What it is: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Shimmer Stix are 6 newly released shades expanding the line of the original Gloss Bomb Stix. They are sheer to medium buildable color payoff lipsticks with a glossy, sparkly finish, a balmy, moisturizing feel, and the same sweet tropical scent as the originals.

Price/Quantity:  $25 for 0.12 oz / 3.6 g

Availability: Fenty Beauty, Sephora, Ulta, Kohl’s

Shade Range: 6 shimmery shades (the original line comes in 11 non-shimmer shades)

Packaging: Plastic pentagonal lipstick case with a snap-shut cap. I like that the shape of the packaging makes it so the lipstick cannot just roll off the counter. The lipstick inside is a standard size (not a slim lipstick) and it twists all the way up and back down with no issues. They match the packaging of the original shade range but there is noticeable sparkle embedded in the plastic of these new shades.

Smell/Fragrance: These have a noticeable sweet, tropical, fruity scent with an almost “sharp” or “tart” quality. I can’t put my finger on what type of fruit I think it smells like. To me, it seems this is all scent as I do not actually taste anything in these.

Expiration/Shelf Life: 12 months after opening

Ingredients:

These are the ingredients listed for the shade Shimmering Fenty Glow. Most shades have their own ingredients list on the Fenty Beauty website with the majority of the ingredients being the same from shade to shade except for variations lower down on each list.

BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE, SQUALANE, BIS-BEHENYL/ISOSTEARYL/PHYTOSTERYL DIMER DILINOLEYL DIMER DILINOLEATE, POLYBUTENE, CERA ALBA/BEESWAX/CIRE D’ABEILLE, SYNTHETIC WAX, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, CALCIUM SODIUM  BOROSILICATE, AROMA/FLAVOR, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, TIN OXIDE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, TOCOPHEROL, POLYHYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, ACTINIDIA CHINENSIS (KIWI) SEED OIL, BENZYL BENZOATE, LIMONENE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77492, CI 77499), RED 6 LAKE (CI 15850)

Source: Fenty Beauty

Performance

Application: I am able to swipe these on straight from the tube without the help of extra brushes. I can apply a single layer for a more subtle hint of color or build it up 3-4 layers thick if I want. It’s not hard to get decently clean edges and, while I don’t typically use lip liners, I don’t feel the need to add one in to make these work for me.

Pigmentation/Color Payoff: For the most part these are all sheer but can be built up to a semi-sheer/medium coverage. None of them look completely opaque on me even applied heavily. Icy Amethy$t is the sheerest one, offering more sparkle and shine than color payoff. The rest offer noticeable color payoff in addition to the sparkle and shine and require less building for more intense color.

Texture/Consistency/Finish: These have a somewhat thicker/balmy texture when cold in the tube, but they melt and thin out easily against the warmth of my lip. They are similar in texture to the Elf Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pens (my review) and the NYX Fat Oil Slick Clicks (my review) but these have an ever so slightly thinner consistency and glide on with a little more ease. They feel like they have a little more slip than those. They are not as melty or thick as something like the Tarte Lip Vinyls (my review). Those ones can easily get heavy and goopy if I apply too many layers, whereas I don’t have that problem with the Fenty ones. They do not leave my lips sticky at all and the color doesn’t gather in spots or become patchy even applied more heavily.

The finish is quite shiny, almost as shiny as a gloss, but not as thick. I feel they are a little more reflective than the original non-shimmer shades, though it could be an illusion due to the sparkle. The sparkles are LARGE, glittery even. If you like a subtle shimmer, this is not it. The sparkles stand out but they don’t feel all that noticeable when I press my lips together. When I remove the shade, the color and balmy finish come off easily but a lot of the sparkle is left behind on my lips and I feel the need to use a makeup remover to help get the last bits off.

Longevity: I haven’t worn these all that long yet. At the most, I’ve tried wearing them for about an hour at a time without disturbing them by drinking water or coffee. I felt during those times, they stayed put pretty well and faded gracefully if I did manage to transfer a good bit of the color off my lip. They are balmy and they transfer easily at the slightest touch. They likely will need to be reapplied several times throughout the day. The few times I have reapplied them, I didn’t have any problems with the older layer making the new layer look bad.

