If you love a good lipstick, this one is for you!
About the Collection
Massive news for Becca Cosmetics fans: say bonjour to the brand's very own line of lipsticks and lip liners! Much anticipated Ultimate Lipstick Love Collection is here (and it is here to stay), so if you are curious to see raw arm/lip swatches and hear more about this hot new formula, then please keep on scrolling!
Ultimate Lip Definer
Let's chat about Becca Cosmetics very first collection of lip liners. Ultimate Lip Definer (18 USD; Made in Germany) comes in 18 shades (everything from nude to deep plum) and claims to perfectly define your lips, all the while staying put for 8 hours. This is also a waterproof formula, that is infused with jojoba oil to ensure a comfortable wear and easy application.
Packaging: what I like the most about these lip liners is the fact that they come in colour-matching packaging; i.e. what you see on the outside - is exactly what you find on the inside. You do get 0.35g/0.012 Oz. of product here, which is a bit more compared to the brands' rivals at Sephora. Every pencil comes with a built-in sharpener and little "pout-perfecting precision tool", which you can use in place of a lip brush. Personally, I do prefer to blend my liner with my ring finger (with nudes) or brush (with reds or berries).
Formula: having tried every single shade here, I have noticed that depending on the colour, certain pencils were either more creamy or satin in feel. For example, creamier shade Playful appears more opaque than satin shade Mood. That is not to say that A performs better B; all of these liners are quite pigmented, apply evenly and set to the same natural-matte finish. It is just that lighter shades give more of a blurring effect, while darker ones are more precise. You can really cheat that lip line [Kylie-style] using both - it merely depends on your makeup preferences. As for me - I enjoy both types equally.
Two shades here have some finely milled [microscopic] shimmer running through them; I am talking about Low Maintenance and Breezy. If you ever wondered "why?", then here is a very simple explanation: soft, barely detectable sparkle (especially with light nudes) reflects the light, making your lips appear more pouty. It is not something visible to the naked eye, yet it still does the trick.
Application/Wear: despite minor differences in opacity levels, all shades glide easily and you also get a few seconds to play with the product before it sets. Ultimate Lip Definer is just as long-wearing as it claims to be; on me it lasts for at least 4-5 hours and if I eat anything creamy/oily, I will make sure to touch up my liner. Otherwise - once it is on, it is on.
Please click on images to zoom in; as always - all of my swatches are unedited and raw.
Swatched:
#1 (L-R) Pouty, Vacation, Fearless, Chill, Energetic
#2 (L-R) Low Maintenance, Toasty, Weekend, Blissful, Breezy
#3 (L-R) Mood, Playful, Confident, Spiced, Serene
#4 (L-R) Mystery, Charming, Fun
Colours: it is worth mentioning that Ultimate Lipstick Love Collection is "colour-crafted for your complexion". So every liner here has two-four lipsticks it can be paired up with. I am happy with the shade selection; staying true to their roots, Becca Cosmetics have mainly focused on all of the flattering nudes and sophisticated reds (you won't see any wasabe greens or neon purples here).
Personal Favourites: Pouty, Low Maintenance, Weekend, Breezy, Fun, Charming, Mystery, Playful, Confident, Spiced, Serene.
Ultimate Lipstick Love
This, I am sure, is what you came for: after years (and years and years) of patiently waiting, it is time to celebrate since Becca Cosmetics ah-mazing line of lipsticks is finally here! You guys have no idea just how excited I was when I heard the news and naturally, as your beloved lipstick junkie, I knew I had to try them.
Ultimate Lipstick Love (24 USD; Made in Canada) comes in 30 alluring shades of nudes and reds, all of which are carefully categorized into five groups: Neutral Nudes (N), Cool Nudes (C), Warm Nudes (W), Cool/Neutral Reds (C), Warm/Neutral Reds (W).
Packaging: every lipstick is housed in a metallic golden tube, that has a magnetic closure. The brand's logo is engraved at the very top of the cap and I love the "high-end weight" of this product. Every single lipstick bullet comes with a colour-matching sticker on the bottom and, depending on its undertone, it will have one of the three capital letters on it (N,C or W).
