I love makeup more than Oprah loves bread. This year, one of the biggest makeup trends is matte liquid lipstick. These lipsticks come in any color you could imagine and have a range of formulas to suit a variety of preferences. So, which lipsticks are worth the cash? Here are four popular ones I tired, and my honest opinions on each one.
1. Colourpop Matte Liquid Lipstick
Rating: 1/5
I had high hopes for these, and they made me so sad. The color selection is phenomenal, there is a shade for every look you could possibly imagine, even more fashion-forward colors like blue and green. And they’re only $6! I wore the color Avenue, which was advertised online as a classic red. In person, the color was considerably darker. I didn’t have a problem with this because it was still a pretty color, just not what I was expecting. I know liquid matte lipsticks tend to be drying and I don’t expect them to wear like a lip balm.
The formula of these lipsticks is very thin and watery, which made application difficult and messy. The formula was so dry, the lipstick crumbled off after about an hour of wear, eating a salad, and drinking water. While these lipsticks are transfer proof, they feathered and smeared significantly at the edges of my lips. Using a lipliner before could solve this, although the directions said specifically to apply the lipstick to bare lips. Either way, I don’t recommend these lipsticks at all. They’re uncomfortable, messy, and not worth the cheap price.
2. Tarteist Lip Paint
Rating 3.5/5
Definitely one of the more comfortable-wearing liquid lipsticks I’ve worn. I bought the bright pink shade Lovespell, and I was very impressed with how much pigment it had. The texture is like a mousse, and if you’re not careful, the application can get rather messy. Once on, these are not transfer proof and can smear. That was one of the main problems I had with this formula. Every time I drank from my water bottle or my lips touched anything, I was afraid I was going to have a pink smudge on my face.
After eating lunch, the lipstick held up surprisingly well. The only major fading I noticed was on the inside of my lips. When I went to reapply, I found out that this lipstick does not reapply over itself: it gets tacky and crumbly, and even messier. I don’t want to have to remove and re-apply my lipstick after eating, especially if the product claims to be long wearing. For the price of $20, this lipstick didn’t quite meet my expectations. I wouldn’t consider this a long-wearing, everyday lipstick, but aside from the high maintenance, I do like this product.
3. The Balm- Meet Matt(e) Hughes
Rating: 4.5/5
I really like these! I bought a kit that came with 2 colors: Marshmallow (a light, nude pink) and Raven (somewhere between deep plum and burgundy). I’ve tried on both and they were equally easy to apply. I did notice the dark shade did require more blending to create a fully opaque finish, but that’s the only difference I noticed regarding application. I have not yet worn Raven out, but I do wear Marshmallow frequently and it performs very well. The formula is a bit liquid-y, although it isn’t so watery that it makes a mess.
It also lasts decently well through meals and only requires minimal touch ups to the inside of the lips. This is another product that can get really messy, really fast if you apply too much at one time. Also, this lipstick made the lines on my lips slightly more noticeable after I wore then for a while, which wasn’t a flattering look. These can be a little drying, and I do recommend using a lip balm before applying the lipstick. At $20 per tube, the velvetines are a little pricy for a college student! Yet, there’s a lot of product and it’s a good quality lipstick, so I see this as an investment. Or at least a splurge!
4. Lime Crime Velvetines
Rating 4.5/5
I really like these! I bought a kit that came with 2 colors: Marshmallow (a light, nude pink) and Raven (somewhere between deep plum and burgundy). I’ve tried on both and they were equally easy to apply. I did notice the dark shade did require more blending to create a fully opaque finish, but that’s the only difference I noticed regarding application. I have not yet worn Raven out, but I do wear Marshmallow frequently and it performs very well. The formula is a bit liquid-y, although it isn’t so watery that it makes a mess.
It also lasts decently well through meals and only requires minimal touch ups to the inside of the lips. This is another product that can get really messy, really fast if you apply too much at one time. Also, this lipstick made the lines on my lips slightly more noticeable after I wore then for a while, which wasn’t a flattering look. These can be a little drying, and I do recommend using a lip balm before applying the lipstick. At $20 per tube, the velvetines are a little pricy for a college student! Yet, there’s a lot of product and it’s a good quality lipstick, so I see this as an investment. Or at least a splurge!
