Makeup

3 Lipsticks that deliver seamless colour and absolute comfort — a review

26.09.2019

By Wei Yeen Loh

3 Lipsticks that deliver seamless colour and absolute comfort — a review

Trying on a multitude of lipsticks that reportedly promise all-day long comfort and colour intensity is really one part lip fatigue and three parts ultimate patience (coupled with a dash of risk-taking).

I kind of want to believe in the new lipstick that comes with all the keywords i.e. long-wearing, comfortable, budgeproof colour etc; but when it fails to deliver at the end of the day, the “I was rooting for you!” sentiment never fails to pop up in my head as I put said lipstick aside.

I take my lipsticks pretty seriously—testing them with and without lip balm as the base, before and after consuming food/drink, timing it to see if the “12-hour long” USP truly holds, and the like. That said, there have been a couple recently that have checked both colour and comfort on my list.

Dior Rouge Dior Ultra Care Liquid

I may have a soft spot for mousse-like lip products—what’s there not to love? It feels velvety soft on the lips, dries like weightless cream, and leaves a rich enough pigment to rival my favourite lipstick.

What you need to know: Made of 100% natural-origin cameline and sweet almond oils, the Rouge Dior Ultra Care Liquid has shea butter for a comfortable sensation on the lips. Extra points go to its micro-flocked petal shaped applicator for precise colour application—I could apply this on my lips without looking at a mirror.

Shades: It comes in satin and matte finishes, and a shade that I’ve been wearing of late is 808 Caress—a modern rosewood that’s MLBB (but a shade darker) and buildable depending on how I apply it.

Brownie points: This is one of my new favourites for a couple of reasons: It didn’t bleed into my lip lines or crack or fade evidently after a few hours. The formula isn’t drying at all, and it feels pretty light on the lips upon application.

Priced at RM138; available at all Dior Beauty counters and boutiques nationwide

Pat McGrath Mini Lip Fetish Lip Balm Trio

Am I a sucker for packaging over product efficacy? I’d like to go with a hard no but admittedly, I can’t resist an IG-worthy product especially when it’s from the legendary Pat McGrath.

So when Sephora bestowed us with the Lip Fetish Lip Balms in a fun-sized trio, the packaging already had me starry-eyed—these mini lippies were sealed in clear and gold plastic, nestled with the brand’s signature fillers (sequins). While it was a hassle to remove without spilling the sequins, I was still sold at the balms’ cute casing—white and gold bullets with a bold lip graphic. Yes, I’m shameless, I know.

What you need to know: The Lip Fetish Lip Balms are made with “soothing emollients, antioxidants and vitamins that protect lips from free radicals”. While it was a teeny tiny stick to work with, I liked that it kept my lips moisturised with a hint of colour.

Shades: The balm trio only comes in Clear, Blow Up (nude) and Flesh 3 (bronzed rose)—I like using Clear as a base before applying lipstick, Blow Up for a sheer layer of colour when I’m feeling lazy, and Flesh 3 for evening occasions.

Brownie points: While these aren’t supposed to last all-day long (colour wise), it did leave my lips hydrated without being too emollient/greasy, unlike other richer tinted lip balms.

Priced at RM110, available online at Sephora

The Lip Lab’s custom made lipsticks

Customisable skincare has been a thing here for a while now, but personalised makeup hasn’t made a splash in the scene in Malaysia just yet. Australian-based The Lip Lab is the first bespoke cosmetics label to land on our shores, and it promises to deliver vegetarian, cruelty-free and paraben-free formulas to suit your preference.

Experience: During a one-on-one consultation at the outlet in One Utama, I decided on a pinkish nude shade with a satin finish as I can’t seem to find the right shade of pink that isn’t too kawaii or ageing.

The consultant also offered different bases and finishes (iridescent, metallic, matte, etc), flavours (there are a lot to choose from) and special additives (SPF, lip plumper, moisture, silkening etc) along the way. She also tailored the colour to suit my preferences after letting me try a few shades out.

Watching the making of my lipstick was an oddly therapeutic experience—especially the colour blending part. 45 minutes later and it was freshly-set.

First impressions: I love the colour—I mean, it was custom-made for a reason. This lipstick is definitely budge-proof and actually left my lips stained in pink, even after tissueing off the colour. For those who shy away from hard-to-remove lip colours, opt for their lip glosses instead. My consultant also customised a metallic gold lip butter for me to wear as a topper, and the unique, gold-speckled pink effect garnered me a few compliments right after. Comfort wise, the hyaluronate additives in my lipstick kept my lips crease-free and comfy all day long.

FYI: If you’ve always had problems looking for the right foundation shade, The Lip Lab also offers custom foundations, concealers and tinted moisturisers in a variety of bases (including natural botanicals and extracts).

The Lip Lab’s custom lipsticks are available at RM180, while custom foundations are priced at RM220. The flagship outlet is located at FK105, 1st Floor, Old Wing, 1 Utama.

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