Pros and Cons

Things I like:

• For being glossy, they feel lightweight
• Really nice amount of shine for a stick product
• I can press my lips together and they don’t feel sticky/goopy
• Color stays evenly distributed on the lip
• I can barely feel the glitter on my lips (not gritty)

Drawbacks and other considerations:

• I’m not a huge fan of large sparkle/glitter personally
• Glitter really clings to lips even after removing and gets on my face and anything I touch

Do I Recommend Them?

Yes but only if you LOVE sparkle. If glitter straying from where you intended to put is even a little annoying to you, maybe take a pause. The base of this formula is fantastic. I love the thinner balmy slip these have. They feel comfortable, hydrating, protective and they look very nice too. I’d love to see Fenty release an in-between finish in this formula that offers just a hint of fine shimmer but with the same type of glossy, transparent color payoff these have. 

Swatches

Icy Amethy$t

Icy Amethy$t is a pale, sheer lavender with blue and pink sparkle. There is more blue sparkle in this than pink. If I apply this one lightly, the base color isn’t too far off from my natural lip color. If I build it up, it begins to look closer to a cool mauve on me.

Flamingo Fling

Flamingo Fling is a pale, cooler pink with silver and pink sparkle. The silver sparkle is much more noticeable than the pink. The shimmer seems more densely packed in this shade than in Icy Amethy$t but there is still a good balance of base color and sparkle if I build it up in layers.

Fu$$y

Fu$$y is a medium, cooler, mauve pink with silver, gold, pink and blue sparkle. The blue sparkles stand out the most against the base color but from a distance, the sheen is more “neutral” and not distractingly blue. It seems the base color is slightly more opaque in this shade than the previous two.

Fenty Glow

Fenty Glow is a light, warmer, peachy pink with large yellow gold, greenish gold, blue and pink sparkles. The gold is the most prominent and the sparkles seem a little larger in this shade. The opacity of this shade is similar to Fu$$y. It’s still transparent but the color builds up much more quickly than Icy Amethy$t or Flamingo Fling.

C U In Maui

C U In Maui is a bright coral with large gold and pink sparkle. I can see both colors of sparkle closer up but from a distance, the gold sheen stands out more. This one seems to have more sparkle packed into it than some of the other shades but there’s still a good balance of base color to glitter when I build it up.

Hot Chocolit

Hot Chocolit is a true brown with slight reddish tones and gold, green, blue, and pink sparkle. Up close and even from a slight distance, I can see the various different colors in the sparkle but as with all the other shades, it doesn’t take away from the base color. Even though this shade is deeper (and more noticeable on me) the opacity is not too different than most of the other medium-depth shades. One thin layer immediately shows up on me (though still transparent) and I am able to add 3-4 more passes to build it up without it looking streaky. I feel it still looks good around the edges and I don’t need a brush or lip liner to make it look decent on me.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

L’Oreal Color Riche Shine Lipsticks come in 16 semi-sheer, glossy shades and have a moisturizing feel on the lips. They contain 0.1 oz / 3 grams, retail for about $10, and can be purchased from Ulta, Target, Walmart, and drugstores.

900 Glossy Fawn

902 Dazzling Doe

904 Varnished Rosewood

906 Burnished Blush

908 Sparkling Rose

910 Shining Peach

912 Dewey Petal

914 Glazed Pink

916 Luminous Coral

918 Polished Tango

920 Lacquered Strawberry

922 Laminated Fuchsia

924 Enamel Red

926 Glassy Garnet

928 Gleaming Plum

930 Splendid Blackberry

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

Product Description

What it is: Revlon Ultra HD Lip Color is supposed to offer “vibrant, high definition color” and have an “intensely hydrating formula with hyaluronic acid.” It comes in 15 shades.

Price/Quantity: $9 for 0.1 oz

Availability: Revlon, Ulta, Amazon, Target

Packaging: These lipsticks are contained in slim, twist-up tubes. They twist all the way up and back down easily with no issues. There is some sort of locking mechanism in place so that when you first twist it up, it clicks. The lid comes off easily but stays on pretty securely. The shade number and name is indicated on a sticker on the bottom of the product. When I first purchased these they were very securely packaged with shrink wrap covering it completely and it wasn’t very easy to remove. I am thankful for this as so many drugstore products are tampered with in the store.

