Best & Worst ~ Lipstick Testing

It was a big summer for testing products here at Hot & Flashy, and the final category that I have for you is Lipstick! I tested 8 lipsticks in hopes of finding at least one product that’s reasonably priced, long-wearing, non-drying, doesn’t migrate into wrinkles, and makes my lips look great (that’s not TOO much to ask for is it??)

Detect a theme? I was obsessed with hot orange lips this summer!

Detect a theme? I was obsessed with hot orange lips this summer!

I put the lipsticks in a head-to-head competition with a level playing field, so all the different lipsticks were applied without benefit of primer or liner. I wore each all day through meals, snacks, and drinks without re-applying and documented how they looked and felt after 3 hours, 6 hours, and 9 hours. Here are the results in order from worst to best:

Milani PowerLip in Mango Tango Lasting & Moisturizing Gloss Stain in “Mango Tango” ~ $6.50 ~ 8 Shades

Milani Power Lip in "Mango Tango"

Milani Power Lip in “Mango Tango”

The Claims: An innovative hybrid of lipstick, gloss & stain that’s totally non-drying!

Application: Thick glossy liquid lipstick with a built in brush applicator. The brush is small and the opacity and thickness of the formula makes it difficult to control how much is applied and where it goes, but it offers maximum color payoff! The finish is very glossy (accentuating wrinkles), fairly opaque but not sticky.


Wear:
 It looked nice when first applied, great color, very flattering!

Milani Power Lip Full Face

After 3 hours (including lunch) it had transferred everywhere! It was on my chin, my glass, and for some reason it was even on my back door. It bled into my upper lip lines and settled into my lower lip creases.

Milani Power Lip after 3 Hours

Milani Power Lip after 3 Hours

The stain lasted through 2 meals leaving some color on the lips after the gloss is gone.  It was comfortable to wear and my lips didn’t feel dry.

Milani Power Lip After 6 Hours

Milani Power Lip After 6 Hours

Pros: Non-drying, long-lasting color.

Milani Power Lip After 9 Hours

Milani Power Lip After 9 Hours

Cons: Bleeds, settles, & transfers. Shine isn’t flattering on mature lips.

 

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick in “Haute Melon” ~ $4.00 ~ 10 Shades

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick in "Ultimate Orange"

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick in “Haute Melon”

The Claims: Mineral based formula with velvet texture and saturated color that resists wear and smudging.

Application: Creamy, semi-sheer formula goes on very unevenly… it’s sheer in some places and globs up in others, needs 2 coats and close attention to apply it correctly. It has a lovely soft-gloss finish. Good color payoff.

 

Wear: This one looked pretty good right after application too, and then rolled down hill quickly!

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick Just Applied

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick Just Applied

Color wore through 2 meals, but changed to more pink. Like the Milani, it transferred to my chin when I ate a sandwich and came off on cups etc.

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick After 3 Hours

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick After 3 Hours

Wear was uneven, and it settled into lip creases and bled into wrinkles. Didn’t feel overly drying, but lips were flaking. Some color still left after 8 hours, but still uneven.

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick After 6 Hours

NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick After 8 Hours

Pros: Long lasting color.

Cons: Bleeds & settles, smudges & transfers.

 

Tarte Lipsurgance Matte Lip Tint in “Exposed” ~ $24 ~ 6 Shades of Matte

Tarte Lipsurgence in "Exposed"

Tarte Lipsurgence in “Exposed”

The Claims: Hydrating formula with a soft beautiful matte finish.

Application: Smooth even application, color matches product on lips, matte finish, easy to apply, 1 coat is opaque, feels moisturizing (a little hard to get it going, then becomes more creamy)

 

Tarte Lipsurgence Just Applied

Tarte Lipsurgence Just Applied

Wear: A tiny bit of color was left after lunch.

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 3 Hours

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 3 Hours

It didn’t bleed into wrinkles and made lips look smoother, but was all worn off by 6 hours.

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 6 Hours

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 6 Hours

By 5 hours it sucked all the moisture out of lips (I had to apply balm), and by 10 hours lips were peeling.

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 10 Hours

Tarte Lipsurgenece After 10 Hours

Pros: No settling or bleeding, opaque matte finish flatters older lips.

Cons: Not long wearing, Very drying.

 

Tom Ford Lip Color in “Spanish Pink” ~ $50 ~ 20 Shades

Tom Ford Lip Color in "Spanish Pink"

Tom Ford Lip Color in “Spanish Pink”

Marketing: Rare and exotic ingredients create ultra-creamy texture and smooth application.

Application: Aside from the color being horrible on me, it was creamy and easy to apply. Very expensive packaging. One coat is opaque and even with good color payoff. Finish is soft gloss.

 

 

Tom Ford Lip Color Just Applied

Tom Ford Lip Color Just Applied

Wear: It immediately settled into creases on lower lip making lips look wrinklier and older. Color lasted through a meal and settled product was gone after lunch.

