I love wearing lipstick, but I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to lipstick. I prefer using the actual solid bullet form. There’s something just more adult, or even sexier, applying lipstick from the bullet. That, and texture, is why I never really warmed to wearing lip gloss.
Then a few years ago, we saw liquid lipstick appear on the scene. All the opacity and strength of colour of a lipstick, in a liquid form. I never took to it. Sure, there were the odd ones I liked, but they don’t turn my head the way a regular lipstick would. In my mind, they were always, almost like a beginner lipstick; or even a transition product, for those who prefer lip gloss, to ease their way into wearing lipsticks.
So I was rather surprised to see that the Estee Lauder Pure Envy Color lipstick stable now sports the Liquid Lip Potion, a liquid lipstick.
It has been available since August, I believe, but I’ve taken a while to decide how I feel about it, or if my prejudices against liquid lip products would rear its ugly head.
The Pure Envy Color Liquid Lip Potion is a liquid lipstick. Imagine, if you will, a lipstick melted into a liquid form which you then apply with a doe foot applicator, very much like a lip gloss. You get all the pigment of a lipstick, in the form of a liquid. Now, if I’m to be honest, I don’t get why Estee Lauder needed this product.
They already have an excellent range of Pure Color Envy and Pure Color Envy Shine lipsticks. Both are lightweight in texture, comfortable to wear and have good colour pay off, or shine as the case may be. I wasn’t quite sure where the Liquid Lip Potion fit; and that pretty much sums up how I feel – confused.
The packaging of the Liquid Lip Potion is a little taller than the regular lipsticks, and it comes with a window in the side to show you the colour of the product. Helpful. The applicator is a sponge-tipped doe foot applicator, that pretty much reminds me of that used for lip glosses.
There is a dip in the middle, so the wand picks up a lot of colour. I suggest you clean it along the side of the tube before applying to lips, because as you will see below, it is very strong. And it is also very liquid.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Liquid Lip Potion – Cold Fire
This is just 1 swipe with the wand and you can see just how opaque and pigmented the colour is. I like that in a lip product. It isn’t goopy and the texture of the Liquid Lip Potion is light on lips. It isn’t very glossy either, and to me, has a satin finish, so it doesn’t quite look like a lip gloss either. Confused? Yes, so was I.
As comfortable as it is to wear (it isn’t drying either, although I’d not recommend it for anyone with flaky lips) I find it messy. Yes, you read it right. It’s messy to apply, the liquid gets everywhere. And because it’s so pigmented, you can’t make mistakes with it. Oh and it offers a bit of a stain as well, so get it on anywhere else other than your lips, and you will sport a stain until the next time you shower.
I do wonder if my prejudices might stem a little as well, from the shade I was sent. The shade you see here is Cold Fire, which is a very striking coral red. On me, it actually pulls a little orange, although you will see in the picture below, that it looks a bit more red. It’s a bit of a shade shifter, this one, but there’s no denying that it’s BRIGHT! In person, it’s almost neon.
Yet you know what? It doesn’t last very long for me. I don’t know, it’s weird! It marks coffee cups something awful so it looks like I’ve bled all over them in the morning, but I find that the regular Pure Color Envy lipsticks aren’t as bad. And they last longer on me.
Also, if you peer a little at my teeth in the picture above, and are tsking at me for not picking a picture where I didn’t have lipstick on my teeth, don’t. I left it in there on purpose, because there’s another strange thing about this lipstick that bugs me.
For some reason, due to the “wet” texture, I found that it would mark my teeth something awful! I rarely have lip products get on my teeth, but this does. All. The. Time! You have see it in the picture above, and if you watch the video below (Episode 3 of MWStv, complete with bloopers! Woot! 😀 ) where I’m wearing Cold Fire (and you can see it in action), I actually had to restart filming 3 times because I kept getting lipstick on my teeth! The only way I solved the problem, was to blot with a piece of tissue paper, and then I was fine.
So yeah, I know this has beautiful colour pay off and a comfortable texture, but it doesn’t appeal to me. It is to be reminded that I prefer my lipstick to come in a bullet, which I find infinitely easier to apply and reapply, sometimes even with 1 hand, than to use a liquid lipstick, which requires 2. Also, I’m no fan of lip glosses, so it will also go some ways towards explaining my prejudice.
It isn’t a bad product. It just isn’t me 🙂
IN A NUTSHELL
The Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Liquid Lip Potion is a liquid lipstick that is very pigmented, with bold shades. The texture is very lightweight and comfortable to wear, although you cannot have flaky or dry lips or it might accentuate flakes and lines. The colour is very bold and strong, and it offers a subtle stain. But all said and done, this isn’t a product that appeals to me because I prefer my lipstick to come in a bullet. But if you want a strong opaque and pigmented lip colour, then consider taking a look at this, if you are transitioning from wearing lip glosses. I would otherwise suggest that you consider the Pure Color Envy instead 🙂
PROS: Lightweight texture is comfortable on lips, Not drying, Strong and bold shades, Opaque texture in 1 swipe
CONS: Travels easily to mark teeth, Needs to be fairly precise due to the strength of colour and opacity
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes using liquid lipstick, Anyone who wants a strong and bold colour in a lipstick
One more small point, which I consider to be a bit of a packaging flaw. The brand name is printed on the top of the cover, on the gold bit, like the rest of their lipstick line. However, there is nothing else on the body to indicate the brand. The regular lipstick bullets will display the Estee Lauder name on the gold tube, but with this one, the branding is I feel a little lacking. I personally feel, instead of the window, they should have just gone with a clear base. For some reason, those tend to look better for liquid products, as most other brands have demonstrated.
