{ Test Drive } Liquid Liptsicks

Liquid lipsticks have been having a bit of a moment recently.

I got married at the beginning of March, and had originally planned on wearing a bright red lip, so wanted a long lasting formula that I wouldn’t have to fuss too much with throughout the evening.

I didn’t go with a bold lip in the end, but I did test drive 5 different brands anyway, and thought this info might be useful to some of you.

Some were great, some not too bad, and one was terrible.

There are quite a few on the market, but after some online research, I decided on 4 and then added the Yardley one, as they have great lip products sometimes.

I’ll start with the worst, and I’m sad to say it was the Yardley Stayfast Liquid Matte Lip Vinyl in Engine Red, R100. The colour looked great in the tube, but it didn’t transfer well on the lips. It went on unevenly and wore off into a patchy mess. The formula itself is hideously sticky and uncomfortable, and didn’t dry down like the others did – it stayed tacky for hours. I had high hopes for this, but it was a disappointment from beginning to end.

Next up was the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Fashion Legacy, R330. This had the biggest hype around it online, but being the most expensive, it had a lot to deliver. Thankfully, it delivered on all fronts. The colour payoff was exactly what was in the tube, the formula was creamy and comfortable and smelt great, too. The colour lasted a good 3 hours before I had to think about any touch ups, and it faded evenly.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Firey, R260, didn’t start well, as it took quite a while for the formula to settle. It went through a strange sticky stage, but once this abated, it was lovely. The formula was creamy and the colour faded well. It didn’t last as well as the MAC, but it left a stain than meant you didn’t feel the need to reapply as soon as you would with the MAC one.

I also bought a nude shade from the Stila line to test, and it was terrible. It had just the same issues as the Yardley one, so I reckon a general rule with liquid lipsticks is to stick with the darker berry shades if you want even colour and longevity.

The Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Legendary, R290 was a winner. The formula smelt like sweets, the colour was incredibly even, and the stain it left (considerably brighter and deeper than the others) lasted literally all day. The cleverly shaped doe foot applicator made precise, even application a breeze, and the vitamin E and avocado oil encapsulated in the formula left my lips in better condition than before I applied it.

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor HD Passion, R155, was my favourite in the end. Even though the Smashbox was great, I just think the Revlon one is better value for money. This particular shade is a bit pinker than the others, but it worked well on my skin tone. Like the Smashbox, it comes with a curved doe foot applicator for quick and easy application. The formula is soft and creamy, goes on evenly and, best of all, smells like mango and vanilla! It dried down to a stain after a few hours, which admittedly didn’t last as long as the Smashbox, but at nearly half that price, I reckon most girls will be happy to reapply a few times than fork out more, or get another colour!