Category Archives: Liquid Lipstick

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream Review & Swatches

I love a good liquid lipstick, so I’m very happy that several have been launched over the past year or so , both high-end and drugstore. Offhand, I can think of five – these NYX Xtreme Lip Creams are from early 2012, Wet n Wild recently released its Megalast Liquid Lip Colors (review), Shiseido’s Laquer Rouge was launched late last summer (review), Armani’s Lip Maestro – which I will eventually try! – is from last November, and Guerlain’s Rouge G L’Extrait, which looks lovely but so pricey, is from last summer. The UK also has Rimmel Apocalips liquid lipstick, which I hope makes it to the US soon.

Packaging-wise, there isn’t much to say about the Xtreme Lip Creams – they’re in a standard tube with a doe foot applicator. I found the applicator easy to use, and was able to apply the lipsticks with it, though a lip brush does lead to a more precise application.

I initially purchased two shades, but I liked them so much I went back for three more, so I currently have five shades, out of the eleven in the range.

Nude Peach Fuzz // Buttery Nude // Bonfire // Spicy // Absolute Red

As you can see, the Xtreme Lip Creams are quite pigmented. I love the the pigmentation and the texture, because I am able to achieve full coverage with a very thin layer. I find thin layers of lip product to be the most comfortable to wear, plus a thin layer is least likely to migrate outside the lip line and more transfer-resistant (though these do not really dry down, and thus they do transfer).

It’s also worth talking about my least favorite thing about the liquid lipsticks — the scent. It’s sort of plastic-y and unpleasant, though it does fade quickly. It’s not enough to keep me from really enjoying the product, but if you’re more sensitive to smells than I am, it may really bother you.

In the lip swatches, you can see that the palest color (Nude Peach Fuzz) settles into lip lines a little bit and doesn’t look great – however, the four darker colors don’t have this problem at all, and look smooth and even on the lips.

Nude Peach Fuzz

Buttery Nude

Bonfire

Spicy

Absolute Red

Another nice thing about liquid lipsticks is that they’re easy to mix to create new shades – just dab a little bit of product on the back of your hand, mix, and apply with a lip brush!

Do these Xtreme Lip Creams look like something you’d be interested in?

Physician’s Formula Sexy Glow Red Glossy Stain Review & Swatches

Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain

Last week, I purchased the Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain in Hot Pink. You can read my full review here, but the short version is that despite the tacky packaging, the fact that it isn’t very glossy, and doesn’t stain – I really liked it!

If you haven’t spotted these in your area yet, they’re available to buy online now at Drugstore.com.

So, a few days ago, I bought the red version too. For a full review of the PF Glossy Stains, please see my earlier review – this post is just swatches of the red.

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain - swatch

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain – Red

First, the color is a bright, pretty cherry red – which stays true, and doesn’t turn pink at all on me. Yay! It’s also a touch glossier than the Hot Pink shade, and even stains a bit more (though I think that’s just because reds tend to stain; it’s still more of a liquid lipstick than a stain).

Again, the PF Glossy Stain does not do what is promised – it is not ultra glossy, and it does not stain very well – but as a liquid lipstick, it’s a really lovely product, and I hope to see it released in more shades!

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain - lip swatch

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain – Red

Physician’s Formula Sexy Glow Hot Pink Glossy Stain Review & Swatches

Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain – Hot Pink

I am enamored of gloss / stain hybrids lately – I love both YSL Glossy Stains and the L’oreal Shine Caresse gloss stains. So, when I saw a new Physician’s Formula product that claimed to be a glossy stain (and on sale for $3!), I knew I had to give it a try. The Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stains come in only two colors – Red and Hot Pink, and I bought Hot Pink.

First off, I hate the name of the “Sexy Booster” line of products, and the Sexy Glow name as well. Second, I hate the packaging with the little charm attached to the gloss. I’m sure some will like it, but it is just not my style at all – I like sleek, minimalist packaging, and this is just the opposite (the charm and ribbon are not easily removable, by the way).

The packaging is functional – the charm is securely attached, the wand is a good shape to apply the gloss, and the package is sealed — very important for drugstore products! Here’s a close-up of the wand; it’s a similar shape to the other gloss stains I’ve tried.