Have you tried the Liquid Lip Potion? Do you like wearing liquid lipstick or regular bullets?
I wonder if I might be more forgiving, were it a different shade. It’s hard to say. But at this point in time, I’m just not into liquid lip products and I’ve got rid of most of what I used to own because I just don’t wear them as often as I should. As a product, I think this is a good one. But because I’m so fussy, and because I have lots of basis for comparison, I am just too nitpicky 😛 But if you like this, let me know!
Paris B
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Liquid Lip Potion comes in 12 shades in 4 colour families Price: RM98 | US$30 Availability: Estee Lauder counters and Sephora.
Boo – these sound like a disappointment 🙁 I love liquid lipsticks (the newer modern versions) because 1. They are generally matte, which I think can be more sophisticated than a glossy finish 2. They ‘set’ and last on the lips allllll day 3. They tend to be brighter than lipstick bullets, maybe because of the rich pigmentation seeing as they are matte.
If these transfer and don’t last all day – then what’s the point? In that case I’d rather try the traditional lipstick bullet version, which looks fabulous also!
Hi Sylvia, these were a disappointment to me, I agree. But many other people love it so don’t write it off just yet! You are right about the new versions of liquid lipsticks being a little more flattering, but I don’t know, I can’t get with it, if you know what I mean. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been much of a fan of matte lipstick. I’m learning to appreciate matte makeup on the rest of my face, but I still love a moist looking lip! 😀
But i really do like the pigmentation of this Lip Potion~~ but yeah,it doesn’t really last. But it stained quite a bit.
The funny thing Cynthia, is that it stains my hands, when I swatch it, but it doesn’t stain my lips! I know, weird right? 😀 The pigment is intense, that much I will agree.
If there’s anything about lip products, it’s that I don’t ever buy them at Sephora. The thing about lip products is that you can never have enough. If you’re obsessed with blush, I’m obsessed with lip products! So, I always just go to MAC or NARS or anywhere else where I have a limited amount to select from so I don’t end up carrying three paper bags filled with lip products! But just like you, I stick to lipsticks because I think they aren’t too high maintenance hehe
hahaha But MAC and Nars will have as big a selection of lipsticks right? 😀 I think I’ve worked out by now what I like in terms of a lip product, and that rules out a lot of liquid colours. Just too fussy for my liking!
I just search review for Estee Lauder Lip Potion and your blog came out, after i read your comment, i think i need to share my thought and i have to say that i experience same thing. When i swatch in my hand, it stains for so long, but when i used it on my lips it never stain, and i feel weird too. Sometimes i just feel like maybe just my weird lips that experience such thing. Sorry if my english sound bad.
Your English is fine Lee 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I’m glad you feel the same way 😀
I like all those new liquid lipsticks, especially I am curious about Lipstick Queen.
Oh Lipstick Queen has a liquid lipstick too? Guess I’m just too much of a traditionalist! 😛
Oh wow, I’m so sorry to hear you don’t get along too well with this, Paris! I kind of guessed it when I saw it’s Cold Fire tho. It doesn’t look like something in your comfort zone. I personally have excellent experience with the formula as well as the shade I received (True Liar). You are not the first blogger to say it migrates or is hard to apply, but on me this honestly works like a charm. The flat side holds less product, so I first go over the edges with that side before filling my lips in. It lasts for HOURS on me, and I’ve never seen anything outside of my natural lip lines (that’s something I can’t stand and will for sure mention in the review).
That’s my beef with liquid lipsticks in general: I find that experience can be very inconsistent. If you buy a Dior Addict or Guerlain Rouge G, there is no surprise there. You know what to expect. With a liquid lipstick, sometimes stuff that works beautifully on others simply doesn’t work for you (I have that problem with GA Lip Maestro. So many people love it, but on me it gets EVERYWHERE). In other words, unless you buy one and give it a proper go, you just wouldn’t know!
Yeah, I have a feeling that the reason I’m not crazy about it is the color. It’s just so bright and… ORANGE! LOL I have seen some other very pretty shades so I admit that I could be well biased. It’s great to know that it works for you Sunny. I guess it’s always a matter of preference and maybe even technique. But since I’ve worked out that I’m not that much of a fan of liquid lipsticks, I can safely say I’ve laid that itch to rest 🙂
The liquid gets everywhere….NOooooo 🙁 I don’t like lipsticks that do that, and I dont see the point in wearing a gorgeous lip but can’t eat or snack.
Exactly! I’d feel so self conscious about eating if I were wearing this, for fear it’d get onto everything!
THANKS for saving me money! I was going to get one, but have been hesitating. PHEW. If you don’t like it, I know I won’t either. You’re the best!
But it might work for you Tracy! 😀 That said, we need another lipstick like a hole in our head eh? 😀
I haven’t try this yet but I’m addicted to liquid lipsticks now. My favs are jeffree star, kat Von d, colourpop, Nyx. I’m lucky that I’m now living in the US I get all those easily. Loves lipsticks that don’t transfer and lasts all day
I’ve heard a lot about Colourpop makeup. So cheap and so pigmented! Seriously stuns me haha! And yes, you are indeed lucky to be where all the makeup action is! 😉