Tom Ford Lip Color After 3 Hours

Tom Ford Lip Color After 3 Hours

The color lasted really long (9 hrs), but wore off unevenly. It was very moisturizing and comfortable to wear all day, but lips didn’t look moisturized. . .

Tom Ford Lip Color After 6 Hours

Tom Ford Lip Color After 6 Hours

. . . they looked dry and creases were amplified.

Tom Ford Lip Color After9 Hours

Tom Ford Lip Color After 9 Hours

Pros: Color payoff, staying power, moisturizing

Cons: Price, settling

 

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in “Streak” ~ $ 22 ~ 20 Shades + 3 only on UD

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in "Streak"

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in “Streak”

Marketing: Insane color payoff, plumping, hydrating, nourishing (jojoba oil,cocoa & shea butters), long lasting

Application: Easy to apply because it’s quite sheer. Color is very different on the lips than in the tube, so I wouldn’t call it “insane” color payoff, but it’s  still a nice color. Glossy finish helps highlight lip imperfections. Feels slightly sticky when 1st applied but not bothersome. Provided a little plumping with no irritation or burning.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick

Wear: Nice color and soft gloss finish, but the plumping effect quickly turned into deflated extra wrinkled lips. Clumped up on dry skin, wore off unevenly. Looks nice from a distance, but not so much close up.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick After 3 Hours

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick After 3 Hours

Color lasted through 2 meals, 3 drinks, 2 snacks (wore off somewhere between 6-10h). Lips felt dry after 5 hours. No feathering.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick After 6 Hours

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick After 6 Hours

Pros: Beautiful color (although nothing like it’s supposed to be).

Cons: Clumps, wrinkles, dries lips, glossy.

 

 Too Faced Lip Injection Color Bomb in “Never Enough Nude” ~ $ 21 ~ 6 Shades

Too Faced Lip Injection in "Never Enough Nude"

Too Faced Lip Injection in “Never Enough Nude”

Marketing: Added satin color to their lip plumper for 20% more volume, and explosion of color and softness. Natural botanicals smooth and moisturize.

Application: Chubby crayon is soft and creamy, applies easily, feels balmy, slightly sticky but not greasy. Goes on sheer so color payoff is not the best, but application is even. The built-in plumper makes lips tingle around the edges, and gives lips a subtle fullness.

 

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color

Wear: Plumping effect lasted about an hour. Felt lightweight and moisturizing on the lips for 5-7 hours.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color Lips Were Plumped!

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color Lips Were Plumped!

The color wore through 1 meal and about 4 hours.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color After 3 Hours

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color After 3 Hours

By 8 hours lips felt dry and peely, but there was no feathering or settling into lip lines.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color After 6 Hours

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Color After 6 Hours

Pros: Feel, application, & plumping.

Cons: Wear and drying.

 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in “Rendezvous” ~ $6.00 ~ 10 Shades

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Rendezvous"

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in “Rendezvous”

Marketing: A lightweight stain + moisturizing balm for a perfect flush of color.

Application: Chubby crayon stick is easy to apply. Goes on semi-sheer so color is not as bright as in the tube. Soft-satin-gloss finish, feels like a balm, feels moisturizing, a little sticky feeling.

 

 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Just Applied

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Just Applied

Wear: Wore nicely for 3 hours and through 1 meal & drink.

Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain After 3 Hours

Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain After 3 Hours

Lips felt dry at 5 hours, balm worn off at 6 hours, but some color stain still left.

Revlon4

Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain After 8 Hours

Made lip creases larger as the day wore on because of the drying. No settling into fine lines. Still a stain of color at 10h. A bit drying but no peeling or flaking of lips.

Pros: Long lasting color that stays put.

Cons: Drying.

 

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick Vivids in 870 “Shocking Coral” ~ $ 6 ~ 10 Shades

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick The Vivids in "Shocking Coral"

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick Vivids in “Shocking Coral”

Marketing: Bright vivid color, never garish. Honey nectar nourishes lips.

Application: Smooth and easy to apply. Color payoff is good, it’s vivid, but goes on a bit sheer so color on lips doesn’t match the tube. Low luster makes lips look smoother. Feels lightweight and creamy, not sticky or greasy.

 

 

Maybelline Colorsational The Vivids

Maybelline Colorsensational The Vivids

Wear: Wore well for the first 3 hours until I ate lunch, was quite faded after lunch. Slight feathering in deep wrinkle.

Maybelline Colorsensational After 3 Hours

Maybelline Colorsensational After 3 Hours

Wore off unevenly, but color stains lips so there was still a little color left after 6 hours.

Maybelline Colorsensational After 6 Hours

Maybelline Colorsensational After 6 Hours

Felt comfortable for 6 hours then started to dry lips, but not to the point of peeling and flaking.

Maybelline Colorsensational After 10 Hours

Maybelline Colorsensational After 10 Hours

Pros: Lightweight and creamy, low-luster finish.

Cons: Sheer so color isn’t true, Some feathering.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the links to the other products I tested over the summer: 6 mascarasThe PMD (personal microdermabrasion) device3 Vitamin C Serums

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