CI 42090 / BLUE 1 LAKE • CI 45380 / RED 22 LAKE]. (F.I.L. N70033269/1).

Fenty Beauty’s Glossy Posse is a limited edition holiday set featuring 5 shades of their Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. It retails for $42.00 and each gloss contains 5.5 ml / 0.18 fl oz of product. There are four new shades and the fifth, Fu$$y, is permanent. The set can be purchased from Sephora or Fenty Beauty.

The glosses come in a metal tin with a felt-lined insert to hold the glosses in place.

The formula feels the same as their original shades with the exception that some of the shades in this set have larger flecks of glitter. The gloss is thick and noticeable on the lips but not uncomfortable. It is not sticky at all and it dries down over the course of 2-3 hours. The thicker I apply it to my lips initially, the longer the wear time. By the time it dries down completely, any larger glitter in the shade I wear will still be left on my lips.

They have a soft, sweet smell. The fragrance does not smell floral or particularly fruity. The closest thing I can think of to describe the scent is maybe some type of cake or cookie. There is no flavor.

Most of these have glitter in them. If I press my lips together I can feel it, especially with the shades Pretty Please and Hot Chocolit. Confetti and Cheeky had smaller glitter that was less noticeable. Fussy in this seems like the same quality as the full size that I have. I also have Diamond Milk and its somewhat similar to Confetti but not an exact match. Diamond Milk is a clear gloss with silver glitter. Confetti has more of a blueish-purplish shift to it. What makes this set nice in my opinion is the inclusion of a few deeper/brighter colors. This formula works nicely with more intense color infused into it. I like that the color is sheer.

Pretty Please – This is a bright but sheer fuchsia with mostly silver glitter and a tiny bit of gold glitter. I could unmistakably feel the glitter in this when pressing my lips together. I could feel it more and more as the gloss dried down.

Fu$$y – Cool toned light pink with fine shimmer. The shimmer is ultra fine and I don’t notice it on my lips.

Confetti – Sheer opal with micro glitter that shifts between blue and purple. The sparkles in this are far smaller than in is in Pretty Please but still larger than in Fu$$y. I can feel them but just barely and only if I really try to feel them.

Hot Chocolit – Sheer brown with larger flecks of pink and purple glitter. The glitter particles are larger, about the same size as the ones in the shade Pretty Please. They don’t really stand out all that much, visually. You really have to pay attention and look close to see them.

Cheeky – Bright but sheer coral with golden micro glitter. The sparkles in this are smaller, just like with the shade Confetti.

Fenty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer is a one-shade-fits-all lip gloss. It is a warm peachy pink with golden sparkles and a glossy sheen. Immediately upon application the texture is somewhat thick and I am aware that there is something on my lips, though it’s not uncomfortable. After about 10 minutes, it begins to settle down and feels a bit thinner and less noticeable. There is no stickiness whatsoever if I press lips together, even throughout it’s wear time. I can get about 2 hours of wear before the shine fades. The doe-foot applicator is larger than your standard lip gloss applicator and the top is reflective enough to use as a makeshift mirror. I don’t notice a taste but it does have a sweet scent that isn’t too faint or too strong. If you are looking for a high quality go-to basic perfect for everyday wear, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire is a new lip gloss with 16 shades that offers rich, glossy color and smooths the surface of lips. From the ads I’ve seen, these seemed like they might be some sort of liquid lipstick but to me they feel mostly like a gloss. They have a moisturizing, non-sticky feel and offer vibrant but sheer to semi-opaque color. Dancing Rose is a purplish pink with lots of fine multi-colored sparkles and Rouge Allegro is a bright pinkish red with no sparkles or shimmer.

Price/Quantity: About $8.00 for 0.18 Fl. Oz. / 5.5 mL

Availability: Drugstores, Ulta, Target

Packaging: Short, lipstick-sized gloss tube. The outside of the packaging is a metallic, reflective gold with a swatch of the color inside on the front. There is a label on the top with the color name as well. The rounded doe foot applicator is very soft to the touch and pulls out enough gloss to cover lips without having to go back into the tube. I have an acrylic lipstick caddy and these fit nicely in the compartments right next to my lipsticks.

