It’s probably not much of a secret that I’m not a huge fan of the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks. I love the colours and intensity of pigment, but the texture did not sit well with me. It was about this time that I came across many mentions of a similar hybrid lipbalm-lipgloss-lip colour product coming out of Lancome’s stables. The raves for this one was astounding and some touted them to be even better than Dior’s offering.
Naturally therefore, I had to see what the fuss was all about! :D
The product is the Lancome Lip Lover and I was told they would be available locally in June 2014 but I couldn’t wait, so I picked mine up online about a month ago. There is quite a large range of colours to choose from and I know the expectation is for me to go for a red lip so I did, but I also chose a lighter, more neutral lip shade as well.
The 2 colours I ended up with Beige Adage 332 and Belle de Rouge 356. I can tell you off the bat that I’m not fawning over them so these are likely to be my first and last Lip Lovers, but I have also found a lip colour to love so it isn’t a total whitewash :)
You may not be able to tell it from the photos, but the Lancome Lip Lovers are deceptively small. Every photo I saw them in gave me the impression they’d be longer or perhaps even larger than what they really are.
But they’re small which came as a bit of a surprise. All these online close ups of products don’t help to manage expectations do they? :P
Packaging wise, they are like that of the Gloss in Love, where the cover clicks close instead of screwing close. Like Gloss in Love, my comment on this would be the same. Innovative, but impractical. The release button is easily depressed and more than once, I’ve found the cover loosened while inside my makeup pouch. The contents didn’t spill, but it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Suffice to say, there’s a reason why some things are designed a certain way.
The window in front shows you the colour of the lip product which brings me to the formula. The Lip Lover is said to be a “Dewy Color Lip Perfector 8H moisture” which basically means that it is moisturising on lips (not drying), has good colour pay off and gives a glossy shine. It is a lip colour, gloss and balm in one.
However, I would not compare them to the Dior Addict Fluid Stick simply because the texture is markedly different. Dior Addict Fluid Stick has a water based texture, which is very light on lips and the pigmentation of the product is astounding. The longevity is good and it is fairly comfortable. It was like wearing a very light but intense lipstick. The reason I did not like it was because it takes a very long time to set (almost never) and in that interim, feels tacky on my lips. I’m fussy about things like that so I am critical.
The Lancome Lip Lover on the other hand is pretty much a lip gloss. It has that thick silicone feel of a lip gloss, and has a goopy texture not unlike a lip gloss. The colour is strong but not consistent in both colours I own and the intensity markedly lower than Dior’s. It isn’t drying and longevity is a little longer than that of a regular gloss, but when I wear it, it’s pretty much just a lip gloss. Nothing terribly special.
What this means therefore, is that if you are a fan of wearing lip gloss, you will probably like this one. It gives you better coverage and colour than a regular lip gloss but not the same intensity as that of a lipstick. If you shy away from lip glosses, reconsider these and go instead for the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks which are less gloss-like.
The wand is also pretty much that of a regular lip gloss, except it looks a bit longer. Nothing terribly noteworthy.
What is noteworthy however, is that I somehow ended up with 2 different textures of Lip Lover in the 2 colours I picked.
- Beige Adage 332 – is a light neutral pink that has a thicker, more opaque texture more akin to that of a liquid lipstick. There is shine but when applied, has a more opaque finish and looks less glossy.
- Belle de Rouge 356 – is a bright glossy red that has a more translucent finish more akin to that of a lip gloss. There is shine and transparency not found in Beige Adage.
It was incredibly hard to swatch these and while the swatches on my arm do not quite represent my perception of them, they are possibly useful for you to see the texture, which is more glossy like a jelly and less intense in colour. Beige Adage, despite the name isn’t a beige at all but a neutral pink I happened to fall in love with.
You might be able to see from the lip swatches what I mean by the different textures of the Lip Lovers. Beige Adage applies more smoothly with a more even, opaque colour. Belle de Rouge is more transparent and looks more glossy. I find that Belle de Rouge does not apply very evenly and it takes a few passes for me to get it right and to ensure the colour is even. With Beige Adage, I get it right from the first swipe.
