Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Review

Hey gorgeous gals,

I have another Pat McGrath review for you today. After reviewing the LuxeTrance Lipstick in Beautiful Creatures and the Mothership III Eyeshadow Palette in Subversive, I have for you the review for the Mattetrance Lipstick in the shade Elson. I have been trying to get my hands on the Mattetrance Lipsticks for a while and am so stoked to finally be able to try these. I did share a not-so-brief introduction about the brand when I introduced its first product on IMBB – the LuxeTrance lipstick in the shade Beautiful Creature. Do check that out.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Review

Product Description:
A revolutionary lipstick so luxurious and richly pigmented, it drenches lips in a lightweight veil of opaque colour while delivering a mesmerizingly modern matte finish. Sensually creamy and brilliant in texture, this collection evokes the femme fatale siren with every application. Colour and finish so sinful, your pout will speak volumes without ever whispering a word.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Bottom

Price: USD 38 for 4 g
BUY IT FROM: PAT MC GRATH | SEPHORA

Her products are sold pretty much exclusively on her own website and on Sephora, with very few remnants being available to a certain part of the globe through other e-commerce sites.

My Experience with Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson:

Packaging:
The lipsticks come packaged in a patterned cardboard outer box with each lipstick shade having a different coloured/patterned box. The box itself is distinctly different from anything else in the market. It’s held together with a chord – like an ancient scroll. Once you open the box, the lipstick is revealed in all its glory. It is stunning to look at and distinctly different from what else is available in the beauty sphere.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Packaging

It is a traditional twist up bullet in a kind of lacquered case – not unlike that of Rouge d’Armani. The case has a gold detailing and a set of luscious lips on the side. You really can’t miss this one in a crowd. Quite opulent and – let’s face it – loud! The lipstick itself has a slightly rounded/lifted lip which actually makes it a tad bit difficult to get clean lines, especially when the shade in question is a bright red.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Red Packaging

Shade:
Elson 013: Described by the brand as a “Blue Red.” Elson is a medium to deep, saturated red with neutral to slightly cool undertones. It applies like a satin lipstick. It is a bold, intense shade and should work on a host of skin tones – quite like the liquid lipstick shade from Fenty Beauty Stunna. Is it the unique version of red? Not really! But it sure is one of the most pigmented ones. But we will come to that in a minute.

Pigmentation:
The product is super pigmented – saturated with colour. You get the exact colour of the bullet on your lips. You do not need to build it up – one swipe is enough for both lips. I’m not kidding. Building it up is a waste of product and will just lead to the transfer of colour till all excess has gone off the lips and the shade has set to a matte finish. It gives full 100% pigment in one single, gentle swipe.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson

You don’t need to apply any amount of pressure for the fully saturated colour. A gentle swipe is enough. I apply it to my upper lip and can just purse my lips together. The lipstick transfers to the lower lip in all its full glory. Even with that, there is full pigment on both lips – that’s how insane the pigmentation on this one is.

If you want a lighter coverage, you can gently dab it onto your lips. It will still cover all natural discolouration of the lip and look like a lip stain. However, the colour would still be clearly visible.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Bullet

Texture:
The texture is creamy but without too much slip and glides smooth. It seems a tad bit dense but it does not feel heavy on the lips. The company has promised a fully saturated matte lip with supreme hydration. While the product is definitely super-pigmented, it applies and looks like a satin finish product for the first hour or two of application. During this time the lipstick continues to transfer as well. I will point out that the company has not made any claims regarding the product being transfer-proof.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Swatches on Hand

However, I do understand that most people who are looking for a matte lipstick expect the same to be transfer-proof. So, head’s up for that. While the product continues to transfer, the intensity of the shade dips down very minimally since the color is so saturated. Lastly, the product is not drying but it isn’t hydrating by any stretch of the imagination either – contrary to the brand’s claims. It does not bleed or feather or smudge outside the lip lines.

Lasting Power:
The shade gives me about 6.5-7 hours of wear time, which is decent but not stellar in my opinion, considering how saturated the shade is. Also, it does leave a decent stain behind which will give you another hour or so of wear. It wears off quite evenly and does not get patchy.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson FOTD

Fragrance:
I put my nose to it but there was no discernible smell/fragrance.

Application:
This is not a header I normally use when reviewing lipsticks but I am consciously doing so here. The lipstick bullet shape makes it extremely difficult to get clean outer lines. You will need to use a lip liner or a lip brush. Like I mentioned when reviewing the Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colors – those lipsticks have an inward indent which allows you to get clean lines. However, in case of this one, it has a convex shape instead, which totally negates any possibility of the pointed tip of the lipstick to touch the lip line area. Frustrating when you are working with a pigmented, intense red shade as is visible on my lip swatches!

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson Swatch

To sum this up for you:

Pros of Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson:

• Stunning shade – will work on a variety of skin tones.
• Lightweight texture.
• EXCELLENT pigmentation.
• Comfortable to wear.
• It applies smoothly and evenly – no tugging or pulling.
• Does not flake or bleed.
• Luxurious iconic packaging.
• Decent wear time – 6.5-7 hours.

Cons of Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Elson:

• The raised lip structure of the lipstick makes it difficult to get clean lines.
• A lip liner is needed to get clear, precise lines.
• Contrary to company’s claims – not moisturizing at all.
• Transfers,

IMBB Rating: 4/5
BUY IT FROM: PAT MC GRATH | SEPHORA

While I loved the formula of the LuxeTrance lipstick I can’t say the same for this one. If I were to sum it up in a line – I don’t think I would be buying more of the Mattetrance lipsticks. I would rather pick up the LuxeTrance ones. While it is good quality and if this has caught your attention, do go ahead and try it. However, apart from the intense saturation and the stunning packaging, I did not feel that the formula was anything special.

Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Obsessed!
Pat McGrath Labs Mattetrance Lipstick Omi
Pat McGrath Labs Matte Trance Lipstick in 1995
Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance Lipstick Beautiful Creature
Pat McGrath Mothership III Eyeshadow Palette Subversive
e.l.f. Wine Tour Moisturizing Lipstick
10 Lipstick Shades That Will Make Your Teeth Look Whiter
Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick One Wish
Burt’s Bees 512 Fuchsia Flood Lipstick
Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick

IMBB RECOMMENDS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *