Lips from Kat Von D and Sephora + Pantone Universe
First photo: Kat Von D Foiled Love Liquid Lipstick in Adora, Backstage Bambi, Forever & Never, Hellbent; Sephora + Pantone Universe Lip Luster Lipstick in Claret Red, Tangerine Tango
Second photo: Swatches of Foiled Love in Adora, Backstage Bambi, Forever & Never, Hellbent
Third photo: Swatches of Lip Luster in Claret Red, Tangerine Tango
Kat Von D Foiled Love Liquid Lipstick is described as “a richly pigmented lipstick with a long-lasting, dramatic finish,” and it comes in four shades, each with maximum shimmer: candy apple red Adora, blue-based fuchsia Backstage Bambi, sandy nude Forever & Never, and plummy, darker red Hellbent.
The product is supposed to double as a lip stain, and promises “a smudge-proof statement that stays”—and I found that to be absolutely true. The liquid formula is very light, but it’s fairly opaque, so you only need one or two passes to build up serious color (I needed two passes for Backstage Bambi and Forever & Never, but not the other two shades).
And once it dries—which takes about 45 seconds to a minute—it’s seriously not going to move. It didn’t move or flake through numerous cans of Diet Coke, or through my lunch. After about eight hours, it started feathering from the inside of my lips, but it wasn’t too bad, and each color left a pretty, more muted lip stain after that fading. Overall, a solid addition to Kat Von D’s cosmetics line, but more colors would be nice—especially because none of these are really work-friendly, you know?
RATING: A-. Seriously great pigmentation and really long lasting. My only gripes are the limited color range, a slight chemical smell that lasts for about 15 or 20 seconds after you open the tube, and the consistency of the lipstick itself, which is very thin and can sometimes bubble out of the tube if you push the applicator down too fast.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: $19 each, Sephora.com and Sephora stores.
Let’s move on to Sephora + Pantone Universe Lip Luster Lipstick, part of the Alchemy of Color Collection, a collaborative effort from the two companies. The collection, which takes its color palette from Pantone’s autumn 2012 to winter 2013 book of upcoming popular shades, includes lip glosses, eyeshadows, eyeliners, nail polishes, and various other cosmetics products in a range of reds, oranges, and purples. But it was the Lip Luster Lipstick that caused a furor online when it launched a few weeks ago. It’s since sold out on Sephora.com, but still available in stores across the country, and you can search on the website to find a store near you that has the product.
And, I hate to say it, but you should probably start your search now, because Lip Luster Lipstick is amazing. A double-chambered lipstick with pigment in the middle and glittery lip balm around it, the product is slick, shiny, and moisturizing, so shades like Claret Red and Tangerine Tango have a wet look but glide on easy. (There are three other shades available that aren’t pictured: Almost Apricot, Cayenne, and Raspberry Radiance.)
Because the product is so shiny, it doesn’t have the longest wear-time; I got about four hours, less when I ate. But it’s a beautiful look, and can be subtle enough for daytime if you only use one or two swipes of the product and don’t build up to full pigmentation. I mean, you’ll want to, because it’s so pretty. But that doesn’t mean you have to.
RATING: A-. Good glide, good pigmentation, no smell, nice and weighty packaging—all the elements of a product you’ll be comfortable reaching for over and over again.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: $18 each, search for stores near you at Sephora.com.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The product/s reviewed in this post were provided to Chesapeake Family’s About Face blog by the manufacturer or their public relations company for review. Chesapeake Family’s reviews are inspired by personal experience and opinion, and are not paid for or influenced by the manufacturer, PR company or any other organization unless mentioned.
Photos by Roxana Hadadi.
In middle school, Roxana Hadadi was a cosmetics-scorning tomboy; in high school, a glitter eye shadow- and black nail polish-loving trend kid; in college, obsessively committed to dying her hair unruly colors that upset her mom. Now a bit older and a bit more mature, she’s trying to figure out what hair, body and cosmetics products will work for her, you and your family in About Face, Chesapeake Family’s new beauty blog — and she’ll leave the sparkle makeup and neon highlights in the past. Roxana also writes movie reviews for Chesapeake Family’s Popcorn Parents blog.
