Skin type: dry and occasionally acne prone
Skin tone: fair with neutral undertones
Greetings beauties,
This year, colour authority – Pantone – announced its selection as “Ultraviolet”. This year is the perfect time to flaunt your bold lips and grab attention wherever you go. I usually go for red or pink lipsticks if I go out. Since Ultraviolet has been selected as the Pantone Colour for 2018, purple became a definite choice this time. I went ahead and opted for a liquid matte finish gloss from the drugstore brand, L.A. Girl. It’s their Matte Pigment Lipgloss in the shade “Stunner”. Let’s get into the review and find out how the product fared for me.
Price: $6 (INR 575) for 8 ml
Product Description:
Blurring the lines between lipstick and lip gloss, Matte Pigment Lipgloss has become a favorite of makeup artists, bloggers and fans. Available in 16 bold shades that provide rich and intense color in a flat finish for all day wear. The long wearing formula goes on as a highly pigmented liquid and dries to a flat matte finish, for a gorgeous velvety perfection that last and lasts.
How to Use:
Apply a thin coat evenly on lips and let dry. Re-apply as desired. Formula is fast drying and long wearing. To remove lipgloss, use an oil based makeup remover.
My Experience with L.A. Girl Matte Pigment Lipgloss Stunner:
L.A Girl had launched their ‘Matte Pigment Lipgloss’ range a long time ago. This range has a set of 16 stunning matte lip colours. I love matte lip colours and the catchy lipstick shades of this range lured me to pick one. This one is my first lipstick purchase from this brand and I wanted to try out something really bold and unconventional.
Packaging:
The packaging is quite adorable. The gloss comes in a transparent plastic tube-like packaging. It is enclosed in a colour-coded small, cylindrical tube that has a black cap on it. The colour-coded packaging looks attractive and makes it easy to see through the colour of the gloss it contains. The cap on the tube has a rubberised matte kind of finish. The pigment gloss comes with a flat and rigid applicator with a rounded tip. The rounded tip makes it tough to apply the lip product evenly on your lips.
A doe-foot applicator with a slanted tip would have been better for more precise and easy application. The brand name and shade name are written on the side of the lipstick tube. All the ingredient details are mentioned on the body of the plastic tube. The black cap fits securely in place which prevents any spillage of the product. The only con with the packaging is the rounded tip brush applicator. Other than that, the packaging is travel-friendly and compact.
Shade:
L.A. Girl Matte Pigment Lipgloss Stunner is a vibrant, beautiful purple shade that is matte and truly gorgeous. As the shade name describes, this truly is a “Stunner” in every respect. It looks very flattering on my complexion and adds a pop of colour instantly. Since this shade is really bold, you may not be able to pull this off on an everyday basis.
Wearing this lipstick for the fall season to take a little break from bold burgundy and vampy shades could be an ideal choice. In addition to this, this will not suit every Indian skin tone. People with light to medium skin tone can carry it easily without thinking twice. For dusky skin tones, this will look washed out. Without thinking much about the cons, I just love this shade.
Pigmentation:
Well, coming to the pigmentation I have absolutely no complaints. It is heavily pigmented that only a single swipe of the lip product is sufficient for opaque coverage. A little goes a long way and I don’t need any reapplication. Even if you have heavily pigmented lips, do not worry because this smartly hides lip pigmentation. The lipstick has no scent and hence no issues for people who are not very fond of fragrance in lipsticks.
Texture and Finish:
The texture is smooth and initially the product when applied spreads evenly without any tugging or pulling. It dries fast and sets to a completely matte finish. This lipstick has a long-wearing formula with an intense colour payoff which is something worthy to be applauded. It does not transfer at all.
But when you start applying more coats for better colour intensity, it starts crumbling and will make your lips patchy. It feels very sticky and feels heavy on my lips. The more you apply, the more time it takes to dry up. You should avoid layering on this one. Also, you cannot mix and match this lipstick with other shades as it will enhance the patchiness. The most disappointing thing is that it will make your lips stick together like gum when you rub them.
Again, the finish of the lipstick is something that I cannot praise. I mean why on earth is it called a “gloss”?? There is no hint of shimmer or gloss in it. Absolutely nothing. The brand should have put some serious thought before naming it a gloss. It should have called a liquid lipstick and not a gloss.
I had to be really careful prior to application of this lip colour. For people who have dry lips, it will highlight the fines lines of your lips. Exfoliation and prepping up your lips is mandatory, otherwise, the dryness will surely ruin your day. It is advisable to moisturise your lips with a lip balm to keep them hydrated and healthy looking.
Staying Power:
Staying power is insane. Expect it to stay in place throughout the day. The formula is long-lasting enough and you would not need frequent touch-ups. Having oily food can somewhat cause breaking of the formula from the centre of the lips leaving only on the outer lip line. But with normal meals, it stays intact. Removal of this lip gloss is really difficult. Only oil based makeup removers can be of considerable help in this case. I also used some almond oil as I really had a hard time removing it off.
Overall:
Overall, this is an okay product for all matte lipstick lovers. High on pigmentation, great staying power plus the shade is also enticing enough. But the formulation is super drying, patchy and feels very sticky when you start to layer it. So, texture wise, this has disappointed me. Still, if you want to try something bold and stand out in the crowd, go ahead and buy this.
Pros of L.A. Girl Matte Pigment Lipgloss Stunner:
• Travel-friendly packaging
• Beautiful, vibrant purple colour
• Colour-coded packaging.
• Fragrance-free.
• Transfer-proof
• Heavily pigmented
• Hides lip pigmentation.
• Staying power is insane.
• Survives normal meals.
• Budget-friendly.
• Smooth and even application.
Cons of L.A. Girl Matte Pigment Lipgloss Stunner:
• It settles into the fine lines of the lips.
• Super drying formula.
• Feels very sticky and patchy.
• Finish is not like a gloss.
• Excess application causes tackiness.
• Increases the dryness if lips are not moisturised before.
• Cannot be mixed and matched with other lip colours.
• Removal is really tough.
• Shade does not suit every skin tone.
• Shade is not an everyday wear pick.
IMBB Rating: 3.7/5
Would I Repurchase/Recommend L.A. Girl Matte Pigment Lipgloss Stunner?
No. There are other better lipsticks available with a better formulation. For people who want to experiment with bold shades, give this a try.
L.A. Girl Instinct Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
LA Girl Matte Fantasy Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
LA Girl Matte Iconic Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
LA Girl Frisky Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
LA Girl Bazaar Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss
Avene Eau Thermale D-Pigment Light Dark Spot Lightener
Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil Quince
Kylie Cosmetics Koko Collection Lip Gloss – Damn Gina
Ways to Make Your Lip Gloss Last Longer
Revlon #260 Rosy Future Super Lustrous Lip Gloss
