As you know, I’ve been on a serious mission for some time now to bring lip gloss back, so when I recently stumbled across the phenomenal Color Sensational Vivid Hot Lacquer Lip Glosses ($8) by Maybelline I just had to write about them. I initially saw the collection on the runway during Naeem Khan’s Spring / Summer 2018 runway show – a bit has changed since I last checked in and I am actually the new Director of Public Relations for the brand – yay! We received some additional tubes of the gloss and naturally, I decided to snag a few colors for myself. They looked great on the runway amongst models but let me tell you that once they hit my large lips and complimented this melanin I was hooked and feel my fellow women of color need to check the collection out, ASAP.
The formula for the gloss to me felt different than others I’ve worn previously. It had a substantiality that reminded me a lot of lipstick – I just knew once I put it on that the pigment was not going to move. Not to say that this dried my lips out either it was quite the opposite, my lips felt hydrated the entire day and not once flaked off. I love love love the new Fenty Beauty line, but her Gloss Bomb cakes up for me after a while. The Vivid Hot Lacquers on the other hand, through my daily meals and sipping water at my desk remained intact and comfortable for hours.
My only gripe is that when I put it on, because of just how richly pigmented and high impact it is, the color gets on my teeth and gums when it is first applied. That’s definitely something to be mindful of, but I’ll take it over caking and faulty color I have to constantly reapply any day. The colors I got for myself are “So Hot” (Red), “Obsessed” (Purple), and “Slay It” (Super Dark Purple).
I was a bit hesitant about getting a red gloss – a red lip is already doing a lot on its own, so with that intense shine I just wasn’t sure how it’d look. I was blown away when I put on “So Hot” because it wasn’t as obnoxious as I thought it might be and in fact I feel it’d make the perfect date night look, very seductive.
“Obsessed” was the first of the three that I tried. I rocked it to work one day and got so many compliments and it didn’t come off as too much for the office. It’s a fun day-time color that also translates well for after work drinks and dinner.
I originally wanted to try “Slay It” first, but when I put it on it was WAY too dark for any day-time activities, but it worked perfectly when I wore it out recently for a night in the Lower East Side. The deep vampy purple gave me an edgy look but because of the glossy finish still came off flirty. It’s my favorite of the three!
If you’re a believer of the lip gloss movement, get on it honey. These shades are too hot to pass up!
Outfit Credits
Top: Audrey Multi-Way Blouse, Tobi ($74)
Earrings: Geometric Shimmy Earrings, Charming Charlie ($12)