In the drugstore/pharmacy aisles, if you are ever in the market for a good lipstick, I will always steer you not so gently towards Revlon. Over the years, I’ve rarely been disappointed. Ok, I have been, but not so much that I’d not go back. I usually look to Revlon for foundation and lip products and they serve me well.
The last 2 lip products to grab everyone by the lapels and make them buy up all the colours in store were the Lip Butters and the Just Bitten lip stain. I’m told the latter is selling out like hot cakes – even better than the Lip Butters. I thought that intriguing because I’m not a fan of the latter, but I’m quite comfortable with the former.
But before interest can even wane in the Revlon lip products, along comes another in the form of the Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick. These new suede textured (read: matte) lipsticks were launched locally a couple of months ago but I’ve been a little torn about what I think of them. Have you tried these?
I do have a comment about the packaging. I like how the colours outside correspond to the colours in the tube – it makes it easy to identify the colour you want. But, I don’t like the packaging. I feel that the plastic is a little flimsy and when you twist up the lipstick, there’ll be 2 clicks before it twists up smoothly. Ditto when you twist back down.
Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick in Finale and Front Row
I’m not sure what I was expecting in terms of texture. The Lip Butters have a slightly soft texture which means they break off a little more than I like. I find that to be the case with the Ultimate Suede lipsticks too. I don’t know if its to do with our weather here (Its been abominably baking hot) but I do find that the lipstick breaks off at the edges when I apply it directly to my lips.
I have swatches of the rest of the collection below, but the 2 colours I took home from the launch were Finale and Front Row. Front Row is appearing in store sometime in April/May so if this is a colour you’re eyeing, then do watch for it soon.
In terms of texture, I find that the Ultimate Suede lipsticks apply very smoothly on lips. They do glide on, which is nice. I also find that they apply quite creamy which again, is nice. It is almost like a pigmented balm on lips. Here are the swatches of Front Row and Finale.
Front Row on left is a shimmery very pale pink and Finale on right, is an opaque red. This is just 1 pass of the lipstick on the back of my hand so yes, the pigment is fairly good and you can see they apply quite creamy.
The same is true on lips. It is very easy to slick on the lipstick directly from the tube although with the red, you may have to be careful about the edges. Although it says that it has a suede (matte) texture, you can see that it is not a flat colour on lips, but there is a shine to it.
Front Row isn’t a colour I’d wear because pale pinks like this one on my lips really washes me out something terrible. No use telling me to play up my eyes or cheeks or whatever. With pale lips, I look sick. But I do know of people who can carry this off very prettily so try it if this is a colour you like.
Finale is more like something I’d wear normally. Its a warm red that brightens up my complexion and you can apply it a little sheer, or layer it on to be a bit more opaque. The colour never ever turns a full matte as the name implies, keeping that slight glossy shine on lips, which I think is to do with the formula that contains shea butter and vitamin E.
However, I personally am not smitten by the texture. I find that the lipstick applies on my lips and feels a bit sticky, and this sticky feeling stays on. I also find this one drying for my lips. It applies nicely on, but over time, although the staying power is good, my lips start feeling dry. Granted, you could alleviate this feeling by using a layer of lipbalm underneath but I don’t use lipbalm so I like my lipsticks to be moisturizing off the bat.
Here are swatches of the rest of the colours available in Malaysia at this time.
(1) 025 Socialite (2) 030 High Heels (3) 040 Flashing Lights (4) 060 It Girl (5) 070 Preview (6) 090 Private Viewing (7) 095 Finale (8) 096 All Access
I’d personally go for Finale, Socialite or Preview which you will notice, are the stronger, redder shades available. Front Row isn’t included as its new and there may be more shades coming in as we go along. If the colours look a bit sparkly, its partly due to the spotlighting and partly due to the glossy texture of the lipsticks. There is no shimmer or sparkle in them, as you will see in the swatches before this.
For the sake of completeness, here’s how Finale looks on me.
Just one of my regular lip colours 🙂 I like the colour and the initial texture. Not crazy about it as the hours wear on.
In a nutshell
The Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick is a range of moisturising suede textured lipsticks which mean they are rather more matte than usual. They aren’t fully matte though, so there is a shine and gloss to the lips which makes it more attractive than if it was just flat matte. It has a balmy-cream texture that makes it apply very easily on lips. However, I find that its a bit sticky and also drying for my lips even if it does last very well through snacking and drinking. So this isn’t a range I’d stock up on.
Pros: Affordable, Easy to apply, Easy to wear as sheer or opaque lipstick
Cons: Packaging isn’t very attractive, Drying and sticky on my lips
Who will like this: Anyone who wants a long lasting lipstick
Oh if you have dry lips, be sure to exfoliate before using this one. It does have a tendency to catch and highlight every flaky bit of your lips which isn’t very flattering. A layer of lipbalm before applying the Ultimate Suede lipstick can help if you find a colour you particularly like.
Have you tested the Revlon Ultimate Suede lipsticks yet? Find a colour you like?
They’ve been out for a couple of months so I’m curious if you did pick up any and if you like the formula. This isn’t one of my favourites from Revlon but then, I’m never partial to matte lipsticks generally 🙂
Paris B
Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick comes in 8 shades in Malaysia with more to come Price: RM31.90 Availability: Revlon counters
OMG…..I bought these because there were some pretty colors but regretted them after the first swipe! These were dry and made my lips crave for some moisture and worst of all……at midday when I looked in the mirror, they had caked in patches all over my lips and looked horrible!! Oh! I gave them another try and this time I moisturized my lips and prepped them well. But the same thing happened and I could actually ‘feel’ the damn thing caking on my lips! Yuck! Hate! No!