Smell: These have a light floral fragrance that I only noticed when I smelled the applicator or smelled a swatch on my hand. I can somewhat taste the fragrance. It faded away soon after I applied the product.

Application: One pass is enough for me to get plenty of color and shine from these glosses. If I attempt to add a second layer, it does smooth out lip lines but it also looks too thick, bordering on goopy. So, one layer is just perfect.

Texture/Finish: There is no stickiness in this gloss, even when I press my lips together. They feel moisturizing but they also have a slight “oily” feel to them, which makes sense since L’Oreal says that these are infused with micro-oils. Some of these have shimmer and sparkle and others have none. I like the sparkles in the shades I bought because they are big enough to see but you can barely feel them. There are incredibly shiny and glassy-looking.

Pigmentation: Both are semi sheer but Dancing Rose is slightly more opaque than Rouge Allegro. They can be built up to appear more opaque or sheered out to give just a hint of color and shine. For me, it is most comfortable to wear a light-medium weight coating of these on the lips because they have a heavier feel than some other glosses I have tried. The ads I have seen for these give the impression that they would look very loud on the lips but they are not.

Longevity: After about 3 hours Rouge Allegro bled into the cracks and crevices of my lips and migrated outside lip lines but it did stay vibrant and shiny for 5 hours. Dancing Rose also stayed vibrant and shiny for 5 hours and didn’t have any bleeding issues.

Worth Buying?

Because of the bleeding/migrating issue, I wouldn’t recommend Rouge Allegro but Dancing Rose is worth buying if you like extra glossy lips and semi-opaque color. If you like lighter weight glosses (like Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Glosses), or you like opaque to nearly opaque glosses then you might not like these as much. The light fragrance doesn’t bother me but those that are extra sensitive to smells may want to be wary of that.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire is a new lip gloss that comes in 16 shades and offers rich, glossy color and smoothes the surface of lips. From the ads I’ve seen, these seemed like they might be some sort of liquid lipstick but to me they feel mostly like a gloss. They have a moisturizing, non-sticky feel and offer vibrant but sheer to semi-opaque color. Rose Melody is a light peachy pink with fine multi-colored sparkles and Purple Prelude is a cool lavender gloss with no sparkles or shimmer.

Price/Quantity: About $8.00 for 0.18 Fl. Oz. / 5.5 mL

Availability: Drugstores, Ulta, Target

Packaging: Short, lipstick-sized gloss tube. The outside of the packaging is a metallic, reflective gold with a swatch of the color inside on the front. There is a label on the top with the color name as well. The rounded doe foot applicator is very soft to the touch and pulls out enough gloss to cover lips without having to go back into the tube. I have an acrylic lipstick caddy and these fit nicely in the compartments right next to my lipsticks.

Smell: These have a light floral fragrance that I only noticed when I smelled the applicator or smelled a swatch on my hand. I can somewhat taste the fragrance. It faded away soon after I applied the product.

Application: One pass is enough for me to get plenty of color and shine from these glosses. If I attempt to add a second layer, it does smooth out lip lines but it also looks too thick, bordering on goopy. So, one layer is just perfect.

Texture/Finish: There is no stickiness in this gloss, even when I press my lips together. They feel moisturizing but they also have a slight “oily” feel to them, which makes sense since L’Oreal says that these are infused with micro-oils. Some of these have shimmer and sparkle and others have none. I like the sparkles in the shades I bought because they are big enough to see but you can barely feel them. There are incredibly shiny and glassy-looking.

Pigmentation: All the shades I have tried are semi-sheer. The brightest one I have is Rouge Allegro and it is very vibrant and can be built up to appear more opaque but for me it is most comfortable to wear a light-medium weight coating of these on the lips. The first ones I bought were Rose Melody, Purple Prelude, and Dancing Rose. I went with lighter colors first because I was under the impression these were going to be very loud on the lips but they are not. Don’t be afraid to try the brighter colors, since they are sheer enough to tone down.

Longevity: About 4 – 5 hours. The color started fading after 3 hours but the shine kept on going and faded between 4 and 5 hours.

Worth Buying?

