Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon - review and swatches

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I received this product in one of my Mecca Beauty Loop Boxes and while I wish we'd received the nude colour because it's one I would have used and this colour doesn't suit me, I'm still glad I've had a chance to try the formula so no complaints there.

I feel like highlighters and liquid lipsticks took over the beauty world last year and the trend shows no sign of shifting. While I love me a good highlighter, liquid lipsticks don't call to me because I need constant hydration for my dry lips and it's not easy to find a liquid lipstick that provides this, meaning I need to wear glosses over the top of them and that can shift the colour - thus defeating their long-wearing/transfer-proof purpose.

Also, liquid lipsticks tend to be matte/demi-matte in finish and I'm all about the dew (those of us with dry skin and lips often are), so I've only owned a few and can't give you good comparisons to other products. Nevertheless, I wanted to review this little product so I've given it a good test run and am ready to give you my thoughts.


Hourglass claims/product details:
  • A full coverage liquid lipstick delivering 14 hours of continuous wear, vivid colour pay-off, and a velvet matte finish
  • Now conveniently travel sized
  • No tackiness
  • Infuses the lips with dramatic colour 
  • Formulated with cili fruit and goji berry extracts, this lip colour offers antioxidant protection for the lips
  • Vitamins A, C and E nourish and protect
  • Extended coverage means you can set it and forget it over the course of the day
  • Free from parabens, phthalates and sulfates
  • Not tested on animals
  • RRP $15 AUD for the mini; $44 for the full size

Lighter swatch on the left and heavier one on the right, shot taken in direct sunlight:


Same shot, natural light:


And in the shade:


My bare lips for reference:


Wearing one layer, indirect sunlight:


Direct sunlight:


And in natural light:


Verdict

Products like this aren't designed for those of us with dry lips, or at least that's what I think. Now that I've tested mine, I'll be passing it on because it's not something I'll wear and the colour doesn't suit me anyway so I'd rather give it to someone who'll use it.

It's a thin product that somehow feels thick as well (that's more about the texture than the consistency) and it delivers a punch of pigment. Once swatched or worn, it looks like Texta and, to me, it feels that way too.

There's a very slight chemical scent to the product that shouldn't bother most people because it's barely there and sometimes I can't even smell it. So if you don't like fragranced products, you might be ok with this.

'Icon' is a bright cherry red that has a slight blue undertone in some lights. It's not a red that suits me and it's a colour that's worth swatching first because it looks dark and rich in the tube (almost burgundy), but it's much lighter and brighter once applied.

My main issue with this lipstick is that it's drying and quite sticky on the lips, so I'm always aware of it and I don't think it's comfortable to wear. I can only live with it for about twenty minutes before I need to apply gloss over the top, and after that the gloss 'lifts' the product and it starts to transfer pretty quickly, defeating the whole long-wear purpose.

So I can't say whether it gives 14 hours' wear on the lips because I can't tolerate it for that long on its own, but I can say that the swatches of my arm were still there the next day, even after scrubbing myself down in the shower. I think that says a lot about wear time, if that's what you're interested in!

I do think it generally meets its claims - except for the 'no tackiness' one because it is tacky and I've seen a few people comment on that - so it earns points for generally doing what it says it will do. I guess I also wouldn't call it 'nourishing', but I'm hesitant to say that it's not because my lips are so dry that most matte and liquid lipsticks feel drying on me.

One final thing to note is that I've seen a few people say that this travel size is tiny and you use it up quickly, so it isn't worth the $15 AUD price tag. I do see what they're saying and it's something to be aware of because you might be disappointed if you order this online without seeing it first.

In sum, this isn't a terrible product but it just isn't for me. Aside from the colour not suiting me, my lips can't tolerate the drying factor and how sticky the product feels on me.


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