Smell/Fragrance: They have a fruity scent and a sweet taste. The scent is moderate at first but disappears quickly after applying. I am somewhat sensitive to some scents and this didn’t bother me.

Performance

These have a thin, smooth consistency that swipes easily over the lips without dragging or skipping. The texture is similar to a tinted lip balm, maybe a bit lighter.

One to two swipes was enough to get plenty of color. My arm swatches below are one swipe each and the lip swatches have been built up a bit – this shows the range of color payoff you can achieve with them. They are not sticky or goopy so pressing your lips together isn’t a problem with these.

Most of these lasted 3-4 hours and were comfortable the whole time. They don’t last well though meals and drinks though.

Worth Buying?

Yes, I am glad I purchased these. They are a good choice for someone that likes to wear lip color but wants it to feel hydrating and comfortable.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

Product Description

The major claim about Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick is that you don’t have to compromise because this lipstick is supposed to do it all. It is said to pack a punch of color and last while being moisturizing and comfortable to wear. There are 12 shades in the line, each containing 011 oz. / 3.4 g and retailing for around $7. They are available at Ulta, Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

Performance

For the most part, the four colors I chose were pretty similar in their performance. They weren’t too dry or too slick and applied with relative ease, except for the rounded bullet which I find personally to be more difficult to work with around the cupid’s bow. The color applied fairly evenly, with semi-opaque coverage and a semi-glossy finish that dried down to more of a matte finish as the hours passed. I found the light shades, Naughty Nude and Peachy Beachy, didn’t seem to last as long, fading by about the 3 hour mark. Best of the Best and Under My Spell lasted closer to 5 hours.

They have a bright fruity floral fragrance that is very noticeable when you take the cap off and I can smell it for a good while after I apply it. Most days I don’t mind it but if I have a headache, I steer clear of these.

Dupes and Comparisons

Naughty Nude is similar to:

• Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid in Nude Flush
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Warm Me Up
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Pops
• NYX Matte Lipsticks in Natural
• NYX Round Lipstick in Thalia
• Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

Peachy-Beachy is similar to:

• Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Sweet Nectar
• Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Fireball
• NYX Round Lipstick in Femme
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Peachy Scene
• Maybelline Color Whisper in Pinup Peach

Under My Spell is similar to:

• NYX Butter Lipstick in Hunk
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Licorice
• Maybelline Color Elixir in Raspberry Rhapsody
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Violet Intrigue
• Revlon Lacquer Balm in Whimsical
• Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Violet Addict

Best of the Best is similar to:

• NYX Butter Lipstick in Big Cherry
• NYX Round Lipstick in Chaos
• Revlon Lacquer Balm in Provocateur
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in On Fire Red
• Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color Red Extreme
• Flower Kiss Stick in Rose Bud

Worth Buying?

These are worth checking out if you enjoy rich color but you don’t like how dry that type of lipstick can sometimes be. Because the texture of these is somewhere between matte and glossy, you get the benefits of a longer lasting product without the tight, dry feeling of a matte lipstick. These are comfortable to wear. If you don’t like fragrance in your makeup, I would avoid these because the scent is strong enough to be bothersome. Also, if you don’t have the patience to get a nice crisp line or dislike rounded-edge lipsticks, these might be a pass.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Not drying
• Comfortable
• Rich, even color payoff
• Decently long lasting
• You can get away with some light snacking without it wearing off too much
• Nice color selection

Cons:

• Moderately heavy scent
• Rounded bullet makes it difficult to apply around cupids bow

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

Product Description

Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lip Color is supposed to offer high impact matte color in a comfortable-to-wear formula. The packaging is very similar to a lip gloss with a slanted doe foot applicator. There is a fragrance which I can both smell and taste when I first apply it but it fades after several minutes. Available in 10 shades, it contains 7.7 ml / 0.26 fl oz., retails for around $7.99 and is available at most major drugstores, Target, Walmart, and Ulta.

Performance

I purchased the shades Nude Flush, which is a warm light pink, and Berry Boost, which is a deep fuchsia. I was expecting this product to feel drying but immediately upon application it had a velvety, lightweight, mousse-like texture. Initially, it had a soft sheen but after a few minutes it dried down to more of a satin finish. The color is intense and opaque but can be sheered out to a degree. After 6 hours there was still color on my lips but it looked dry around the edges of my mouth it had worn off completely on the inner part of my lips. The longest I’d go without touching up would be about 4 hours with these.