Yes, if you like extra glossy lips and semi-sheer color. If you like lighter weight glosses (like Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Glosses), or you like opaque to nearly opaque glosses then you might not like these as much. The light fragrance doesn’t bother me but those that are extra sensitive to smells may want to be wary of that.

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Glosses are my favorite drugstore lip glosses that I have tried so far. They have a wax-free formula and offer vibrant color payoff. I am excited to see these new limited edition berry themed shades that are out for fall.

Colors/Finishes

• Berry Brilliance – Hot pink with a slight purple pull and no shimmer.
• Raspberry Ablaze – Deep berry with no shimmer. My favorite shade of the bunch, reminds me of mixed berry smoothies.
• Purple Royale – Cool-toned dark purple with no shimmer.

Performance/Experience

These have a thin gel-like, non-sticky consistency with high color payoff. Berry Brilliance and Raspberry Ablaze were easily built up without getting goopy. Purple Royale only looked good if I applied a single thin layer. When I went back to add another layer it started gathering where my lips come together which was not attractive. These lasted about 2 hours on me, going from a high gloss shine to a balmy finish during that time. They appear to leave a stain on the lips – Raspberry Brilliance stained the most. The packaging is sleek and simple but the clear plastic does scratch easily. The doefoot applicator is slanted and does a decent job of picking up enough gloss for one layer of color. They have a citrusy scent but do not taste like anything.

Overall Opinion

[rating=5]

This formula is excellent. I just wish that the limited edition colors were available for a longer period of time and available to purchase online as well. Sometimes it can be so hard to find limited edition drugstore products because there are usually only a few available on the endcaps in the beauty aisles. If you miss these, their permanent shades are really pretty too.

Product Description

Official Product Info: Almay.com
Price/Quantity: About $6 USD for 7.1 mL
Availability: Drugstores, Target, Ulta
Color Range: 10 Shades
Color/Finish: Apricot Pucker is a semi-sheer bright coral. It has no sparkle and gives the lips a soft shine rather than the glassy, reflective look of a gloss. This color looks a lot brighter in the tube than it does on the lips.
Packaging: Lipgloss-style tube with a doe-foot applicator. I think that having a balm in this type of tube is more convenient for carrying around in your purse because it will not melt and break in the heat like a traditional lip balm stick would.
Smell/Taste: This shade had a light fruity fragrance that reminded me of starburst candy but it didn’t taste like anything.

Performance

Application: Apply it just like you would a lip gloss.
Texture: It did feel a little heavy on my lips and was ever so slightly sticky to the touch (if you touch it with your fingers or if your hair accidentally catches on it) but it did not feel sticky in the way that a Mac Lipglass does, where your lips almost stick to each other. It was just quite thick. It stayed evenly distributed on my lips and did not slide around or gather in one spot even if I pressed my lips together. These are definitely more moisturizing than a lip gloss but they aren’t nearly as moisturizing as my Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment or Jack Black Lip Balm.
Longevity: This lasted about 2 and a half hours before the color and moisture faded.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Moisturizing
• Convenient to carry around, even in hot weather where traditional lip balm sticks would melt and break
• Add a sheer tint of color
• Decent color selection
• Smells nice

Cons:

• A tiny bit sticky/heavy feeling

Would I buy this again? This is one of those products that isn’t bad but it doesn’t blow me away either. There are so many lip balms and glosses on the market but I like the convenience of the packaging, the price, and the range of colors so I would buy it again.

Price/Quantity: $5-7 for 5ml

Availability: Drugstores, Target, Walmart, Ulta, Fred Meyer

Color Range: 12 Shades

Color/Texture:

• Electric Shock is a bubble gum pink.
• Raspberry Reflections is a berry pink.
• Gleaming Grenadine is a candy apple red.
• Captivating Coral is a light tangerine.

None of these shades is shimmery but when I look at these up close I can see that there are some sparsely scattered sparkles in the tube which are not visible on the lips. The formula is thin and non-sticky but the color payoff is fantastic. They can be applied sheerly or built up to be nearly opaque without feeling goopy.

Longevity: The shine lasts a maximum of 2 hours and after that a stain is left on the lips for another hour or so. These will not last during a meal or cup of coffee. I wore Gleaming Grenadine during dinner and by the end of the meal the gloss and stain had completely worn off.

