Pow! Right in the Kisser!
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like red lips. So we asked our famous and favorite makeup maven Victoria Stiles to test the seven most beautiful, long-lasting, velvety, kiss-proof (some transfer is okay; a crime scene on a face is not) reds in the world, in all kinds of different formulations.
Since tomorrow’s all about romance and romance is all about kisses, Victoria tapped her cute husband Jackson to be her true love guinea piglet kissee.
Okay. I have to be honest here. I about died in ecstasy when I put this on. If I could wake up with this on my lips every morning, all my days would start out right. Although it did kiss off a little bit on my handsome husband, my lips were still left with plenty of color. My advice would be to blot the color once and you should be good to go with less transfer.
I'm always on the go as a super-busy makeup artist. Sometimes I don't have time to go to a mall and check out Sephora or mail order items. This product is definitely something I would jump into the drugstore for. This is a two-step longwear, but in my honest opinion, you don't need the top coat, which is basically a lip balm. The product itself is hydrating enough and longwearing on its own. Also, it passed the kiss test perfectly!
If you're looking for a softer wash of color, not heavily pigmented, this is the one for you. It comes in a traditional lipstick form; apply directly to the lips. The formula is matte yet hydrating with some eight hours of wear. It does have a slight transfer but overall I enjoyed this softer formula.
This color is amazing. This is a true warm red, perfect for all skin tones. The formula feels dreamy-soft and luxurious. The wand applicator is easy to use and it truly is like painting your lips. My lips were hydrated, not dry. It didn’t pass the no-transfer kiss test perfectly, but I don’t mind. This product is so worth it!
This ultra-matte moisturizing product smoothed my lips. Any little lip imperfections, this product will seamlessly glide over. There is some kissing transfer but my lips were still left with enough product that it did not even smudge.
This is a fabulous Valentine's Day shade. A gorgeous red that would look marvelous on all skin tones – and it definitely sets to a matte opaque finish. Its wand applicator makes it easy to use, especially on the go. The texture is creamy, hydrating, and did not crack my lips. I got a full eight hours out of this product and it also passed the kiss-proof test!
As a makeup artist, I've seen it all -- matte, satin, gloss finishes, yadda, yadda, yadda. It takes a LOT to impress me. So when I learned Urban Decay said its new lip product is virtually life-proof, I had to see it to believe it. Guess what? It surpassed my expectations. Creamy texture and matte set, my lips felt hydrated and happy all day long. Unlike many longwears of the past, this one did not dry out my lips and, ta-da! It passed the kiss-proof test with flying Rock Steady color!