Worth Buying?

Reading the reviews others left on this product, I can see that some people had the expectation that it would dry down like other matte lip products. Being someone who typically doesn’t wear matte lipsticks, I wasn’t expecting this to dry down completely and on the contrary, I liked this. If you have trouble with dry lips and avoid mattes for that reason, you might enjoy this product.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

Product Description

What it is: NYX Matte Lipsticks are described as long-wearing, highly pigmented and non-drying. There are currently 33 shades available on NYX’s website.

Price/Quantity: About $6 USD for 0.16 oz / 4.5 g

Availability: NYX, Ulta, Target, Amazon, Cherry Culture

Colors/Finishes:

• Natural – Mauve
• Angel – Bright, warm pink
• Indie Flick – Super bright, reddish orange

Packaging: The tube is lightweight and made of black plastic with a see-through portion in the middle, where you can see the color of the product inside. The lipstick twists up easily and the cap is easy to remove but stays on securely.

Smell/Fragrance: The ingredients do list fragrance but to me these just smell waxy.

Performance

Application: For a matte these glide on more easily than expected. I had to use a bit more pressure compared to a non-matte to get the color to transfer but it didn’t drag or tug at my lips. It’s a good idea to exfoliate your lips and use a light layer of lip balm underneath to get a smoother application. Because they have such great color payoff, using a lip brush can help achieve clean, crisp edges.

Texture: These go on pretty creamy and, at first, don’t appear to be truly matte but they do eventually dry down. While wearing them, they felt heavy and I was always aware of them being there.

Pigmentation: These are pretty much opaque on the lip. They do not leave behind a stain.

Longevity: I get between 2 and 4 hours of wear from these depending on how much effort I put into prep. If I am not dehydrated and I exfoliate my lips and use lip balm underneath, wear-time is closer to 4 hours. The drier my lips were, the more they faded unevenly, remaining intense on the outer edges but wearing away easily toward the inner edges.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Highly pigmented
• Creamy, easy to apply
• Large shade range
• They hold up through meals pretty well

Cons:

• Not the most comfortable to wear – feels heavy
• High maintenance and requires lots of prep

Worth Buying?

I can see why these have lots of great reviews – tons of shades, awesome color payoff, actually pretty creamy as far as matte lipsticks go, and affordable. Unfortunately though, these just weren’t for me. I don’t have much patience for lip products that require lots of prep and maintenance.

NYX Butter Lipstick comes in 22 shades and is supposed to offer intense color payoff while feeling lightweight and comfortable. The whole bullet is made of plastic and feels lightweight but sturdy. The lipstick twists up smoothly and the cap stays on securely. The outside of the bullets are supposed to represent the color inside. There is a label on the bottom of the lipstick with the name of the color inside. These cost $6.00 for 0.16 oz. / 4.5 g and can be found at NYX and Ulta

Fireball is described as a “deep coral”. I find that it is a very vibrant coral that can almost look red if applied heavily. It has a very soft balm-like sheen and has no glitter or shimmer in it. It is highly pigmented but slightly sheer and doesn’t leave a stain on my lips. I get a lot of color with just one swipe but I need to go over it once more to make sure the color is perfectly even. It has a very lightweight feel and glides on easily. Even if I make several passes over my lips to build up the color it still feels lightweight. Despite the name “butter lipstick”, I wouldn’t say the formula is hydrating but I don’t find it drying either. I wore this a few times when I had chapped lips and felt that it emphasized the dryness and didn’t last as long. There is a very light fragrance but it’s hard to tell exactly what it’s supposed to smell like. I get hints of caramel and spice – maybe cinnamon. The fragrance is incredibly light, though. This wears about 3-4 hours on me, depending on how hydrated or dry my lips are. The drier my lips are, the shorter this wears. I didn’t have any issues with this bleeding outside my lips lines.

Worth Buying?

I’m really happy with this lipstick and plan on buying some more colors. If you are familiar with NYX Round Case Lipsticks and like them, I have a feeling you will love these. They have some quirks – they don’t last an incredibly long time but they do last long enough. They also don’t sit well on dehydrated lips. Other than that, they have excellent color payoff, feel lightweight and comfortable to wear, come in tons of colors and only cost about $6.

