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Friday, 25 July 2014

A Lip Crayon Craze



In the beauty world, things always happen the same way. A brand, often from the higher end of the market, will create a new, 'revolutionary' form of product and then every other brand  will jump start to make their own version. This was certainly the case with lip crayon trend. It all started with the Clinique Chubby Stick (whether they invented the idea or simply were the first to bring it into the public eye, I am unsure). Then everyone else picked up on the craze, and suddenly every makeup stand in Boots is stocked with a different version. Personally, I have no problem with this as I am a massive fan of the lip crayon. A moisturising lip colour that can be easily applied without a mirror? I'm sold. So here's a look at my ever-growing collection of lip crayons.

It may shock you to find that the original, in this case, may not be the best. Apparently what applies to films does not apply to lipsticks. I picked up this mini version for free with a magazine and, I must say, I am glad I never splurged on a full size. This product has very little colour pay off, and translates as more of a sheer tint on the lips than an actual lipstick. Personally, I wouldn't mind this if the formula was nice and hydrating. Unfortunately this product is pretty drying on the lips, especially for something with the word 'balm' in the name. It doesn't moisturise my lips as it claims to do and, after a few hours wear, leaves them looking chapped. From what I've heard, the Chubby Stick Intense is much better but as for its original counterpart, I wouldn't waste the money.

Formerly known as the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, these have had a recent (and much needed) name change. These were my first foray into the world of lip crayons and are still much loved staples in my collection. They have reasonable, but very buildable, colour pay off and give a good amount of moisture to the lips. They initially give a nice glossy finish which lasts for around 2-3 hours and then fades to a stain on the lips. I have the shades Honey, a lovely muted pink; Crush, a deep berry pink; and Rendezvous, a sheer orange. I will always come back to these, time and time again and would totally recommend them to anyone who will listen.

Another offering from Revlon, who seem to be at the top of the game in lip crayon releases. The basic concept of these is a balmy lipstick with a matte finish. The blogging world went kind of cray over these earlier in the year, and for good reason. These have to be one the most moisturising matte formulas I have ever come across. The finish isn't entirely matte as it does have a slight sheen to it. I prefer this as I find it more comfortable to wear- but if you're looking for a full on retro matte finish, this isn't it. These don't have the staining quality that came with the original balm stains. They have a lengthy wear time when left undisturbed, but they do come off when eating and drinking. I have the shades Elusive, a neutral pink that is not dissimilar to the Balm Stain in Honey; Standout, a beautiful deep red which is my personal favourite in the range; and Shameless, a super vibrant purple that I have no clue why I bought. The shade range is a bit iffy, but if you can find colours that you like these are good to have.

This is one for those who love a good glossy finish. These have great colour pay off and are very moisturising on the lips. They have a lovely glossy finish to them without having the stick factor that usually accompanies glosses. The colour usually wears for around 3-4 hours on me, though the glossiness wears off long before that so it is one that needs to be reapplied. I have the shades Red Sunrise, a vibrant true red; Peach on the Beach, a bright peach; and Plum Russian, a darker plummy pink.

Rimmel's offering is the most moisturising of the bunch- at the end of a day's wear, there are no dry lips in sight. They have good colour pay off and leave your lips with a nice sheen. They also smell uncannily like Mac lipsticks, which is a nice bonus. They have an fair colour range of 12 shades so there's plenty to choose from. I have the shades Not An Illusion and Keep Mauving. Not An Illusion is a lovely, easy-to-wear coral shade. A little birdie, also known as the gorgeous Maddie from Qworter Life Crisis, mentioned that this shade is also a perfect dupe for Mac See Sheer. Keep Mauving is a pinky purple colour which, when worn side by side on the lips, is almost identical to Mac Plumful.


Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts on the lip crayon trend?  


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