little white truths

Not long ago I reviewed this formula in 720 Notting Hill Nude (see review here) and 220 Heather Shimmer (see here), and this one in 180 Vintage Pink is up next. Note, though, that my reviews of each lipstick will be rather similar because I feel the same about all shades.

In short, I really wanted to like these and I was dumb enough to buy three from Chemist Warehouse during one of the fifty per cent off sales, because they seemed to be moisturising and I loved the colours. What I didn't bank on was the god-awful scent, which for some reason wasn't present in the testers I used (maybe they were old) but is inescapable in the lipsticks themselves.

I quite like the purple and silver packaging of these. Yes it feels a little cheap, but it doesn't look too cheap and I prefer it to the packaging of my HG Maybelline lipsticks (if only the formula was just as good as the Maybelline ones!).

There's the bullet in direct sunlight:

And in natural light:

While I quite like the formula of these, what I didn't realise was just how scented they are. Honestly, it's bad - like cheap floral perfume - and it's enough to make me avoid them because I don't want to smell (and taste) them all day.

To me these smell exactly like that Bonne Bell lip balm in the blue tube (only stronger), and they feel quite like it on the lips too. It's an overpowering scent and I'm aware of it the whole time I've got the product on, from the moment I take the cap off the tube. I'm really hoping the scent fades a bit over time because otherwise I can't bear to wear these.

'Vintage Pink' is a beautiful, dirty pink shade that pulls more mauve/lavender on me (which is why I bought it: I love a good purple lipstick) and it's my favourite of the three shades I own. While it's not too in-your-face, it has enough impact to be a statement shade or can be worn more softly so it's more of an interesting nude. Indeed, it's such a pity about the awful scent - otherwise I could see myself reaching for this all the time.

As mentioned above, the packaging is fine for a budget lipstick and I've seen it compared to Maybelline's lipsticks, which I can see but I do prefer this packing because it looks sleeker (Maybelline's packaging looks clunky to me) and I like the purple/silver combo.

As for formula, it does feel super creamy when applied (just how I like my lipsticks!) but it doesn't feel that nourishing - it sits on top of the lips, rather than delivering moisture - so if you have dry lips like I do, you'll probably still need a balm for hydration.

The product feels comfortable to wear and while it doesn't emphasise lip lines, it doesn't diminish them either. It also doesn't last long on the lips, which I wasn't expecting it to because it's so creamy, but I have used creamy products that hang around longer so it's worth keeping that in mind.

All in all, I don't mind the formula of these and I think you could do worse, but I also think that better budget options exist. By comparison, Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipsticks (I've reviewed one here) last better, deliver more nourishment, plump lip lines better and don't have a pungent smell, so I'd recommend those over these any day.

But the pigment is great (of the three colours I own) and they do feel nice on the lips - plus they come in some great shades - so if you can get over the stench, you might really like these.

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think if so.