Lip Lacquers 2014, my review

For 2 years now, there have been multiple launches of a new lipstick formula: liquid lipsticks. And no, I’m not talking about lip gloss or lip stains. I’m talking about lip lacquers here.

Let me explain:

Lipstick stains, they have been around for ages, but from a ‘coverage’ aspect, they are more a wash of color than something very opaque. Think for example, Benefit Benetint. This product was created to give a touch of color to exotic dancers’ nipples (yes, sexy story).
It’s more like a liquid pigment, with no coverage at all. The lasting power is great, but it’s not the most comfortable to wear on the lips. There is no shine with this product, it dries mat.

Lip glosses aren’t exactly new. A gloss will give a mirror shine effect to the lips, but with a transparency. You can of course overlay it on top of your lipstick to give your lips dimension (the famous “3D” effect). But there is a problem: the lasting power is quite limited and it’s the same for the pigmentation. Another issue: you generally have a very sticky feeling on the lips.

And if we mix the two products, what would we get?

Ideally, it would combine all the benefits of lip stains and lip glosses without theirs drawbacks.
So, please welcome the newcomers to the big lipstick family: lip lacquers, aka hybrid liquid lipsticks!

Lip lacquer characteristics?

• – pigmentation: it’s a real lipstick, with real and bright colors, no transparency here.
• – coverage: the color is generally here, on the lips, after only one coat, with a good opacity.
• – shine: it enhances the 3D effect, and can also give a “wet lips” effect.
• – lightweight on the lips : once applied to the lips, the product sets and you really have a “bare lips” sensation. It’s not sticky at all.
• – lasting-power: that’s the big part. The lasting power is really good (especially if you compare to a lip gloss). Of course, it will not last all day (you’ve got to eat sooner or later), but it lasts a good 4-5 hours.

The technology behind these products:

The formula consists essentially of a mix between synthetic oils and water. When you apply it to your lips, the water in the formula evaporates and the synthetic oils “harden” to form a very soft, shiny, comfortable and bright film.

The lasting power of this kind of formula is better than traditional lipsticks, we’ve seen that. But be aware that it doesn’t really dry on the lips, it’s not a non-transfer product (so beware of stains!).

One other important part of the technology: the applicator. This kind of formula  can be very complicated to apply with precision because it’s liquid (duh) and very pigmented.
So most of the products have a type of sponge synthetic applicator, which takes the right amount of product (without it flowing everywhere). It draws a “sharp” contour without smudging everywhere.

The products:

So, the first product in this category which made a significant impression is the YSL Glossy Stain (“vernis à lèvres”/ lip polish in French) in 2012. I doubt very much that it was the first one created, though. If you know which one was, please, leave me a comment! smile

I must admit that I completely missed out initially on this launch. At the time, I was obsessed with matte lipsticks. So a very glossy formula, I was not really interested…
For cons: I tried many matte liquid lispticks! Like the gorgeous Lip Maestro by Giorgio Armani that I love, the genius Sephora Cream Lip Stain ( I talked about it here) and last but not least, the great Rouge Edition Velvet by Bourjois (I own Frambourjoise and Pink-Pong, love them, want more!).

But times change, and even if I’m still a big fan of my matte lips, I’m not against a little shine from time to time.
So, I still haven’t tried the YSL Glossy Stain. But a lot of other brands have launched their own lip lacquers.

This year, I chose 3 of them: Extraordinaire by L’Oréal Paris, Melted by Too Faced and Dior Addict Fluid Stick.

Let’s go for the reviews!

Extraordinaire by Color Riche L’Oréal Paris, Ruby Opera:

A  “lip lacquer”, comfortable with its “precious oils”, bright and shiny thanks to intense pigments. That’s the L’Oréal Paris promise.
So, in fact:

I love:

• – The heart-shaped applicator: it really helps to apply the product. Because, let’s face it, it’s not the easiest thing to apply!
• – The color: a beautiful cold tone red, very dramatic. Love it!
• – The shine: a real glossy effect, very sophisticated.
• – The packaging: very luxurious, especially for a drugstore product.