Revlon Lacquer Balms are supposed to offer the comfort and moisture of a lip balm and the high shine finish of a gloss. They are formulated with shea, coconut, and mango butters and comes in 10 shades. They cost about $9 each and can be found just about anywhere Revlon is sold.

Performance/Experience

Provocatuer is a pinkish red shade with a tiny bit of silver glitter. Once I swatch or apply this, I cannot see or feel any of the glitter in it. When applied heavily it can look closer to a true red but sheering it out will give it a pinker appearance. It has great color payoff considering how lightweight it feels. It has a thinner, gel-like feel with a slight minty tingle and melts evenly onto lips with ease. It actually did feel hydrating and soothing like a lip balm which is my favorite type of lipstick formula. I can get away with not using a lip brush if I am just applying this for everyday wear but for the photos, I had to use a brush to get crisp lines. It didn’t emphasize any dry spots or chapping at all. After 4 hours the color was still looking pretty vibrant but it did fade in the center of my lips. It also lost its shine finish and no longer felt moisturizing but didn’t look dry at all. The only quirk I found with this shade was that it did bleed slightly but not enough that I think other people would notice it.

Coquette is a bubble gum pink with silver sparkles. If you apply this heavily the silver glitter isn’t very noticeable except if you are looking up close. When you apply it lightly the sparkles become more noticeable. I don’t really feel the glitter in it when I press my lips together but I have heard others say that they can feel it. This shade also had great color payoff but it was a tiny bit less creamy and less hydrating than Provocateur but it applied easily and evenly. This one lasted about 4 hours before it started looking dry, patchy, and faded enough to need a reapplication.

Worth Buying?

I am not going to lie – I am biased toward this particular type of formula so for me, these are worth buying, even with their imperfections. Between the two though, Provocateur has a better formula so if you just want to buy one to try it, this would be the one to check out. Coquette is a nice shade of pink but it dries out more quickly and the glitter could be an annoyance to some people so it’s just okay.

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Product Description

Price/Quantity: $8.99 for 2.7 grams
Availability: Target
Color Range: 4 Shades

• Hint of Coral
• Hint of Red
• Hint of Pink
• Hint of Berry

Color/Finish: Sheer, bright, glossy wash of color – no shimmer or sparkles. Hint of Coral is mostly orange when swatched and coral-red when worn on lips, Hint of Red and Hint of Berry are fairly close in color once applied, and Hint of Pink is the brightest and most pigmented.
Packaging: The metal tubes have a semi glossy black finish and have a fair amount of weight to them. Each has a color swatch on the end indicating which color is inside. The cap glides off really smoothly and and the lip balm twists up super smoothly as well. The packaging gets an A+ from me. Very luxe, indeed.
Smell/Taste: They don’t taste like anything to me but they do have a strange synthetic smell. I can’t put my finger on exactly what it smells like but it disappears once applied.

Performance

Application: I’d apply these straight from the tube. Although they have good pigmentation for a balm, I feel I could get away with not even using a mirror.
Pigmentation: Sheer but fairly strong in color payoff. They leave a very faint stain on lips.
Texture: Upon application these feel super slick and moisturizing. They have a gloss/gel feel to them – not sticky or oily in the least. The letdown is that they quickly dry down leaving behind just a sheer tint of color on my lips. I don’t feel that they dried my lips out though.
Longevity: After about 1 hour the glossy finish fades and after about 2 hours the stain fades.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Luxe look and feel
• Good color payoff
• Nice glossy shine
• Easy way to wear color
• Not sticky or oily

Cons:

• The glossy finish fades quickly
• Didn’t actually moisturize my lips

Would I buy these again? I would buy these again but not for the purpose of using them as lip balm. I would love to keep these in my purse because they feel so fancy without actually being expensive so I wouldn’t worry too much about damaging them.

Product Description

Brazen Berry is part of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids collection which promises brighter, more vivid color and a creamy moisturizing texture. This formula contains honey nectar which is supposed to help keep lips nourished. This shade is permanent although there are some limited edition shades available in this formula. This color looks intimidating in the tube but it’s actually very wearable when paired with complementing blushes and eyeshadows.

