little white truths

This lip product was in Priceline's free makeup bag last year (one of those promotions where you spend a certain amount and receive a bag of goodies along with your purchase), and it's one of those products that I don't mind but would never buy.

It's not a terrible product, it's just that I don't have much use for it because it's not hydrating enough for my dry lips - plus it dries them out with frequent use - and it doesn't have anything else amazing going for it that would entice me to buy it. 

Still, it's usable and I've almost finished it now so that says something.

Models Prefer claims/product details:

The shade Hot Sand is a nude that should suit a lot of people.

The packaging is a simple plastic affair with a standard doe-foot applicator (see below). I like that the plastic tube is insulated to help protect the contents from heat.

There's a swatch in direct sunlight:

My bare lips for reference:

Wearing the product, natural light:

And indirect sunlight:

Verdict

I've always found the idea of 'lip lacquers' confusing because the ones I've used are basically glosses that have been called something else. The same applies to this one, so let's just call it a gloss and be done with it.

It's a standard gloss-type formula that's shiny and has a smoothing effect on the lips (so it minimises lip lines), and it does make my lips look more plump and youthful so that's a plus.

It has a weird scent that I don't like - mine smells of rotten fruit - but thankfully it's not a strong scent and I can't smell or taste it once applied.

'Hot Sand' is a rosy brown nude that should suit most people, and it's the kind of shade that goes with everything. You can wear it more lightly so it doesn't add any colour (just a shine) or you can layer it on for a more polished look. I like a gloss that can be used over other lip products without changing their colour, but that also has enough pigment to be worn alone. This is definitely one of those. Tick.

The main thing I don't like about this (other than the scent) is that although it feels hydrating enough when applied, with frequent use it has dried my lips out so I wouldn't buy this if you're after something more nourishing. Sure, it keeps my dry lips feeling reasonably comfortable while I've got it on, but they do feel dry underneath it and also when it wears off, so the product isn't doing anything great for my lips in the long run.

I also like that it's not too sticky (it's more 'glassy' in texture), but this does mean that it transfers more easily so that's something to keep in mind. Sure, glosses rarely wear well, but this one comes off faster than others.

Overall I don't think this is a bad product and I especially like that it plumps up my lips and smooths out any texture, but I wouldn't buy it because of the drying issue and I wouldn't recommend it for that reason alone. Indeed, I would pick one of NYX's Butter Glosses (I've reviewed one here) over this product any day. They cost the same but the NYX ones hydrate beautifully and don't dry my lips out over time.

Ok.