Smell/Taste: The smell and taste of these is somewhat citrusy and remind me of the scent of the Fusion plumping lip glosses. It’s not very strong and it fades within minutes of applying.

Packaging: These look slick but they scratch so easily. I haven’t even thrown them in my purse yet and they somehow already have scratches on them. They have a slanted doe-foot applicator that picks up just the right amount of gloss.

Would I buy these again? Yes! These have such a comfortable texture and great color payoff that I am thinking of trying some of the other shades in this line.

Electric Shock

Raspberry Reflections

Gleaming Grenadine

Captivating Coral

I lusted after this kit from the moment I first saw it reviewed and finally caved and bought it a couple days ago. I’m not one of those Mac fanatics that collects tons of limited edition collections as I generally try to stick with permanent range products (from any brand). I have very similar colors already but of course the quality of Mac products is different. For example, the lipstick color is a lot like NYX Pumpkin Pie lipstick, maybe slightly more orange. The NYX lipstick is way too creamy and soft though and I’ve been looking for something in a similar shade with more lasting power.

Born to Love Blush

This blush is somewhat like Benefit Coralista but it’s a tiny bit darker and the sheen is a different color. The sheen is a rose gold with a hint of violet. It is sort of powdery and dry and you have to use more than you would think to get it to show up. That could be good or bad depending on your needs. I don’t mind because I have a tendency to overdo blush and the consistency of this one makes it fairly foolproof. I have been wearing this for 5 hours, took a nap in between, and it’s still going strong. The pan contains 2.8 grams whereas a normal Mac blush contains 6 grams.

Pure Flattery Lipglass

The lipglass has the same type of purple-pinkish gold shimmer in a light pink base. It’s a bit thick and sticky. I don’t have a whole lot of lip glosses in my collection but it seems similar to my Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pursuit which is not sticky at all but doesn’t last very long. I wore this for 3 hours before it needed to be reapplied. This has a very similar consistency and lasting power to Loreal Infallible Lipgloss.

In a Heartbeat Lipstick

I love this color. On me it’s a nude-ish color but it’s not a pink nude or a skin-tone nude. It’s got a salmon/orange quality to the color which brightens up my face. I’ve been looking for a color like this for a while and I’m happy I have it now. It looks a lot like Reel Sexy which came out a while back and I missed it. I was pretty bummed that I missed it but this one works as a substitute. It’s a cremesheen lipstick, a bit hard to apply because it’s a little dry. I wore this for about 4 hours and while it was still on, it could have used a touch up. One downside is that this dries out as you wear it so it might be good to wear a little lip balm underneath this lipstick. Although the texture is dry, my lips didn’t feel uncomfortable so it’s not like it wicks moisture away from your lips. I think I could probably eat a meal and still be wearing this lipstick. You get 3 grams of lipstick which is the normal amount you get with a Mac lipstick.

Photogravure Technakohl Liner

This twist up liner is a cool black brown, not too brown though – like black coffee. It’s a color that works on my skin tone without looking harsh but still adding definition. It’s not as creamy as some of my pencil liners but it’s not at all hard to apply and does not pull at the skin around my eyes. It’s well pigmented and applies color evenly without skipping. The liner doesn’t melt or smear as long as you don’t touch it but it does not fully set so it does have the capacity to smudge.

129SE

This brush is a medium sized brush with moderately soft bristles, but not the softest I’ve felt. It does not hurt or irritate my skin. The size would work for powder or blush application. The handle is travel-length.

Overall Impression

I’m not at all disappointed with this purchase, even at the steep $70 price point because nothing in the kit is a dud. There are some things that some may not like which I feel is more an issue of personal preference than a flaw in the product. For example, the dryness of the lipstick may be a problem for someone who typically has chapped lips but the texture helps the lipstick last longer. It’s a trade off. The blush is a little smaller than a normal Mac blush but I have never hit pan on a blush and will not likely start with this one. The only thing I will not use is the clutch itself but no big loss.

Pros

• Beautiful, wearable colors
• Products have good wear time
• Packaging on individual products is good
• Good amount of product

Cons

• Lipstick is kind of dry
• Brush could be a bit softer
• The clutch itself is kind of cheesy in my opinion