PF Glossy Stain wand / applicator

And, here’s the package – as you can see, PF claims that this product has intense color, high shine, and kiss proof wear. It is also supposed to stain.

Here’s a short version of my review: the glossy stain is not glossy, is not kiss proof, barely stains, and basically does nothing that it is advertised to do. However, as a long wearing liquid lipstick, it’s fantastic, and it’s a beautiful color – so despite the packaging, I really like it!

To expand: the glossy stain does absolutely have intense color. It does not, however, have high shine. If I apply a normal amount, it has a low shine finish – just slightly glossy, more glossy than a satin, but not what I think of as a high shine finish. If I apply an extra layer, it takes to to actually glossy, but it’s still not high shine, and with the extra layer it is quite messy and transfers on to absolutely everything.

I haven’t done an actual kiss test, but I assure you that this is not kiss proof. If I wear a normal amount without blotting, it transfers on to my coffee cup significantly – just as much as any non-matte lipstick, and more than a matte lipstick. Of course, if I blot it enough, it will transfer less, but that’s true of any lip product.

It also doesn’t stain very well – it’s nothing like the YSL Glossy Stains or L’oreal Shine Caresse stains. In the swatch below, I left it on my arm for several minutes, then wiped it off. There is a faint stain, but nothing more than a reasonably pigmented lipstick would leave. Compare to the L’oreal stains in this post.

When worn, the Glossy Stain does wear down to a kind of a stain over several hours, but it’s not the type of stain left by a true lip stain; it’s the type of stain left by any pigmented lipstick. Does that make sense? The product isn’t actually a lip stain – it’s a pigmented liquid lipstick, that leaves a bit of a stain as it wears off.

Here’s my lip swatch. And for a full face photo of me wearing this product, see this post.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the Physician’s Formula Glossy Stains – I’m planning to buy the red one too! It’s a really nice product – as long as you are looking for a liquid lipstick, and not a glossy stain.

If you haven’t seen this at a local drugstore yet, it’s online at Drugstore.com.

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lipstick Review & Swatches

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color

I’ve previously swatched Wet n Wild’s new Megalast liquid lip color for you; after testing three of the shades a couple times, I’m ready to share more thoughts and do a full review. First off, let me note that these are very pigmented true liquid lipsticks – they may be packaged like a lip gloss, but they are definitely not a gloss at all!

First – packaging. The Megalast liquid lipsticks are packaged in clear tubes with a doe foot applicator. The tubes themselves are fine, but the applicator pulls out far too much product. I had a hard time working with the liquid lipstick at first, and part of the problem was that I was applying a too-thick layer. A better designed tube would pull out less product and encourage a thinner application of the liquid lipstick. Here’s a look at the applicator:

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color wand

See how there’s excess product?

Next, color. I initially purchased two shades – both reds, and even though I didn’t like the texture, I wanted to like this product so much that I went back and bought a third shade! First, the reds: Cherry On Top is a darker red with shimmer, and Red My Mind is a brighter, shimmer-free red. The first swatches are freshly applied, which is why they appear glossy – this product is actually very matte once it has dried down. The second swatch (which is Red My Mind) has dried down, so you can see the matte finish.

left: Cherry On Top
right: Red My Mind

Red My Mind

And, here’s a close-up of the tube of Cherry On Top where the shimmer is (slightly) more visible:

Cherry On Top

And now, here is the third shade I purchased, High Pitched Wine – along with the reds. These swatches are starting to dry down.

High Pitched Wine, Red My Mind, Cherry On Top

Before we get to the lip swatches, let me attempt to describe the texture of these. You must apply very thin layers – if you apply a thicker layer, it takes too long to dry, and is very sticky until it dries, will transfer from one lip to another lip, and become very patchy. This is not wearable at all – it’s uncomfortable and unattractive. If you apply a thin layer and avoid pressing your lips together until it dries, these are wearable. You can wear them as one thin layer, or if you’re patient, you can do a second thin layer. Once these are dry, they barely transfer at all, and seem to be quite long wearing. However, I found them very uncomfortable to wear – they just felt very odd on my lips – and each time I tried them out, I removed them after 1-2 hours.

