There seems to be a lot of hype around the new Bourjois offering: their Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick. It’s another liquid lipstick hybrid which I really enjoy so when I heard these were launching, I made a beeline for the nearest Bourjois stand and promptly began to load my basket making sure that I got a third item for every two makeup products I picked up in honour of Boots 3 for 2 promotion (I’m such a sucker for promotions convincing myself that I’ll be saving money in the long run. For that reason, Boots should always remain profitable as long as I am around).
My recent liquid lipstick purchases include Loreal’s L’extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick By Colour Riche (which I have reviewed here) which is more of a glossy, opaque lipgloss and the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream (reviewed here) which is more closer to a matte lipstick in terms of texture and finish. I didn’t like the Hourglass Opaque Rouge as I found them incredibly drying on the lips and therefore extremely uncomfortable to wear. So where does the Bourjouis Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipstick sit on the scale to lipstick to lip gloss and how does it compare to it’s rival hybrids? Let me explain….
The Bourjois Edition Velvet Lipstick comes in six shades of which I eagerly bought three (keen, I know); Frambourjois, which is a pink toned red; Hot Pepper, which is an orange toned red; and Personne En Rouge, more of a true neutral toned red. The brand promises a formula that is matte, velvety and light made with enriching oils that help to create a product that has a second-skin feel which does not fade or dry out your pout.
First up, let’s talk about the packaging. Kudos to whoever designed this simple but slick and tres chic packaging. On first glance it looks like more of your conventional lipstick, and where the lid mimics the colour of the lipstick inside. Once unscrewed, an angular-headed doe-foot wand is unveiled which has been ergonomically designed to accommodate the contour of the lips and therefore precision application. There is also a definite scent to the product which is kind of fruity and reminds me of berries. Some will probably hate it but I don’t really mind it too much.
Now let’s talk substance. I have to agree that the texture is very light and applies incredibly smoothly onto the lips. I find that with one layer of the product, although opaque, it applies inconsistently and therefore uneven but nothing that a second coat doesn’t address. However, for a product that that claims to be matte, I found that it applied slightly glossy but never really manages to set to full blown matte . Sure it feels nice on the lips, very velvety soft to almost a powdery finish which suggest the product’s lightness. Now what I completely disagree with is it’s claim to last 24 hours. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve ever had the lipstick on for 24 hours (or any other lipstick for that matter) but I can tell you that if it does last for 24 hours then we’re talking about a faint, uneven stain (unless of course you choose not eat or drink within them 24 hours then yeah maybe, just maybe you might have the product still fully intact for the whole day). So after a few hours of wear, and having a sip of tea here and a bite of cake there, the colour starts to fade around the centre until you’re eventually left with a ring of lipstick which is definitely not a good look. Only then will I say that the product fades to become more of a matte stain.
The colour is totally transferable and therefore isn’t budge proof or smudge proof for that matter and I have evidence in the form of the copius amount of times I’ve found lipstick stains around the rim of my mugs (perhaps I should have included a photo of it on here, or maybe not) and I’ve also tried the old age trick of planting a smacker on the back of my hand and each time I’ve almost had a perfect imprint of my pout. Now it’s not a bad product per se but it’s definitely one that doesn’t live up to it’s promises or my expectations for that matter. I am surprised to have read loads reviews with full appraisal for the Bourjois Velvet Lipsticks, some from some of the very best beauty bloggers (by my standards anyway ) out there. I guess sometimes we have to agree to disagree. I’ll still be using them but for me they are nothing more than a glorified lipstick hybrid. For me personally, I think I prefer the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams over the Bourjois hybrid offering.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts if you’ve tried the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks and whether you like it, love it or have chosen to lump it.