Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Our Lips Are Sealed: The Red Lipstick Showdown of 2018


Let's get ready to ruuuuuummmbbbllllleeeee! A lipstick rumble, that is!

As I continue to make plans for my wedding (AHHH! That STILL feels super weird to say!), one of the first things I decided to do was hunt down the perfect red lipstick for the day of. Back in May, CiCi Marie shared her experiences with red lipstick in anticipation of her wedding and it was her post that gave me the "oh duh!" moment. Would I need to look for a long lasting, kiss proof lipstick for my wedding? You betcha! No cheap drug store brand would work here!

So I started early and am proud to announce that by the time we entered March, I had my wedding lipstick picked out. I only had to try 3 total to find it but I figured it would still be fun to share which ones I tried and my thoughts on each! Cici Marie's post helped me get started so I hope that maybe mine will do the same for someone!

So without further ado, here are the 3 kiss proof, long lasting lipsticks that I put to the test to become my official wedding lipstick (with help from a very special guest you will all probably recognize)!



1. LipSense by SeneGence (3 piece kit)


So I have a lot of feelings on LipSense. Like Pampered Chef, Athena's, Lularoe, and Jamberry before it, LipSense created some buzz on social media from stay-at-home Moms looking to make a few extra bucks by becoming a sales rep and pushing their LipSense Parties down your throat. Joking aside, I think these companies are great and give women opportunities to stay in the work force while raising their kids so kudos to those moms that do it - I just get sick of all the event invites and group invites I get nearly monthly to all these parties where I'll be expected to buy something over-priced.

Anyway! Background info aside, according to its website, LipSense is the "lip color that lasts until you take it off." With a 2 step application process (first you apply the stain and then once dry, you apply the special gloss) and 1 special tube of remover, you're off. The starter kit that I purchased was $50 and it came with all 3 steps.


The Pros
The color I got was a nice bright and bold red, albeit a bit on the orange side of red, but a bold red nonetheless. It applies easily and dries quickly so you can then put on the gloss and move on with your day. As for how well it stayed, I must say it does a pretty good job. There's some wear on the inside edges after a meal or two but for the most part, it's pretty in tact at the end of the day. The gloss is also very glossy and can be pretty if you like a glossy finish.

Did It Pass the Kiss Test?
Yes, it sure does! However, Cody gets quite a smudge of gloss on his skin and he found that to be gross and weird. I don't blame him!

Please ignore my double chin, no matter how attractive it may be....

The Cons
The color is a stain and applying it can be, um, interesting. On me, the stain actually burns and tingles a bit as it dries. It was a bit alarming at first. It was not intense but definitely a bit odd. Once it dries and the gloss is applied, the sensation goes away and while the gloss is on, my lips feel moisturized and all is good.

Once the gloss wears off, however, you are left with a very harsh and strong chemical taste. If you're licking your lip to get a spare crumb or just touching your tongue to your lips without the gloss on, watch out! That was definitely a strange and alarming discovery. Essentially, if you don't keep your tube of gloss on you at all times, you're gonna have a bad time.

Also, yes the color stays pretty damn well - but throughout the later part of the day, I had some tiny bits coming free from the inside of my mouth and it definitely wears down as the day goes on especially in the edges.

Lastly, while the remover works OK, it's a bit time consuming to apply using the tiny wand and it always takes a bit of effort to get it off completely - leaving my lips feeling pretty rubbed raw all night when it's off.


TL;DR
While the color stays on impressively well and does not transfer upon kissing my sexy man's face, he gets gloss residue on him. I totally hated the burning sensation upon application, not to mention the terrible chemical taste when the gloss wears off. These things just don't sit well with me. It makes me wonder what damage it could be doing.

Also, it's an expensive lip color that I believe you can only buy through a LipSense rep. With the amount of gloss you use daily and how much remover it takes to get it off, I'd go broke on the gloss and remover alone! Not to mention $25 for other colors.


2. Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick


I heard about Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink from my blogging bestie, Kristina from Eyre Effect. Then I spotted Miss Amy May blogging about it. I obviously had to check this bad boy out as they were raving about it. A liquid lipstick that dries matte AND doesn't budge off your lips until you apply an oil-based makeup remover (or coconut oil, in my case)? I'm IN!

So I snagged it in Pioneer and took it on a test drive.