Yeouch! Sounds like an awful experience, Jackie >.< I didn't have as bad an experience, but they are definitely drying and sticky and I really didn't like these 🙁 Quite a bit of a let down after the Lip Butters eh?
Oooh red lips on you finally!! 🙂 🙂
I haven’t seen these at the counters here yet. But the colours aren’t that very exciting, are they? At the moment I am loving No. 7 lipsticks. 🙂
Haha yes, red lips! The colours remind me a lot of the Lip Butters, just more pigmented. I think you’re safer sticking to the Lip Butters 😀
I have tried them at Guardian when they were out a few months ago and I did not really like them as I found them too drying. I actually agree with you on always choosing Revlon as a favourite drugstore lippie as I too have rarely been disappointed. I have been using a particular colour in the Super Lustrous range for years and quite like the lipstick. On another note, I bought my first Dior Addict lipstick yesterday because you rave about it here so much and really love it. It is such a moisturising lipstick and the SA helped me choose a lovely rose colour that really brightens us my complexion 🙂
Oh I love Superlustrous! I used to have quite a few of them! Their glosses were really good too, that I remember. Colours are safe but at least we know they’ll work 😀 Ooh you got a Dior lipstick!! Aren’t they just lovely?! I’m spoilt after using them, but the Lip Butters do come as a close save from the pharmacies 😉
Revlon is what I go to for lip products too. I’ve been reading so many similar reviews of these suede lipsticks and they are all less than average. I have 2 sitting in my “to test” box, and I am so reluctant to open it >_<
Nonetheless, red looks fab on you!
Thanks Lily, and who knows, maybe it’ll work for you? 🙂 I know someone who does like it so a lot will depend on a person’s preference
I did not like these at all, found very drying on lips! but definitely love the lip butters and lip stain range!
I think that appears to be a common complaint, Parita! Drying! Would have been nice if they had made it like a more pigmented lip butter eh?
I LOVE Revlon lip products! But… for some reason I wasn’t really taken by these at all. Time will tell, perhaps?
Or maybe they won’t since many people don’t seem to like it very much too! LOL
You already know how I feel about these lipsticks. Not impressed at all 🙁 I can’t get past that strange tacky feeling on my lips and it gets so dry and patchy after a while. It’s a shame too because I like most of Revlon lip products including the Just Bitten Balm Stain.
Its a pity about these – they have some pretty colours 🙁 I got that sticky feel too and the drying feeling for sure. I wasn’t too crazy about the Lip Stain as I too found it drying, but it was definitely less drying that this one!
BLECHH I hated these LOL. Way too sticky for me! It’s like having sticky jam all over your lips and then it gets all patchy. Not a fan at all!
LOL!! That’s a graphic description, Tracy! 😀 I like how they look the minute they go on, but after a while it all goes downhill 🙁
I think it would look so pretty on you if you top off Finale with a little of Front Row in the middle of your bottom lip 😉
That’s an idea, thanks Sharon! 🙂
Oh wow, FINALE!!! Soooo pigmented and you know I love pigment! We always have to wait FOREVER for Revlon products to be available here, and they’re notoriously hard to locate. Will definitely check these out when they show up though!
Would be interesting to know how you feel about these, Sunny! Many people are finding them drying or sticky but we know that one woman’s lipstick is another’s poison 😉
I love Revlon lip products too, but these don’t seem to be up to their usual standards. I think I’ll pass, but what a shame. The shades look gorgeous, especially Finale!
These reminded me of a more moisturising Matte lipstick but I think it didn’t quite work. Matte lipsticks are notoriously drying anyway so I think its always a bit challenging to work with. I do like the colours though!
I have Preview. I like the colour, but I hate that it dries my lips out after a few hours. It’s so hard to wear and love because it is drying.
Sigh… it would seem that we all have the same problem with this being drying! Pity, the colours are so pretty right?
I have a few shades of this. It’s a very interesting formula–feels very velvety or suede-like indeed. And the product feels quite light on. But I didn’t feel like they were moisturizing in the slightest and the formula was a bit too slick and silicone-y feeling for my taste. They definitely do catch on every tiny bit of flakiness on the lips and I also feel like they don’t apply very evenly color-wise, either :/
I didn’t have too much trouble with application but I think the texture is the one that doesn’t quite grab most of us, with sticky being the most common complaint. That said, I’ve never been a fan of matte lipsticks anyway so I’m not too surprised that these didn’t work for me 😀
Its very drying, Lucky i only bought one color, and now i just leave it sitting aside.
Ahhh you too Fanny! It seems like so many of us feel the same way 🙁
Like really there’s no shimmer or sparkles?
Guess the lighting really tricked me. I ignored swatching these when i thought i saw too many sparkles from the tube, and it really turned me off. Guess i was wrong. 😐
Need to take a second look next time. 🙂
I didn’t notice any, Liyana 🙂 The close up swatches don’t show up any either but under store lighting it might come off being a bit shiny which I attribute to the texture. That said, I do think Revlon does better lipsticks than these so I’d rather get their Superlustrous 😉
Hi Paris. This is going to be redundant but yes, I bought Finale and I love how it looks initially but it is drying and has a weird sticky texture as you (and many others) experienced. As the day goes on it fades in patches and makes my lips looked diseased! Am going to try and find ways to make it work though cause I love how Finale initially looks. I think it’s the perfect day time red.