Always looking for a lipstick that survives your morning cup of coffee? In the quest to find the perfect long-lasting lipstick that not only stays put, but also looks great, our editor put a few to the test. Here’s how they fared.
CHANEL Rouge Allure Laque Ultrawear Shine Liquid Lip Colour
Look & feel: There really isn’t anything new to say about CHANEL’s product look and feel. There are a couple of reasons as to why they’re one of the most coveted brands in the world, and the brand’s elegant, classic packaging is certainly one of them. I love how the shade of these lip colours is visible at the bottom of the tube before fading into classic CHANEL black.
Texture: This is a liquid lipstick, so it applies like a gloss, but the formula is thicker and creamier than that of a gloss, and it has a luxurious satin finish. It spreads beautifully, and doesn’t feel sticky or oily on the lips. It has added hydration benefits which left my lips feeling soft and supple all day.
Longevity: The lifespan of this lip colour is unreal. In all my years as a beauty writer, and later editor, I have never experienced longevity of this kind before. I applied the product at around 11:00 in the morning. It survived a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, a curry lunch and about three glasses of water. By 17:00 it still looked as perfect as when I applied it. I went out for a couple of hours (without any retouches, plus I wore a mask for half the time I was out) and when I got home at about 20:00, the colour was still 80% there (it had started to come off a little bit in the centre of my lips but this wasn’t too noticeable). At this point we had crossed the nine-hour mark and I decided to remove it with makeup remover – who knows how long it would have lasted had I not done that!
Overall score: I don’t usually jump at the chance to try a liquid lip colour (I generally prefer a traditional bullet lipstick), but this product has completely changed that for me. I have never known a lip colour to last this long, and for the pigment and colour intensity to remain true the entire time is quite a feat. It may be on the pricier side, but if you consider that you literally only have to apply it once a day, it is exceptional value.
Product details: R780. Available at CHANEL counters.
RVB LAB Matt & Velvet Lipstick
Look & feel: I love RVB LAB’s sleek black packaging – it’s sophisticated and professional, just like the products themselves. What’s really cool about this lipstick is the magnetized lid (anything to limit the risk of a lid coming off in my handbag!).
Texture: Matte lipsticks don’t usually apply as easily as their shinier counterparts do, but despite having a matte texture, this lipstick glides on velvety smooth. If there is one word to best describe the texture, it would be ‘comfortable.’ Once it’s applied, you don’t feel the product on your lips; it’s literally like a second skin.
Longevity: The first time I tested this, I applied it at 12:30, and needed to reapply at 16:30. That’s four hours, and during that time the colour endured a warm lunch, a cup of coffee, two glasses of water and lots of talking in Zoom meetings. I’m really impressed by how long it lasted, but what impressed me even more was that it didn’t crumble and flake off as it aged – the colour simply seemed to fade away.
Overall score: While I love the look of matte lips I often avoid matte formulations because they can be drying. I am beyond thrilled to report that this lipstick did not dry my lips out! The velvet matte texture not only applies with ease, but it looks really beautiful on. I wore shade 39, a beautiful and practical reddish-pink that’s a few shades darker than my natural lip colour. It’s the perfect everyday shade, and more importantly, this is a great everyday formulation as it’s easy to wear and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance.
Product details: R330. Available at select spas & salons. Contact (021) 701 2900 for your closest stockist.
wet n wild Megalast Mat Lipstick
Look & feel: Definitely one of the cutest lipsticks I’ve seen! I love the little silver lips (what a gorgeous touch!), and the clear cap is so practical for when you need to find a specific shade in a hurry and really couldn’t be bothered to open every lipstick before you find it.
Texture: This lipstick is described as “semi-matte”, and although it looks matte on the lips, it has a creamy texture, which allows for easy application. The creamier texture definitely makes the formula a bit thicker on the lips, but this didn’t bother me at all, and it’s a small price to pay for such seamless application and non-drying benefits.
Longevity: For around three hours, the colour looked great; it barely budged despite a few glasses of water and some lunch. After about three hours the colour began to fade, and I was left with what looked like a subtle lip stain until I reapplied. Thankfully, it didn’t crumble or flake off as it wore, it simply seemed to fade until it disappeared.
Overall score: I love how pigmented these lipsticks are! You get full-coverage colour in just one swipe and – best of all – mine didn’t budge for around three hours. They contain skin-loving ingredients hyaluronic acid, vitamins A and E, argan oil and a host of other ingredients that nourish the lips. I used shade Mauve Outta Here, a pretty pink with a purple undertone, but there are plenty of other colours to choose from. These are also available in a high shine formula – look out for the same cute packaging but in white (the matte lipsticks are in black).
Product details: R99.95. Available exclusively at Clicks stores and Clicks online.