Price/Quantity: About $6 for 4.2 grams
Availability: Maybelline.com, Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Amazon.com
Color Range: 10 Shades
Color/Finish: Brazen Berry is semi-opaque brightened grape with a semi-glossy finish. It lies somewhere between red-violet and true purple.
Packaging: The packaging is the same as the regular Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks except that the lids are all the same neon orange-red color. Very eye-catching when you are browsing the beauty aisles! The lid stays on securely and the tube twists up smoothly.
Smell/Taste: The Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks have a distinct smell to them that is fairly strong. If you own any of them, you know what I mean. I wouldn’t describe it as a fragrance. It’s more like toffee except it is not sweet. Keep this in mind if you are sensitive to smells. This did not taste like anything to me.

Performance

Application: This shade has been a bit tricky. Sometimes it applies smoothly and evenly and at other times it applies a little bit patchy and seems to clump up (as you can see demonstrated on my arm swatch below). It applies more sheerly than the three previous shades I reviewed but with two or three layers you can get almost the same opacity as Fuchsia Flash or Hot Plum. It felt moisturizing, creamy, and didn’t slip or move around on the lips. It did get slightly drier as the day wore on but it did not make my lips feel dry. It didn’t settle into lip lines.
Pigmentation: Good pigmentation, semi-opaque. It did leave a slight stain on my lips for a couple of hours but it was nowhere near as obvious as the stain Fuchsia Flash and Hot Plum left on my lips.
Texture: Hot Plum is semi-glossy and remains that way for a couple of hours. Although a little inconsistent in texture, it was thick and creamy and adhered well to the lips.
Longevity: It lasted about 5 hours on me. At that point it faded but it faded fairly evenly. It did not get patchy or dry out my lips over time.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Truly vivid color
• Good pigmentation
• Adheres well to the lips
• Does not dry lips out over time
• Long lasting
• Fades gracefully

Cons:

• Sometimes applies a bit patchy

Worth buying? Yes. I can overlook the texture issue because the color is unique at this price point and it really doesn’t take much work to make it sit evenly on the lips.

Product Description

Hot Plum is part of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids collection which promises brighter, more vivid color and a creamy moisturizing texture. This formula contains honey nectar which is supposed to help keep lips nourished. This shade is permanent although there are some limited edition shades available in this formula. Out of the four shades I’ve tried so far, this one has been my favorite.

Price/Quantity: About $6 for 4.2 grams
Availability: Maybelline.com, Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Amazon.com
Color Range: 10 Shades
Color/Finish: Hot Plum is a bright pinkish plum with a semi-glossy finish. I think the name is perfect for this color because it is obviously a shade of purple but it has a very strong, almost radiating, fuchsia undertone.
Packaging: The packaging is the same as the regular Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks except that the lids are all the same neon orange-red color. Very eye-catching when you are browsing the beauty aisles! The lid stays on securely and the tube twists up smoothly.
Smell/Taste: The Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks have a distinct smell to them that is fairly strong. If you own any of them, you know what I mean. I wouldn’t describe it as a fragrance. It’s more like toffee except it is not sweet. Keep this in mind if you are sensitive to smells. This did not taste like anything to me.

Performance

Application: The formulation of this shade seemed the same as Fuchsia Flash. You could get away with just one swipe of this as it applies very evenly and smoothly to the lips though it will only be semi-opaque. I added another layer just to increase the opacity. It felt moisturizing, creamy, and didn’t slip or move around on the lips. It did get slightly drier as the day wore on but it did not make my lips feel dry.
Pigmentation: This was nearly-opaque and after the lipstick wore off, it left behind an intense stain, perhaps even more so than Fuchsia Flash. When I swatched it on my arm, the stain was there for over 24 hours.
Texture: Hot Plum is semi-glossy and remains that way for a couple of hours. The texture was thick and creamy and adhered well to the lips.
Longevity: It lasted about 5 hours on me. At that point it had faded a little but it faded evenly. It did not get patchy or dry out my lips over time.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Truly vivid color
• Excellent pigmentation
• Applies evenly and smoothly
• Adheres well to the lips
• Does not dry lips out over time
• Long lasting
• Fades gracefully

Cons:

• Leaves an intense stain on lips (or anything else it touches)

Worth buying? Yes. If you are into vibrant lip colors in general but don’t like department store prices, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Product Description

Fuchsia Flash is part of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids collection which promises brighter, more vivid color and a creamy moisturizing texture. This formula contains honey nectar which is supposed to help keep lips nourished. This shade is permanent although there are some limited edition shades available in this formula.

