Lipstick, like blush and foundation, is a bit of a weakness of mine. I love checking out new formulations on offer, although I’ve learned since that I much prefer solid lipsticks, and I like certain textures better than others. It allows me to not make costly errors the way I used to before!
When I started out using lipstick, I preferred the lighter, moisturising balm-textured lipsticks. I still like them, but these days, I find myself busting out the creamy, opaque textured ones more. They last longer on lips, they aren’t too glossy, but they aren’t flat and matte either. They are, in the words of Goldilocks, just right! 😀 I call them my adult lipsticks – good for adulting 😀
As many of you know, my tastes in makeup tend to run to the higher end brands, so after playing the field, here are 5 creamy lipsticks worth splurging on! 😀
I’ll link to the individual reviews of the lipsticks, so you can read more if you want, or see what they look like when worn. Do note that while red dominates as a shade (it’s one I wear often) I’m not picking out any shade in particular. My focus is on the particular brand and texture. So here we are, in no particular order 🙂
Guerlain Rouge G (Review of one of the shades) – RM229 | US$54
Do note that the local price is the last known price that I have from about 6 months back. I believe it’s gone up now, and quite possibly breached the RM200 mark, which is a mind-blowing amount of money to spend on one lipstick. I checked the price in store. Holy mother of…. It’s RM229 now, up from RM195 when I bought my last one. It’s a mind-blowing amount of money and I don’t know how I can justify another, except to remember that it’s worthy of a splurge!
Why it’s worth the splurge: The hefty metal packaging with the handy flip up mirror in the lid is a God-send. I used to make fun of it, but since I found myself caught out without a mirror, I’ve grown to appreciate it. This is one of the most useful lipsticks to carry in a tiny clutch for touch-ups because of the handy mirror, and naturally, because of how beautiful it looks!
The texture is creamy yet stays in place for hours, going on practically opaque in 1 swipe. It feels comfortable on lips without drying it out, bleeding or feathering, and the intensity of the colours are flattering for all ages, without being garish. The major drawback is the scent which is rather strong, but I forgive it even that.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy (Review of lipstick) – RM103 | US$30
Estee Lauder hit the spot when they revamped the Pure Color range to the Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick. The packaging is solid and sleek yet simple, and for the quality, the price isn’t as eye-watering as other high-end brands.
Why it’s worth the splurge: These Pure Color Envy lipsticks glide on lips like butter! The pigment is intense, with a nice range of shades to suit almost everyone. The colours last long without wearing off unevenly, and they do not dry out my lips one bit. It’s lightweight and comfortable and a beautiful way to ease into the world of creamy lipsticks, or even red lipsticks for that matter! The packaging could look a little plain, and the magnetic cover can fall off in your bag if you’re not careful. But texture-wise, it’s sublime.
Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color (Review of lipstick) – RM107 | US$35
Creamy, oh so creamy! That describes best the luxurious texture of the Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color lipsticks. It was after I tested these and fell in love, that I had the idea to do this little compilation!
Why it’s worth the splurge: The texture, hands down, is one of the creamiest I’ve come across, yet stays put on lips. Creamy lipsticks sometimes travel a little or bleed or feather, but these don’t. They just glide on, going on opaque with 1 swipe, and stay put as long as you want them to. I can wear them through meals with little wear! They don’t wear unevenly, nor do they leave the dreaded ring around the lips. The range of colours is very impressive, and while I’m not so crazy about the bling gold packaging, I’m in LOVE with the texture. I need more, and I don’t say this lightly! The price isn’t too eye-watering either, which is why I kicked off with the Guerlain LOL! 😀
Swatches of the 5 creamy lipsticks I’ve featured. All made with just 1 swipe of the bullet down my arm. The intensity, opacity and creaminess is sublime and that’s why these 5 creamy lipsticks are worth splurging on!
NARS Audacious Lipsticks (Review of lipstick) – RM100+ | US$32
I don’t have the latest price hence pricing it at RM100+ When it was first launched, they were RM95 but that was 2 years ago, and prices have gone up since. It seems that after the initial frenzy, when everyone and their mother was blogging and Instagramming about the NARS Audacious, people seem to have forgotten about them. Is that the case? Haha Let me remind you then!
Why it’s worth the splurge: The colours. That’s a good enough reason to check out the NARS Audacious lipsticks because the colours on offer are very impressive. The packaging too deserves mention, as it’s sleek, magnetic and importantly NOT rubbery. Ugh, NARS, change your dumb packaging! The texture of the lipstick is creamy and opaque, but compared to many other creamy lipsticks, tend to be a little drier, so some people do find these rather drying. They are also a semi-matte texture compared to the others featured here, but they don’t dry my lips the way matte lipsticks do, and they stay on without wearing off unevenly. That’s very important when you’re wearing a bold shade of lipstick!
Givenchy le Rouge lipstick (Review of lipstick) – RM130 | US$36
When I found myself wearing this almost daily, and toting it about in my bag, I knew it was a keeper, and I knew I’d found a grown-up lipstick to love! While still pricey, unlike many Givenchy products, this is still within a manageable price-range, and the leather packaging is quite something!