Because I’m not a fan of lip gloss in general with very few exceptions and because there is a scent (light but sweet which I’m not a fan of) I am not keen on more. I do love Beige Adage and it’s a colour I wear often so I’d likely look for a lipstick in this shade :D
In a nutshell
The Lancome Lip Lover is a lip gloss that has more intense pigment and is more moisturising. I would term this a lip gloss because that’s how it performs for me. It has a lot of shine and a thick, goopy feeling that sits on my lips. It isn’t sticky or tacky, but it has a decidedly “gloss” feeling that you either love or hate. I’m personally not a fan so I’m not mooning over these. Of the 2 shades I own, I found that the textures were different. Beige Adage was more of a liquid lipstick being more opaque and applying more evenly on lips. Belle de Rouge was more like a lipgloss being more transparent and has a more uneven application. They’re alright as far as lip glosses go, but I hesitate to say that they’re exceptional because I don’t think they are.
Pros: Not drying, Not sticky nor tacky, Nice shine and gloss, Compact and portable
Cons: Scented, Thick goopy feeling when applied, Different colours had different textures, Cover can be easily dislodged
Who will like this: Anyone who likes the feel of wearing lip gloss but wants a bit more colour
Here are how they look when I wear them.
Beige Adage 332 turned out to be a wearable day to day lip colour that I found very refreshing after the bold lip colours I’m used to sporting. I didn’t expect to like this colour but I do and the formula too sits well with me as it is more liquid lipstick than lipgloss. I need to find a matching lipstick shade now! Help me if you know of a shade that looks similar :D
Belle de Rouge is a more conventional red lipgloss. It does not apply as smoothly as Beige Adage and catches on dry flaky skin on lips if I’m not careful. It’s a nice colour, but not special.
Have you tried the Lancome Lip Lover yet? Are you a fan of these lip products?
To be honest, I don’t think these comparable nor better than Dior Addict Fluid Sticks. I’d consider them totally different products. I think Lip Lover will appeal more to those who like the feel of wearing lipgloss but who want a little more colour. Fluid Sticks will appeal more to those who want more intense colour. They’re different but I can’t say I’m a huge fan of either LOL! :D
Paris B
Lancome Lip Lover Dewy Color Lip Perfector comes in 18 shades Price: RM75 | US$23 Availability: Local Lancome counters in June 2014 or I got them at StrawberryNET.com
Hi Paris, I have tried this in the counter yesterday too, and surprisingly I do not falls in love with them too as the colors choices available are quite similar. It claims to be hydrating for 8 hours but once I removed it, I feels the drying effect but this does not happen the same to the Dior Addict Fluid Stick. Not too sure why this happened. I’m going to try the Laneige Water Drops Lip Tints if this happen the same. You might want to give us your thought on this too. ;)
Whew! I’m not alone in this Sharon, thanks for affirming that! ;) I wasn’t thrilled with it and while I didn’t notice it being particularly hydrating, it thankfully didn’t dry my lips out. It might be because the Dior Fluid Stick is water based so it could be more hydrating for you? I haven’t tried the Laneige Water Drops – never really paid a lot of attention to Laneige coz I wasn’t thrilled with their makeup before, but will stop and take a look the next time I’m around! :)
I do like the Dior Fluid Sticks. I agree about them not setting but I usually blot away the excess shine, which isn’t as much of a problem if I apply the formula with a lip brush in thin layers.
Laneige’s Water Drop tints are less shiny when applied straight from the tube using the applicator and are more suited to sheering out for the gradient lip effect. Dior’s formula doesn’t sheer out as well and is better for a full lip.
Both formulas are pretty moisturizing but Dior’s slightly more. Laneige’s does give me a bit of that balling-up/peely-lip thing when reapplying but thankfully minimal. The colour of Laneige does deepen as I go about my day sipping water and eating.
