These days, social media is awash with videos of women flaunting their lip colors, only to wipe their mouths to demonstrate that their lipstick is still intact. This trend seems to originate from a brand called LipSense, a multilevel marketing venture that claims its lipsticks resist smudging and transferring for an astonishing 18 hours. Sounds impressive, right? But with a price tag that can leave your wallet gasping for air, I was skeptical about diving into this expense. Not only do you have to buy the lipstick, but you also need to purchase a sealing gloss, racking up to a staggering $55.
Like many MLMs, other brands offer similar products at a fraction of the cost, so I embarked on a quest for affordable alternatives that wouldn’t mean sacrificing my kids’ meals for the week. I braved the aisles of local stores, where almost every brand had at least one long-wear lipstick. I zeroed in on options promising 16 hours of wear or more, ensuring none of them exceeded $15, which felt like a manageable risk if they didn’t meet my expectations. Ultimately, I ended up with six different lipsticks in various shades, ready to test their endurance from breakfast to bedtime.
Here’s what I discovered:
1. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Color Lipstick, Heaven to Henna
This shade turned out to be my least favorite, primarily due to my own choice in color. It followed a two-step system, with a color application followed by a solid topcoat. While it applied nicely, it felt heavy on my lips, leading me to avoid food and drink. By day’s end, my lips were left feeling terrible, and the color had vanished.
2. Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick, Ultimate Orchid
This was the only option without a sealing component. It applied as a matte liquid lipstick with a vibrant hue. However, by nighttime, my lips were dry and peeling, with only clumps of color remaining.
3. Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor, Relentless Raisin
This was my favorite shade going in; I’m a sucker for dark colors. It utilized a gloss rather than a solid seal, but by the end of the day, it resembled a bad lip liner job—definitely not the sophisticated look I was going for. My lips felt just as awful as with the others.
4. Rimmel Provocalips 16hr Kissproof Lipstick, I’ll Call You
This lipstick earned the dubious title of “worst.” It started fading within an hour, leaving my lips looking uneven and dry. I found myself hastily removing it before a Mother’s Day event at my son’s preschool.
5. Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor, so Pearly Pink 110
While this one made it through the day, it felt the worst. My lips were dry and peeling, and I was left with an unpleasant, gummy residue that I couldn’t wait to scrub off.
6. CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color, Your Classic Red
Surprisingly, this one held up the best. Although it faded, it was less patchy than the others, and my lips weren’t as parched.
Despite all these lipsticks staying put through kisses with my family, by the end of the day, I was left with lips that felt gross, making me rethink the allure of long-wear options. From my experience, it seems unrealistic to expect lip colors to last 16 to 24 hours without compromising comfort. A solid eight hours is commendable, and I’d much rather reapply every so often than suffer through the discomfort of dry, peeling lips.
In the end, I would consider repurchasing the CoverGirl Outlast, as it managed to provide decent longevity without sacrificing too much comfort. However, I’m still not inclined to splurge on LipSense. From what I’ve researched, it appears to have similar drawbacks with end-of-day discomfort. They attribute this to years of wax buildup from other products, but I’m not buying it. After all, skin naturally renews itself, and the idea that wax can magically accumulate and then be purged by a new product sounds dubious at best. The culprits behind the dryness in many long-wear lipsticks often include irritating ingredients like alcohol, which ultimately leach moisture from the lips.
For daily use, I would recommend hydrating lipsticks and balms instead. Options like Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter deliver color while moisturizing, and L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lip Balm offers sheer yet vibrant color to keep your lips smooth.
Ultimately, it’s time to lower our expectations for long-lasting lip colors. Instead of chasing after 24-hour wear, let’s appreciate products that can stand the test of a busy day while keeping our lips feeling good.
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In summary, while long-wear lipsticks promise the world, they often deliver discomfort instead. A little reapplication can go a long way in keeping your lips happy and healthy.
Keyphrase: long-wear lipsticks
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