Currently on Rotation: Liquid Lipsticks from Burberry, Cle de Peau, Giorgio Armani, Marc Jacobs, NARS

Liquid lipsticks are all the rage at the moment (well, actually for a good long time already) and I’ve been testing out a handful of them for the past few months.  Some of these I received as press samples, but I got caught up in the hype and went out and bought a few more to compare.  I always try to be fair and impartial with my reviews, so hopefully this post will resonate with you as well!

I remember my first encounter with liquid lipsticks were the YSL Glossy Stains (read here), which sort of set the benchmark for me in terms of comfort and longevity. It has been many years since then, and to be honest, I am not cool enough to pull off the super matte liquid lipsticks that all the Instagram kids are raving about.  After trying (even planning to write a post on several of them!) and being rather disappointed, I turned to a handful of trusted old friends.  I tried to pick at least 2 shades from each brand (with just 1 exception) to be sure that I didn’t somehow pick a fluke.  Also, I have marked out the ones that are PR samples with (*) to be completely transparent; and here we go in alphabetical order!

Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet (SGD46) is the newest member of today’s bunch, and seems to have taken the IG-world by storm.  The sleek frosted glass packaging and lovely pink hue peeking out from within makes this Burberry offering a truly picture-worthy piece.  This is a matte liquid lipstick with a whipped mousse texture.  It goes on pigmented, and has a velvety finish.  I found it a flattering alternative for those with lip lines (and possibly wrinkles) who would like a less glossy finish.

Many of the popular shades were out of stock when I was looking to buy, and so I ended up with 2 that I thought were fun additions to my existing stash.  Unfortunately, I found Primrose to contain quite a bit of white pigments in the base which pulls my lips ashen when applied.  On the other hand, Magenta is much too neon-ish to be flattering for daily wear.  I tried to blot them down, and sheer them out with a finger which is much better, but that compromised the longevity of the Liquid Lip Velvets.  Although marketed to have 8 hours’ wear, I found these tend to go off with eating and drinking.

Cle de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouge (SGD80) is the most luxuriously priced of those that I tested, and also very highly raved when it was launched.  There are only 8 shades in the range, but there is a good mix of wearable neutrals and statement colors.  My expectations for Cle de Peau is quite high, and I do feel quite comfortable wearing these, but in terms of performance I consider them to be closer to a pigmented lip gloss.

I picked a safe neutral shade 13 which I actually really love, and a bold cherry red that looks nicer when swatched than on my lips.  They have a very thin, watery texture that glides over the lips and leaves a nice glossy finish.  However, this is not the gel-like high intensity gloss that we are currently seeing from the new crop of lip glosses.  And at the same time, I found these Cle de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouges to lack opacity, requiring multiple swipes to fully cover my lips though still retaining some translucency.  Longevity is on par with most high quality lip glosses, which is to say it goes away with eating and drinking.  Overall, for a liquid lipstick, these are rather disappointing especially at their price point.

It has been a long time since I picked up any Giorgio Armani, mainly because the brand is so difficult to access in Singapore.  However infrequently the brand releases new products, I had loved most of everything that I’ve tried so far.  So when I chanced upon these in De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam, it felt like the perfect travel souvenirs, and these Giorgio Armani Lip Magnets (USD38) did not disappoint!  The texture is as lightweight as the Cle de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouge, but it is much more pigmented and long lasting.  In fact, it is easily one of the longest-lasting of all the liquid lipsticks being reviewed today.

These Lip Magnets go on glossy initially, but dry down to a soft matte finish with luminosity.  Once it sets, it doesn’t transfer with gentle sips and some light eating.  However, it does wear off with a heavy meal, though it merely fades gently and leaves a nice tint behind.  The shade 507 is my favourite daily liquid lipstick choice as it is a lovely neutral mauve that goes with everything.  Shade 503 is a brightened coral that is pretty one for spring.

Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme* (SGD40) is the only one not packaged in a clear see-through tube, though it does have a small circular window at the bottom that allows you to tell the color of the lipstick inside.

This Liquid Lip Creme from Marc Jacobs has a dense mousse texture, and feels the heaviest on my lips compared with the rests.  Due to the thick texture, it doesn’t lend itself well to be sheered out by blotting on dabbing with a brush or finger, and ends up patchy.  At the same time, it goes away with the barest touch, and leaves a messy dense ring behind.

NARS Velvet Lip Glide* (SGD40) was the first of the bunch that I acquired, and it got me so excited about this new crop of high end liquid lipsticks that I decided to explore further. Having gone a full circle, I can comfortably say these are my favourite liquid lipsticks of the moment!  Shaped just like a gloss (even the applicator tip resembles that of a gloss), the NARS Velvet Lip Glide is anything but!

It is intensely pigmented, and dries down to a satin finish with a lovely sheen to it.  There is a slight tackiness left on the lips, but it does not bother me in the least, and feels relatively lightweight.  At the same time, these truly are long lasting, leaving behind a good tint even after a heavy meal.  I love that I can wear them full-on intense, or blot them down to a gorgeous stain without compromising on the longevity!

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These are my own uncensored thoughts from wearing these liquid lipsticks around for a good part of the last few months.  I hope it is useful for you if you are trying to decide on a brand and formula without being able to test them on your own lips beforehand.  If you don’t want something too matte and are looking for a long-lasting one that still feels lightweight, be sure to check out the Giorgio Armani Lip Magnets and the NARS Velvet Lip Glide!

_{This post featured some products that were kindly provided for my consideration and are marked with (*).  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}