Ah I happen to love that shine from the Dior Fluid Stick :D But not so much the feeling on my lips. The formula is otherwise very impressive when it comes to pigment though. I like it for that. I haven’t tried this Laneige Water Drops that seems popular. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Laneige makeup when I tried it a few years ago and never paid attention again. I guess I should eh? Or is it the K-pop effect that’s making it so popular now? :D
I think it’s definitely the effect of Cheon Son Yi (My Love From Another Star)! Her pop of bright lip against a pared down face is very modern. Kate (Drivel About Frivol) had very good things to say about Laneige’s new line of lipsticks which come in bright colours too. Might be another one worth trying. :)
Ah yes, I’ve heard that name bandied about a lot recently but K-pop or K-drama isn’t my thing so I’m just all “What? Who?” LOL :D Will take a look next time I pass by Laneige, thanks!
Money saved! Was initially waiting for these to arrive, but after seeing it is quite transparent and uneven on the lips and swatches, it is no question that I will forgo this! Thank u paris *bow down with joy*
LOL Still, doesn’t hurt taking a look! I do like Beige Adage, which has a lovely texture and is more pigmented so I suspect they come in slightly different formulas for different shades :)
I don’t really understand the appeal of these new lip products. They’re basically just overhyped lip glosses, both in texture and colour opacity. Too bad :(
hehe you said it! These especially are just straight up lip glosses. A little more hydrating maybe, but still glosses!
Your brow looks amazing today.
Thank you Phay! I think I got lucky :D
Belle de Rouge seems really disappointing. And you look lovely in Beige Adage
Thank you Lana :D Yes, I was very disappointed with Belle de Rouge since it’s a colour I like, but Beige Adage really surprised me! Would you be checking these out though?
Hey Paris, these look great on you! I own one and I don’t find it thick and goopy at all LOL For me the formula is pretty smooth!
Thanks Sunny! Perhaps it’s the different textures? That said, I’m not a fan of lipglosses mostly so I’m terribly sensitive to goopiness!
Mmm, I was expecting something a bit more pigmented to be honest. They don’t look like anything special, so I’ll pass. Thanks for the review.
Yep, I’d wait for something else to come along Gio. These are just lip glosses!
it has been a while i comment here on MWS. I love the packaging, very easy to open (just a click!), love the non-sticky formula, and the colors are pretty too (so many choices, hard to make decision). but i had too many lip products already.. shall think twice before i get another new color. lol
Hi Jean, welcome back LOL :) That’s true about it being easy to open, but on the flip side, it also means you have to be extra careful because anything can cause the cover to pop up! Maybe go for a shade you don’t have? Like a deep purple maybe? ;)
When I picked up the tester and saw the packaging, I didn’t even bother to swatch it because it’s really disaster awaiting to happen. No way it’s going near any of my bag or makeup pouch.
LOL!! Too true! So far, I haven’t had the inside of my makeup pouch coated with a goopy mess, but you know, never say never! *touchwood*
you seem to be a big fan of those hybrids, heh? ;) *irony off*. I am actually not the biggest fan of lancome, nothing wowed me, but I like the lip lovers. but I am not wowed by them either, ywim? too bad you don’t like the fluid sticks, I am lustering after all those reds (meanwhile I have three and want to leave it at that, lol). I don’t want to hoard too much fluid stuff anyway. I have one lip lover, no not red this time, the purple one, forgot the name. xxx
LOL Yes Claire, a HUGE fan ;) I’m definitely in the minority when it comes to the Fluid Sticks. I love the colours and the pigment, I’m not crazy about the formula but I haven’t heard a bad word said against them by anyone so yep, definitely in the minority! The Lip Lover is I think nice, but yeah, not wowed or wowing. Too “normal” to be special I think. Better luck next time, Lancome!
They look like gel stain, if there’s such a thing! :p You look so chic and pretty. On the uneven application… just wondering, do you have to shake it a bit or something? :p
Haha jelly lips! :D Thanks Ting. Nah, the application is mostly to do with the formula and the wand. It’s like a gloss and you know how some glosses don’t go on evenly all over? Yeah, it’s like that.
i have lip lover in framboise etoile. i like the color, but you’re right, they’re nothing special. someone who likes to layer lip gloss over lip stain might enjoy them more though.
That would make sense, Joy. It’ll cut their work in half ;)