The Pros
With just one step, using this is a breeze. It takes a bit of practice to use the pointed applicator (I am so bad with liquid lipstick anyway so it's a skill I'm perfecting). It dries fairly quickly and feels soft on my lips all day. The best part, no transfer AT ALL on ANYTHING! I can eat with it on, wipe my lips with a napkin, and eat some more and nothing every comes off my lips!

It also comes off nice and easy. I like to rub some coconut oil onto my lips and let it sit for a moment as I warm up the water in the bathroom sink. Then I rub my lips together as I soak a washcloth and then use the washcloth to gently rub everything off. Usually 95% of it comes off in the first try, the remaining spots come off in the second application of coconut oil. Talk about easy peasy!

Oh! And the even BETTER part? This bad boy costs less than $8! WHAAAATTT!? I'll take one in every damn color, please!

Did It Pass the Kiss Test?
You betcha it did! And without any gloss residue left behind, it left Cody happy! He could accept as many kisses as I wanted to give him throughout the day without any hesitation!


The Cons
This lipstick takes a little time to dry and then stays a BIT sticky all day even after drying completely. So if that bothers you, this may not be as perfect as I make it seem. I don't mind it, however, and even with the slight stickiness, nothing is removed and the pigmentation is not effected by it.


TL;DR
This lipstick is magically effective and works almost TOO well. It also comes off easily with just your favorite makeup remover or coconut oil. That combined with it's low cost, it makes my wallet very happy!


3. Maybelline New York SuperStay 24, 2-step Lipcolor


I was recommended the SuperStay 24 2-Step Lipcolor by my future mother-in-law, Brenda, back in the fall when I mentioned this lipstick search to her. She immediately told me to hold that thought and hopped into her bathroom to grab her reliable go-to long lasting lipstick.

She came out with this one. Similar to LipSense it is a 2 step application process but she swore it was a breeze and worked well for her. So I grabbed one to try in All Day Cherry (like the Matte Ink, this one is reasonably priced as well) and gave it a whirl one Saturday when we were going out shopping and then to dinner at a pub.


The Pros
Color goes on easily and the pigmentation is nice and bold. Unlike LipSense, this color did not burn when applied. But like LipSense, it dried fairly quickly and I was able to apply the gloss. A plus for this one is that the gloss itself isn't so much a gloss as it is a chapstick. If you pull off the opposite end of the lipstick, you find a stick of a clear lipstick. This goes over your color and protects it all day. It went on smooth, smelled yummy to boot, and gave a nice subtle gloss. It was a great in-between of matte and glossy.

It lasted pretty long as well! As the afternoon went on, my lipstick stayed on and felt moisturized so that was a win/win! When the lip gloss wore off, I was also happy to find that I did not get a harsh chemical taste and even without the gloss, the lipstick remained and didn't wear off.

Did It Pass the Kiss Test?
Sorta? While some color did transfer, it wasn't too bad and could easily be wiped off. Also, because of the 2nd gloss step, he got a bit of gloss in the exchange of love as well. So not a 100% winner there but because this one's 2nd step is less gloss and more chapstick like, it wasn't as gross or weird as LipSense's transfer of gloss, in my opinion.

Is that lipstick on your cheek or are you just a bit bashful today, Cody?

The Cons
Besides the minimal transfer to Cody's skin, this one wore off more than the Matte Ink and LipSense. I enjoyed a veggie burger at dinner and as I devoured it and wiped my mouth with my napkin, it definitely rubbed off some onto the napkin (and bun!). Upon a quick mirror check, it didn't APPEAR to be rubbing off on my lips, but still, to have it come off even a little onto the napkin was a bit disappointing after having such an awesome time with the Matte Ink lippy.


TL;DR
Like the LipSense, this one has a 2 step process. However, the gloss on this one does not leave my lips overly glossy and isn't terrible when transferred to Cody's lips. Lasted awhile, no harsh chemical taste when the gloss wears off, but did notice some transfer onto food and napkin when eating with it on.


So who wins? 


Well, if it isn't obvious, let me announce that the winner is the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick. The color is THE BOMB.COM and I recommend it to ANYONE who will listen (I've already got my sister and one of  my high school friends hooked AND I've snagged two more shades since).

It's the ultimate lipstick package and is just about damn perfect - bold and bright (not to mention affordable) matte color that applies in one step, is kiss proof, food proof, but comes off fairly easily when you're ready to get rid of it. NEED I SAY MORE??