Monday 16 March 2015

Matte Lip Cream Comparison - Velvetines, Velourlips, Apocalips and more!

If you're one of the 1,847,023,283,293 people* who love the look of a matte lip but are a little hesitant to try it, welcome to the world of. Velvet. Lip. Creams. 


Matte lips can often be a pretty daunting lip look that requires a lot of precision when applying and a lot of prep beforehand (ever applied a matte to chapped lips? Then you know what I mean!).

Soooo these babies are the answer to our lipstick prayers - moisturising, simple to apply and just as matte and pigmented as a lippy, Velvet Lip Creams are easily a MUST. HAVE.

So I've rounded up a representative product from six of the most well-known matte lipstick ranges - from cheaper alternatives to high end splurges - and reviewed and swatched each one. Enjoy!


Lime Crime Velvetine

"Utopia"


P.S. To be safe, I recommend buying this from a stand-alone retailer after all the Lime Crime drama!

Pigmentation
The Velvetines are arguably the most famous velvet lip creams out there (though in light of all of the Lime Crime drama, do be careful when purchasing beauties!) and the pigmentation really is right up there. You can expect a full opaque matte lip look that is very, very vibrant.

Feel & Wear
This one has a distinct paint-like feel when you're applying it, but the liquid quickly dries matte. I find it pretty comfortable to wear, but it can feel a little sticky or 'tacky' when you rub your lips together.

Longevity
As far as transfers go, this one really stays put, and for hours! I can eat and drink while wearing this and not need to touch it up. It's also kiss-proof!


Australis Velourlips Matte Lip Cream

"Shang-Hi!"



Pigmentation
The Velourlips are one of the thicker consistency products on this list and as a result, they really do pack on the colour. All of the colours that I've swatched in store, including Shang-Hi! which I own, have been very opaque and they come in a large range of colours!

Feel & Wear
These babies often sell out at Priceline, but they seem to have the beauty world divided. Either you love them or you hate them, and I admit, I used to be in the latter team! I found them to be a bit chalky, thick and they'd separate into little pieces on my lips, but I must have had a bad one previously because I am loving this one. Shang-Hi! is smooth, buttery on the lips and applies very evenly.

Longevity
I find these tend to last only a few hours on me at full opacity, as they do wear off fairly quickly. However, they do leave quite a pretty stain behind when they do!


Savvy Ultra Matte Lip Colour

"Miss Munroe"


Pigmentation
These are CRAZY pigmented! I feel like Savvy is a brand that often gets overlooked, but they have definitely nailed it with their Ultra Mattes. If you're looking for a dupe for the Lime Crime Velvetines, Savvy can almost directly colour match Red Velvet, Pink Velvet and Utopia. I did a dupe post here if you want to see direct swatch comparisons of the two!

Feel & Wear
These are actually more comfortable to wear than the Velvetines, as you can rub your lips together without any transferring or 'pulling' feeling. However I do suggest using a lip liner or using concealer to edge your lips as these can bleed slightly into any fine lines.

Longevity
While they do have a matte finish, the Ultra Mattes do tend to stay 'wet' longer, so they can smear if you don't let them dry. Once they've set, they would easily last a night out eating and drinking, however may need touch ups in the centre of the lips.



Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Velvet

"Orange-ology"



Pigmentation
Normally matte lip products are the most pigmented of all of the lipstick formulas, however I found the original range of Apocalips to be more pigmented than the lip velvet variety. Don't get me wrong, they're still opaque and have a lovely matte finish, but the end effect is just a little softer. They're perfect for creating more of a "bitten" effect. 

Feel & Wear
The Apocalips Lip Velvets almost have a powdery feel to them on the lips, even though they are definitely a liquid! They don't dry fully matte either, so the end effect is more akin to a very pigmented lip gloss. However they are very soft, hydrating and don't catch on any dryer parts of the lips.

Longevity
These unfortunately don't last too long on me as they're not completely matte, so they tend to wear off after only a couple of hours. But they do leave the lips slightly tinted, so even though they don't last as long as other velvet lip creams, they at least come off very evenly!



MUD Matte Lip Cream

"Apricot"



Pigmentation
For only $5 at Woolworths, the MUD Matte Lip Creams are actually pretty good! The shade I have is fairly light, but is still pigmented enough to completely colour my lips in two or so coats. 

Feel & Wear
These are similar in texture to the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams and the Australis Velourlips (just a lot cheaper!) and feel really soft and buttery on the lips. I was seriously impressed - they were velvety and not sticky at all! 

Longevity
This one doesn't really last that long - similar longevity to a semi-matte lipstick - but for the price, I was still very impressed. The product did tend to catch on dry areas of my lips, but it's not super noticeable.



NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

"Istanbul"



Pigmentation
For a light pink, this one is pretty pigmented! I've swatched some other shades from the range and they're all impressively opaque too. 

Feel & Wear
You kind of have to spread on the colour, but once it's on it definitely feels soft on the lips! It's not drying either, so it's a great one for 'putting it on and just forgetting about it'.

Longevity
Even though the formula of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams is pretty light, they do have great staying power on the lips. You can get a few hours wear out of these easy!



Do you have a favourite matte lip cream product? Share in the comments below!

*Obviously an exaggeration, but sometimes I like to think I'm funny.
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4 comments

  1. I love how Velvetines look!

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  2. Great comparison post! I'm a fan of these velvet matte lip creams, but I actually haven't tried that many! I really love the Bourjois ones though. Perhaps I need to try the Australis ones, I keep overlooking them!

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG i needed this post in my life. Priceline are having 3 for 2 on rimmel and I'm thinking of getting 3 of the Apocalips including the orange! I'm still on the quest for the perfect matte orange that isn't flaky or clings to fine lines... The formula of the Australis Velourlips varys a lot between colours. I love NY CEE and SHANG HI for the great pigmentation and formula. But LUN DUN was flaky and disappointing. Love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  4. the mud one is so great in color! i love matte too :D

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for all of your lovely comments, I love reading them <3 Make sure to leave a link to your blog so I can come say hi! Otherwise look out for a reply on the post :) Love xx

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