Formula: no matter what shade you go for - this new formula is consistent and for lack of a better word - incredible. Ultimate Lipstick Love lipsticks are in a league of their own. They feel creamy, glide on like butter and give you 100% opacity in one swipe only. Finish here is on a natural-satin side, where you do see a nice sheen, but it is not creamy to the point where it slides around everywhere. Every single lipstick feels ultra smooth, hydrating and nourishing, thanks to the next generation hyaluronic acid, avocado & olive oils. These lipsticks have a faint sweet vanilla scent.
Application: I have tried all 30 shades (yes!) and even while I was working on countless lip swatches (applying, removing, applying, removing) I have noticed that unless you work with reds or dark shades - you do not even need a lip brush or pencil. This lipstick is incredibly user-friendly, silky smooth and uber comfortable on the lips. I did not experience any feathering or bleeding, but if that is something that occasionally happens to you, then you can easily pair one of the brand's lip liners with your Ultimate Lipstick Love and that should do the trick.
Wear: Becca Cosmetics claim that these lipsticks last up to 8 hours, which is a rather bold claim for a product that is on a creamier side of things. However! I was massively surprised to see my bright red lipstick still in a semi-perfect condition (just a bit worn off) on my lips after devouring a Friday brunch. And it did not even leave a print on my chin - witchcraft or what? I have some very popular matte lipsticks in my possession, that don't last as long as these bad boys do. What is even better - I never experience any dryness or discomfort even after 4-5th hour of wear. Personally I don't mind touching up my lipstick after meals and thankfully I don't need to wipe the whole thing off and start all over again like with some of my MAC mattes per say.
Please click on images above to zoom in; as always all of my swatches are unedited and raw. I also left product shots untouched
Above are five categories of Ultimate Lipstick Love:
Neutral Nudes: (L-R) Chocolate, Burgundy, Mocha, Taupe, Tawny, Dune
Cool Nudes: (L-R) Souffle, Mauve, Orchid, Sorbet, Petal, Sugar
Warm Nudes: (L-R) Rosewood, Truffle, Blush, Dusk, Tulip, Bare
Cool/Neutral Reds: (L-R) Maroon, Merlot, Ruby, Garnet, Cherry, Blaze
Warm/Neutral Reds: (L-R) Ember, Rouge, Scarlet, Crimson, Flame, Popp
Liner + Lipstick Combinations
Pouty - Dune, Dusk
Low Maintenance - Sugar, Bare
Toasty - Blaze, Tulip, Blush
Fearless - Taupe
Fun - Poppy, Flame, Crimson, Scarlet
Breezy - Tawny, Mauve
Blissful - Petal, Sorbet, Orchid, Rosewood
Weekend - Mocha, Truffle
Vacation - Burgundy, Souffle
Chill - Chocolate
Playful - Cherry
Confident - Garnet
Mood - Ruby
Spiced - Merlot
Serene - Maroon
Energetic - Rouge
Mystery - Ember
Verdict
I know it was a long review, but boy oh boy - don't you agree that these lipsticks look absolutely gorgeous? I always rely on Becca Cosmetics when it comes to face products and can say with 100% confidence that this is one of the best creamy lipstick formulas I have tried in a while. You guys know just how much I love Bite Beauty, MAC, Pat McGrath and Ultimate Lipstick Love is now a proud member of my crème de la crème lipstick club. Unlike some other nudes, these actually make your lips look poutier even without a lip liner. I think that the brand did a great job as far as formula goes - it truly lives up to all of its claims and will be loved by those of you, who appreciate comfortable wear and kissable finish. If you are a classic lipstick girl at heart, this collection is for you. As for Ultimate Lip Definer - luckily you can use one shade for several different lipstick colours and if you enjoy a retractable liner, that stays put for a good amount of time, then you might really enjoy this product as well. Last but not least, kudos to the brand for always being inclusive and creating a collection that is geared towards beauties of all ages and complexions. If you ever had an issue finding your signature nude or red - give this one a shot and thank me later. A++ from moi!
What do you think about the collection? What colours here did you like the most? Let's chat some more in the comments!
Availability: sephora.com, ulta.com, beccacosmetics.com, nordstrom.com
PR samples; full disclaimer here
