Hi girls,
I am sure you are aware of my love for lipsticks. Whenever there is a new launch that I can lay my hands on, it has to be mine! When I saw these Lakme Absolute Argan Oil lip colors, I ordered these new lipsticks because I was really confident about the shades. Lakme has some amazing shades in the Lakme 9 to 5 matte lipstick range, with “Scarlet Drill” and “Sorbet Tuesday” being my favourite. This “Smooth Merlot” is very similar to those shades, only with more brown to it.
Product Description:
The power of traditional argan oil, now in your favourite lipstick. Say hello to argan oil infused lip colors, the all new invention by Lakmé. These lipsticks nourish your lips while delivering intense color. The best of both worlds is now a reality with its nourishing power as well as rich pigments. It has a beautiful creamy texture that gives your lips a smooth and silky finish. Available in 15 vibrant shades that complement all Indian skin tones, Lakmé Absolute Argan Oil Lip Color is where the power of argan oil comes to life!
Argan oil as a base makes for a wonderful lip treatment – almost like a replacement for chap sticks/lip balms. They can heal cracked lips and also keep them soft, smooth and conditioned. The use of this argan oil based lipstick during the cold seasons is perfect to prevent rough and dry lips.
Price:
INR 750
My Experience with Lakme Absolute 06 Smooth Merlot Argan Oil Lip Color:
I would say “Smooth Merlot” is a very sophisticated brown brick shade with some soft tones to it. If you like Scarlet Drill, this is another gem of a shade.
This is creamy and has a slight gloss finish to it. The color payoff is nice, I would not say it is amazing, but good enough. The texture is thicker and slightly sticky to make the lipstick stay in place and not bleed. It goes opaque easily and I like to layer it get more color coats.
There is no obvious scent to the lipstick. The outer case is a gorgeous golden one. I had imagined the case to be metallic and heavy, but it turned out to be more plastic-ky than metallic. The label also holds the name but the label sticker is not color-coded unfortunately.
The lipstick has that balm-like smoothness to it. It does not let my lips become dry at any point. I wore this at 4 pm in two to three coats. This lasted me a birthday get=together, tea and dry fruits till 9 pm. At 9 pm, I could see the color like a stain on my lips. So, the lasting powder is 3-5 hours for Smooth Merlot. It feels very smooth and nourishing on the lips.
I do agree with the “smooth and silky finish” part, but not so much with intense color claim. The claim of softer lips is also true. Overall, this is a very good lipstick, but you might have tried something similar from Lakme or another brand in the past.
Pros of Lakme Absolute 06 Smooth Merlot Argan Oil Lip Color:
- Nice brick brown shade.
- Smooth and silky.
- Good color payoff.
- Lasts for 3-5 hours.
- Slightly on the sticky side, so it sits nicely on the lips without any bleeding.
- Doesn’t dry out lips, in fact makes them appear softer.
- Goes opaque in two coats.
- Awesome color for office.
Cons of Lakme Absolute 06 Smooth Merlot Argan Oil Lip Color:
- I was expecting a heavy metallic casing.
- I was expecting more color payoff.
- I also expected a more buttery formula.
- Expensive for sure.
Would I Recommend/Repurchase Lakme Absolute 06 Smooth Merlot Argan Oil Lip Color?
Yes, I will. Keep in mind, you might have tried many similar lipsticks; in fact, “Bella Rose” from Lakme Absolute has a very similar texture. So, I am not madly in love with it, but the shades are very tempting in this range.
IMBB Rating:
3.9/5
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