Lip Fads of the Fall

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." - Judy Garland

I have a thing for lipcolors. I just can't stop staring at, testing, and buying those vibrant little tubes, and somehow they all tend to fall in the nude-pink-to-light-mauve category. As fall approached this year, I was seeing so many new lip products released in drugstore lines, and there was still one particular pro lip product that I had been wanting to try as well. So I made an Ulta mini-haul and pulled some colors I was drawn to from 6 different lines, and this is what I came up with:

They're each so vastly different from each other; some I like, some I love, and some I could definitely live without. Here's a brief swatch video if you'd prefer to watch rather than read:

So let's dive right in...

Revlon Ultra-HD Matte Lipcolor in "Embrace" - $7.49

This wasn't terrible - I actually liked it! The color wasn't my favorite, but the line is fairly extensive so I'm sure I could find a color that works. The longevity was decent as well, and it wasn't the most uncomfortable matte lip I've worn, but I'm still not sold on matte lippies.

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Lipcolor in "Dreamer" - $7.99

Loved, loved, loved this one! It stayed all day long, for ONCE wasn't uncomfortable as a matte lip product, and that pure, cool-toned pink is to die for. It's such an unusual shade and has just the right amount of velvety sheen for a matte lip to look hydrated.

Covergirl Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick in "Evan-gel-ical" - $7.99

This liquid lipstick, too, is such an adorable shade of bubble-gum pink and the most comfortable to wear of the bunch! It's applied with a fuzzy squeeze tip from a tube which is slightly odd, but it is a thick, highly pigmented formula, so a little goes a long way.

Stila Stay-All-Day Liquid Lipstick in "Patina" - $22

Holy stinkiness! This lip product was either sorely expired or just naturally comes with a rank aroma, but as soon as I twisted off the top, it abruptly caught my nose's attention. I do like the color which is a soft, true mauve, but the formula peels after several hours and wears out terribly in the center.

Makeup Revolution Salvation Intense Lip Lacquer in "Like that Love" - $2.47

I had never heard of this brand until I was closely perusing Ulta's drugstore section and came upon a small section of the line. It is by far the cheapest lip color, but you get exactly what you pay for which doesn't boast much. It wears off quickly and isn't very hydrating, so I wouldn't even try the other shades in the line.

NYX Epic Ink Lip Dye in "Charmer" - $7

Now this is a new-fangled lip product for me to wrap my head around. It's a dye, comparable to Benefit's Lip & Cheek Tints but with a slightly thicker consistency which dries to a dry, stained texture. My beef with it is that 1) it is dry, basically matte in finish, 2) it settles into lip lines/wrinkles horribly! It doesn't seem to be a versatile, everyday-wearable product or even easy to apply as in this instance, a deep red, quick-drying lip product has to be stroked on gently, carefully, and evenly. And speaking of "evenly", I had to put on several layers to get the full effect above. Yikes!

I've seen stunning ads for L'Oreal Paris' Infallible 8HR Le Gloss & Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Hot Lacquer Lip Gloss that are begging me to swatch them next - any other suggestions for a few new lippies to brighten up the winter?