Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer in Pink Dune

 

Apparently 2014 is the year I dabble in luxurious lipsticks. Who would have thought? Tom Ford released eight lip color sheer lipsticks as part of his Spring 2014 collection and, as you might have guessed, Pink Dune ($49) immediately caught my attention. Shimmery gold pinky nude lip color... it all sounds too familiar, I know. I only have a handful of other lipsticks that fall under the same category (some possibly exact dupes), but the sleek and chic white and gold packaging had me swooning when I first laid eyes on the ad campaign.

Thankfully, the formula proved to be just as big of a hit as the packaging. The scent of Tom Ford lipsticks reminds me a lot of MAC's, though nowhere as strong of a vanilla scent. Calling it a sheer lipstick is a bit of a misnomer, as Pink Dune layered quite nicely with two passes to give decent pigmentation but not to the point where I would consider it opaque. When worn alone, Pink Dune gives off a sheen that makes additional lipgloss unnecessary.

What I love about the formula is that I can keep on layering, but it would never feel heavy on my lips, unlike other lipsticks. What's equally amazing is the wear time of Pink Dune, given the fact that it's a nude lipstick. It wasn't until the sixth hour mark (and after talking and eating/drinking) that I noticed the color slowly start to fade from the middle of my lips. Nothing that re-application can't solve, and even then, I did not notice any flaking. Also, I would like to add that I did not experience chapped lips at the end of the day during the times that I have worn Pink Dune. Lipsticks with shimmer tend to make my lips peel, so I've always proceeded with caution. I am glad to report that this one in particular is extremely sensitive lip-friendly.

I can't foresee myself owning any more colors from the lip color sheer range, but I do want a couple of shades from his permanent range of lipsticks. Don't be too surprised if you see the infamous Spanish Pink or the Lip Color Shine in Bare show up in my future reviews. Just sayin'. That said, if you've been eyeing a lip color sheer, I'd strongly suggest snatching the color(s) that interests you as they are limited edition, and some colors have completely sold out.

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope Lipstick in Star System

Lipstick Queen, oh, Lipstick Queen! How you manage to boast a price tag with your Velvet Rope lipsticks higher than Tom Ford lipsticks is beyond me. How I manage to somehow own one is well beyond me too, as lipsticks rank quite low -- categorically speaking -- in my makeup addiction. What happened was Beauty.com sent out a "We've missed you! Here, enjoy $15 off $50 purchase!" What's a girl to do? $35 is much more palatable than the original $50, so I submitted my order for Star System, albeit reluctantly. YSL and Chanel lipsticks run ~$35/pop for justifiable reasons (read: designer.) Lipstick Queen, on the other hand...?

I'll start out by saying that if you dislike the silicone-y feel with your makeup products, you will not like the Velvet Rope formula. To me, it felt like a silicone lipstick once I applied the product on my lips. I personally don't mind it, because it just means that it is incredibly light-weight. It literally glides on like silk. Another point I would like to mention is that all of the lipsticks in the Velvet Rope range is matte -- something I did not know before as I had not seen these lipsticks in person prior to ordering. However, I have to say this is one of the most comfortable and most long lasting matte lipsticks I have tried. As a person who has very sensitive lips prone to chapping, I've always steered clear from matte lipsticks completely, despite having tried many in the past. The closest finish to a matte lipstick that I can tolerate is satin, and even that can be troublesome. But I am happy to say that Lipstick Queen has restored my faith in matte lipsticks.

Color-wise, Star System is not a color I would wear on its own (on my NC25 skin tone) when I'm not wearing any other makeup as it washes me out a tad bit. Instead, I've enjoyed pairing it with Giorgio Armani's Gloss D'Armani in 103, and it just creates the perfect nude lip combination that is not too brown nor too pink. When paired with a smokey eye, I can see many nude lipstick lovers rocking this lipstick alone -- without a gloss -- and looking fabulously. One major drawback to this range of lipsticks is how there isn't a large color selection: five to be exact. Of the five, Star System is the only color in the nude family and the one I would consider to be the safest, as the other four are quite loud in color. Great for those of you who love bolder colors, not-so-great for those who prefer nudes or my lips but better shades. Additionally, the lipstick has a subtle peppermint scent, but it is not noticeable once applied.

Lastly, I am sure the question a lot of you are probably thinking is: So is this lipstick worth $50? I am hesitant in saying 'yes', because I don't think any lipstick is worth shelling out $50. However, what makes this lipstick so amazing is its formula and its longevity. This lipstick held up extremely well through eating and drinking, and I only needed to reapply by the 6-hour mark which is quite good, especially for a nude lipstick. I would also like to add that this is definitely a collector's piece, considering how glamorously packaged it is and how heavy this weighs. Not clutch-friendly, by any means, but it does make for a great self-defense tool if need be.

Bottomline: Recommend purchasing but not at full price. I do believe these Velvet Rope lipsticks are limited edition, so I would pick them up sooner than later. Certain shades are still available on Beauty.com, Nordstrom, and Ulta.