Price/Quantity: About $6 for 4.2 grams
Availability: Maybelline.com, Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Amazon.com
Color Range: 10 Shades
Color/Finish: Fuchsia Flash is a nearly opaque creamy magenta pink with a semi-glossy finish.
Packaging: The packaging is the same as the regular Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks except that the lids are all the same neon orange-red color. Very eye-catching when you are browsing the beauty aisles! The lid stays on securely and the tube twists up smoothly.
Smell/Taste: The Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks have a distinct smell to them that is fairly strong. If you own any of them, you know what I mean. I wouldn’t describe it as a fragrance. It’s more like toffee except it is not sweet. Keep this in mind if you are sensitive to smells. This did not taste like anything to me.

Performance

Application: You could get away with just one swipe of this as it applies very evenly and smoothly to the lips though it will only be semi-opaque. I added another layer just to increase the opacity. It felt moisturizing, creamy, and didn’t slip or move around on the lips. It did get slightly drier as the day wore on but it did not make my lips feel dry.
Pigmentation: This was nearly-opaque and after the lipstick wore off, it left behind an intense stain. When I swatched it on my arm, the stain was there for over 24 hours.
Texture: Fuchsia Flash is semi-glossy and remains that way for a couple of hours. The texture was thick and creamy and adhered well to the lips.
Longevity: It lasted about 5 hours on me. At that point it had faded a little but it faded evenly. It still looked good around the edges of my lips but it started wearing away from the center of my lips. I ate a meal and drank a glass of water while wearing it and it held up well enough that I didn’t feel the need to reapply. It did not get patchy or dry out my lips over time.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Truly vivid color
• Excellent pigmentation
• Applies evenly and smoothly
• Adheres well to the lips
• Long lasting
• Fades gracefully

Cons:

• Leaves an intense stain on lips (or anything else it touches)

Worth buying? Yes. If you are into vibrant lip colors in general but don’t like department store prices, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Product Description

Pink Pop is part of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids collection which promises brighter, more vivid color and a creamy moisturizing texture. This formula contains honey nectar which is supposed to help keep lips nourished. This shade is permanent although there are some limited edition shades available in this formula. I was going to include 4 shades in one review but I found that they were not all the same texture so I opted to create individual reviews.

Price/Quantity: About $6 for 4.2 grams
Availability: Maybelline.com, Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Amazon.com
Color Range: 10 Shades
Color/Finish: Pink Pop is a semi-opaque bubble gum pink with a satin-matte finish.
Packaging: The packaging is the same as the regular Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks except that the lids are all the same neon orange-red color. Very eye-catching when you are browsing the beauty aisles! The lid stays on securely and the tube twists up smoothly.
Smell/Taste: The Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks have a distinct smell to them that is fairly strong. If you own any of them, you know what I mean. I wouldn’t describe it as a fragrance. It’s more like toffee except it is not sweet. Keep this in mind if you are sensitive to smells. This did not taste like anything to me.

Performance

Application: Pink Pop is a little dry and I found that it was best to apply this to freshly exfoliated and moisturized lips. One sweep gave me a semi-sheer wash of color. I could build it up to its maximum opacity and color payoff after about 3 layers. It does settle a little bit into lip lines.
Pigmentation: This had good pigmentation although other shades this product offers such as Fuchsia Flash were more pigmented.
Texture: Pop Pop is semi matte and the other three are semi-glossy. The cosnsistency was thick and it adhered well to the lips. The texture had a tendency to stick to any dry spots or chapping creating a patchy appearance.
Longevity: Around the 3 hour mark Pink Pop started looking patchy and dry although it did not make my lips feel dry.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Vibrant color
• Good pigmentation
• Buildable
• Does not dry lips out over time
• Adheres well to lips and stays put

Cons:

• A little dry in texture
• Does not fade gracefully

Worth buying? If you like the Maybelline Color Sensational formula and you love bubble gum pinks, yes. If you have very dry, chapped lips on a regular basis, then you might want to pass on this one. This color is bright but I wouldn’t say it’s too terribly unique, even at this price point. If you’re not a fan of these particular lipsticks but love the shade, check out NYX lipsticks which offer a wide variety of colors including bright shades like this one.