Cherry On Top
one layer (fully dry)

Cherry On Top
two layers (not quite dry)

Red My Mind
two layers (fully dry)

High Pitched Wine
two layers (fully dry)

As you can see, these dry very matte – especially Red My Mind and High Pitched Wine. Cherry On Top feels the same on the lips, but the shimmer adds dimension so it looks less flat.

Note that these are very waterproof and very smudge-proof, but not oil-proof; it’s not too difficult to remove them with an oil based remover. So, I’d guess that these would break down during an oily meal.

As you can probably tell, I really had trouble with these. I wanted to love them! I am generally a fan of liquid lipsticks, matte lipsticks, and long wearing lip color, but the texture of these just didn’t work for me. For $3.49 each, I’m glad I tried them. If you like this type of product, I’d give them a try – maybe they’ll work better for you than for me. Make sure to apply very thin layers and let each layer dry fully if you do try them out, and please let me know how they work out for you!

Wet n Wild Red My Mind Mega Last Liquid Lip Color Swatches & Photos

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color – Red My Mind

As I mentioned in my post earlier, I’m going to be posting photos, swatches, and initial thoughts on the five new Wet n Wild products I purchased earlier today. Since I haven’t had a chance to really test out the products, these won’t be full reviews. I’m not sure whether I’ll be updating these posts to turn them in to full reviews, or posting full reviews separately later (any preferences?).

(Edited: Full review is here.)

First up: Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid lipstick – which sells at my Walgreens for $3.49. This is a true liquid lipstick, not a gloss. It is VERY water resistant, and very transfer proof. It was extremely sticky/tacky at first, but did eventually dry down. I only swatched and removed it, so I don’t know how it wears yet.

Red My Mind is a gorgeous true red, and I do love the color. I’m completely torn about the formula – I’m not sure if I love it or hate it yet! I found that the applicator pulled out too much product, which made it difficult to apply – a lip brush would be easier for sure. I apologize for the messiness of the lip swatch!

Edited: I went back and snapped some pictures where you could see all of the shade names (there were 13 different shades available). It’s hard to see, but some of the shades have shimmer, and some, like the one in this post, are completely matte. I also picked up one of the shades with shimmer, Cherry On Top, to swatch.

Coral Me Bad, Red My Mind, Cherry On Top, Back to the Fuchsia,
Click on my Hyperpink, Do I Make You Blush? Pink Perfection

Pink Perfection, Iris I Was Rich, Pocketful of Roses, Rose to The Occasion, Rasin’ The Roof,
A High-Pitched Wine, I Can Bare It

——–

A Discontinued Classic: Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque

As a red lipstick lover, I’ve regretted not buying Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque liquid lipstick many times. It’s a classic shade and a popular favorite, but was discontinued about a year ago. At the moment, it’s going for about $100 on ebay – way too much for me to consider. But, a few weeks ago I got lucky and found it on a blogsale for only $25 (and almost unused, too – only swatched with a separate applicator). So – is it worth the hype?

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque applicator

The packaging is really lovely – a substantial feeling, black square tube. It’s functional and elegant. I also love the applicator – it’s a variation on a doe-foot applicator, but with a slanted tip that makes the product easy to apply precisely.

The formula is as good as I expected – smooth, creamy, and pigmented. It’s comfortable to wear, and very long lasting. It does transfer more than I prefer, but that’s to be expected since it has a slightly glossy finish.

The color is beautiful as well – somehow it manages to be both bright and dark red. It’s a very balanced, true red – to my eye, it doesn’t lean warm or cool, and I can imagine it looking great on anyone. Many red lipsticks turn pink on me, but this one stays very true to the swatched color.

I’ve heard that Shiseido RD607 Nocturne (reviewed here) is similar to Chanel Dragon, and I also wanted to see how Rouge d’Armani 400 (reviewed here) compared, so below I have swatches of all three together. As you can see, both are fairly close, but neither are dupes – Nocturne is slightly darker than Dragon, and RdA 400 is brighter. Nocturne is closer in texture, but also has microglitter (not very visible when first applied, but quite visible when blotted).

Armani Rd’A 400; Chanel Dragon; Shiseido Nocturne

Overall – love! This is just as fantastic as I hoped it would be, and I am thrilled to have it in my collection. It’s really a pity that Chanel discontinued something this beautiful. If you have the opportunity to buy Dragon, I would absolutely snap it up – it’s a classic for a reason.

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