The PR copy: 'This moisture-infused lip essential reduces lip dryness by up to 65% for smoother lips and better colour. Developed with SPF 18 and a cutting edge Self Adapting Moisture Complex that features Hylaronic Acid, Collagen and Vitamins A, C and E to nourish lips, leaving them with a smoother surface for better colour application and wear. 24 creamy, moisturizing shades come richly wrapped in an elegant metallic purple case.'
I really dislike the packaging on this, at least from an aesthetics perspective. It functions fine and feels sturdy enough for plastic/metal drugstore lippie packaging, but that metallic purple with the crown on the top--ugh. It feels cheesy. I dented the top of my lipstick. :( And apparently I chipped my nail polish too. Grrr.
As for the actual lipstick, it has SPF, which I love, but it also has an old lady-ish rose smell/taste, which I don't love. It's not overpowering, but it's noticeable. Unlike the Revlon lipstick I reviewed yesterday, this stuff is PIGMENTED. That swatch is one swipe. Rose Passion is a really reddish pink on me (pinker than it photographs), definitely cool-toned and slightly retro feeling. It goes on easily enough, no dragging, but it definitely has a firmer texture than the Lip Butters, more like a traditional lipstick. It doesn't feel drying like most lipsticks do on my bare lips, but I definitely need to wear lip balm with this. It feels drying after a few minutes if I don't, even though it goes on bare lips smoothly. I can get a straight-up opaque color with just one firm swipe, but I like to apply it a little more sheerly than you see in the picture below (all that color freaks me out). I usually wear this as more of a stain, which is really pretty. I get about 3 hours of wear with this one, and it wears down decently (it can be a little uneven).
And the creepy lip closeup.
Awkward Chic rating: B+. I'm not a huge lipstick person, but as far as lipstick go I do like this one. It's more moisturizing than most, even if that compromises the wear time, and it's really nicely pigmented. I don't think it lives up to it's moisturizing claims, though. Reviewing this right after the Revlon Lip Butter made the huge contrast in hydration really clear (and the Lip Butter wins by a long shot). If I wanted an opaque lipstick, I would buy another one of these, but that's not really my usual cup of tea, so I'm not sure I'll end up repurchasing one. But if you like moisturizing lipsticks and don't mind the smell or the shorter wear time, this is a good buy.