I’m not sure about:

• – The range of colors: too classic for me. Not a lot of fun colors, it’s a little boring… (Here in Dubai, we don’t have a lot of choice, but I guess in the States, you probably have more than 8 shades?)
• – The pigmentation and the coverage: of course, it’s far from a lip gloss, but the opacity of the product is a little bit disappointing. I needed more than one layer to achieve a good result on my lips.
• – The sensation on the lips: it’s not as sticky as lip gloss, for sure, but it’s not exactly lightweight. I could really feel that I was wearing it.
• – The lasting-power: the shine stays for 3 hours max and after it fades away… I was hoping at least 5 hours of shine, it’s a a miss!
• – The price: here in Dubai it is 80 AED. Somebody please explain why in the States, it’s half this price (9.99$)???

On my lips:

In summary, I was not completely sold on this product. For me, it’s still too close to a simple lip gloss.

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick, Candy:

Too Faced describes it as having “the staying power of a stain, the intense color of a liquid lipstick and the high shine of a gloss”.
And on my lips?

I love:

•  – The color range is great: real colors, and very fun. I had to resist, otherwise I would have ended up with half the entire range! It’s not really for nude lovers (well, there is one nude color)(I wasn’t really interested ;)) but if you love vibrant and bright colors, you’ll love this! I choose Melted Candy, a beautiful warm hot pink-coral. Sublime!
• – The pigmentation and the coverage: this product has an insane pigmentation, and the opacity is a dream. One layer, and you’re done!
• – The very light sensation on the lips: like bare lips, so light. However, it’s not a no-transfer formula, be carefull! wink
• – The lasting-power: it doesn’t move until lunch, and even after, the color is still on the lips. I just reapplied it because I wanted to add some shine.

I’m not sure about:

• – The applicator: OMG, it’s so messy! This is not practical at all. It’s not precise, it goes all over the place…:( A bit of advice: don’t put too much product on it, it’s better to go at it with baby steps.

On my lips:

In summary, I would add that the finish of the product is not as shiny as the L’Oréal or the Dior. It’s more a semi-matte finish, which I personally like a lot. And the color is so bright, who needs a glossy effect with it?

The price is 21$ on Too Faced website.

Dior Addict Fluid Stick, Rieuse:

Dior describes it as a “fabulous wear high impact glossy color lip hybrid”. Mmmm, OK. (not sure I understood everything)

I love:

• – The very large range of color: with too much pretty colors. It was a torture to choose just one. I finally choose Rieuse (373), a fair pink coral, more subtle than my usual bright colors. I needed a “fresh” color for those “smoky eyes” kind of days…
• – The applicator: small, precise. It provides the perfect amount of product. It’s so easy to use!
• – The pigmentation: not bad. Not as pigmented as the Melted by Too Faced, but it’s pretty good. Opacity is average so it’s better to reapply some more to have a good coverage.
• – The lightweight sensation on the lips: it’s the lightest of the three. I could feel it right after had applied it (it’s like a “wet lips” effect, not unpleasant), but it “dries” very quickly and it became unnoticeable. Apparently, the formula is composed mainly of water. Indeed, I can tell!
• – The packaging: as often with Dior, the packaging is gorgeous. It uses the codes of Dior Addict lipsticks which I’ve been a fan of for years (one day I’ll have to show you my collection) (it’s pretty embarrassing, actually). The lovely detail is that you can see the color through the back of the bottle, like a nail varnish bottle. And it takes the shape of a lipstick stick. A beauty!

 I’m not sure about:

• – The application: if you have the tiniest amount of lip balm on your lips, the product spreads very badly. You need to be sure to have completely dry lips before applying. As I’m a lip balm addict, I really thought my Dior lipstick had a problem at first! wink As the formula is mostly based on water, I guess that’s why it “repulses” with the lip balm’s oil.
• – The price? 35$ is not exactly cheap. But it’s Dior, it’s not surprising, I guess…

On my lips:

I think that overall, it’s a very good product. I’m particularly impressed by the lightweight feeling on the lips. In addition, it smells very good, that’s always nice!

To finish, here are the three products’s swatches:

 

In summary:

I’m not going to lie, I don’t see myself wearing this type of formula every day. From time to time, when I feel like I want a lot of shine on my lips, why not? But for every day, I always come back to my good old classic lipsticks!
I still think that I need to tried the YSL version of these, the Glossy Stains.You know, just to compare… wink
Have you tried it? What are your thoughts? A color to recommend? wink

And you, tempted by the lip lacquers? Or you’re already love them? Tell me everything in the comments section!

Photos credits: bonnie-garner.com

Cet article est aussi disponible en français: Laques à lèvres 2014, ma revue