Product Description

Official Name: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter
Price/Quantity: $7.50 USD for 2.55 grams
Availability: Revlon Website, Ulta, Walmart, Target, Amazon, Drugstores
Color Range: 24 Shades
Color/Finish:

• Pink Lemonade – sheer pale pink
• Juicy Papaya – sheer peach
• Sorbet – sheer bright pink
• Wild Watermelon – sheer pinkish red

Packaging: These are standard twist up lipstick tubes with color coded plastic lids. The lid stays on securely and the lipstick twists up smoothly.
Smell: Very light sweet vanilla fragrance.

Performance

Application: Apply these straight from the tube to the lips. The brighter colors can be built up for better color payoff. For the darker or brighter shades you can use a brush to get crisp lines if you prefer or use your finger to apply for a softer look.
Pigmentation: These will give a sheer wash of color. The brighter colors will give more of a pop and appear more pigmented while the lighter colors will be more subdued.
Texture: These have a balmy and moisturizing feel and glide on comfortably. When I say they are moisturizing, they are not as moisturizing a true lip balm but they are pretty good at keeping your lips from drying out. I have noticed that the brighter or darker shades tend to be a tiny bit more dry than the lighter colors but they still have a great texture.
Longevity: Over a period of 3 hours the color fades gradually into a stain-like appearance but still feels balmy and moisturizing on the lips. At this point I would probably reapply the lip butter.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Balmy and moisturizing
• Nice “in between” option for those that like the ease of wearing lipglosses but want something with more of a lipstick-type finish
• Super easy way to incorporate some more color into your makeup routine, especially if you tend to stick with mostly neutrals

Cons:

• Lightest colors may be too sheer and natural for some
• Many colors in the same family look very similar to each other, so there is no need to buy two very similar shades

Worth buying? Yes. These are more moisturizing and wear a bit better than the Maybelline Color Whispers. The only thing is that for as many colors as this product offers, it still somehow feels like it’s not a very good selection. Most of the lighter colors end up essentially looking like a nude lip and with these new releases, this product now has 3 red colors that all look almost the same. You can see in the photos that Sorbet looks very similar to Wild Watermelon once applied. If you don’t mind the shorter wear time, you might want to check out the Maybelline Color Whispers as they seem to have a bigger variation in color selection.

Product Description

Price/Quantity: $7.49 for 3 grams
Availability: Drugstores, Ulta, Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer
Color Range: 20 Shades
Color/Texture:

• Pin Up Peach is a medium peachy pink with gold sparkles.
• Pink Possibilities is a creamy light pink.

Packaging: These are standard twist-up lipstick tubes with translucent color-coded lids displaying the product name in a pretty font. The lid feels secure and the lipstick twists up smoothly.
Smell/Taste: They have a very light fruity/vanilla fragrance but do not taste like anything.

Performance

Application: Since these are sheer and lightweight, you can just swipe these directly onto your lips without having to use a brush. They feel moisturizing and gel-like when you first apply them and stay that way for about an hour and then they start to dry out.
Pigmentation: These are sheer but yield slightly more color than a tinted lip balm would. They are very similar to the Revlon Lip Butters in terms of color payoff but not as moisturizing. The color will stay on your lips for a short time like a stain after the glossiness fades.
Longevity: 2 – 3 hours total. The initial moisture and shine last about an hour. After two hours they start to feel dry and toward three hours the color fades significantly. The color in Pin Up Peach lasted slightly longer than Pink Possibilities but they both dried out after about the same amount of time.

Overall Opinion

Pros:

• Good color payoff
• Great range of colors
• Glossy/balmy texture
• Acts as a stain after glossiness fades

Cons:

• Dries out quickly
• Color fades quickly

Worth buying? These would be good for those who don’t like to wear a whole lot of color on their lips as they offer a subtle, natural look. They would not be good for those who don’t have the time or patience to keep reapplying them though.

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