Why it’s worth the splurge: How many lipsticks out there wear studs and leather? None I warrant, except the Givenchy le Rouge! I love the tactile feel of the leather cover, but then I love the feel of leather. The lipstick is beautifully creamy and opaque, yet I find it tends to set a little semi-matte satin on my lips. It isn’t drying and stays put well, which is important for me. I don’t like my lipsticks fading without my realising, which is very unflattering. This doesn’t. It took me a little while to warm up to this one, but I’m now in love with it. I have to be, it practically LIVES in my bag! 😀
Creamy Lipstick Round-up
Don’t make me choose, because there’s a reason I picked these 5. They are a splurge, and one or two of them might deal your wallet a serious dent, but I promise you that they are all worth it, if you like, or want to try a creamy textured lipstick. You know, for those times when you need to feel like a grown-up 😉
But if you make me choose, I’d actually do either the Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy or Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color first, because they have no scent, and have a lovely creamy texture and a good range of shades to pick from. They are also the more affordable of the 5 featured.
If you just got a promotion or a raise or want to buy something to celebrate, then go for the Guerlain Rouge G because the price is so eye-watering, it’s not something you can plop down cash for any day. The Givenchy le Rouge and NARS Audacious would be for those who prefer a less glossy, creamy lip but yet want something opaque and long-lasting. Both of these have a semi-matte, satin texture that stay put better without travelling.
Before anyone asks, I’d like to mention Tom Ford and Burberry, 2 more high-end brands that have creamy lipsticks that I’ve tried. However, they do not make my cut because after owning 2 Tom Ford lipsticks, I’m not as impressed with them as I should be. The colours are beautiful and so is the texture, but I feel that for the price (US$52), there’s little more going for it, so in that price category I’d pick Guerlain Rouge G. As for Burberry, I believe they’ve recently revamped their lipstick range which I haven’t tried. However, I had a very poor experience where I found their lipstick going off and turning bad within 6 months and that was just not on. So, I’m biased against Burberry unless I’m proven wrong in future (I’m unlikely to ever purchase another).
Do you enjoy wearing creamy lipsticks? Do you have a favourite that I may not have included in my list?
I don’t profess to having experienced all the creamy lipsticks out there, so if you have one that you love, please let me know so I can go out and sample it! If you disagree with my picks, feel free to share your thoughts too! Always interesting to hear what others have to say 😀 Oh, and if you have ideas on what other kind of round-ups you’d like to see, holler! I’ll try to oblige 😀
Paris B
Thanks for this review as I must have missed out on your review of the Bobbi Brown lipsticks in April. I have the previous formula in black which is lying somewhere in my stash unused for a long time. Must be because I bought the wrong colour and I found the formula to sticky. LOL. I must check this out since you mentioned that they have a wide range of colours. I somehow could not find a nice shade from Estee Lauder’s Pure Colour Envy lipstick although I really wanted to get one after your review earlier. The colours all seemed too dark? Maybe I am mistaken but after testing the colour at the counter in Sogo, I never bothered to look at it anymore.
My favourite lipstick at the moment in terms of colour, stay on power, opaqueness, etc is Clinique Pop Lip Colour. I also still like Shiseido’s lipsticks but I find that it tends to bleed. The Dior Addict lipstick that I bought last year (I think they reformulated the texture and casing?) has actually broken. Sob..Sob..and I really don’t know what happened. I keep my lipsticks pretty well and my previous Dior Addict lipsticks never broke and I used them until it finishes. So I am guessing the formula is the problem. Suffice to say, I am never buying them again as after spending RM100++ on a lipstick, you hope it stays in good condition especially if you don’t even use it everyday.
Glad you enjoyed this Victoria, and that you discovered other lipsticks/posts you might have missed! 😉 I have tried the regular Bobbi Brown lipstick in the black case, but I was singularly unimpressed. It’s dry, drying and the colours are dull. Pure Color Envy does have some lighter shades but you are right, the opacity makes them appear deeper/brighter than they look in the tube. Still, there are lots of options out there and Bobbi Brown Luxe just might be it for you! 😉
Thanks for reminding me about the Clinique Pop lip! I’d forgotten haha! I think I was ok with them, but not terribly sold. Still, it’s always nice to hear what others think, because I’m not always right! And the new formula Dior might have broken because of the softer core. The one with the logo in it. I absolutely detest the new formula so I’m not even going near it. Wait till Peter Philips leaves, then maybe I’ll take a look at the brand again LOL! 😉
Your picks are on point, I love Guerlain and NARS and agree that their formula is one of the best. I also love Burberry for their opaque and creamy formula.
Glad you agree Jacq! 😀 I was not impressed with my one experience with Burberry so I had to discount it. I do remember that it was quite lovely at the beginning though, and their colours are quite safe and flattering. It’s interesting how everyone seems to agree about Guerlain – a true mark of a star product!
Ooh, I missed your reviews of the Givenchy and Nars Audacious lipsticks! I have my eye on a Bobbi Brown lippie next, but I need to use up a few lipsticks first…
Glad to have pointed you in the direction of posts you might have missed! 😉 They’re all nice, and I hope you get your BB Luxe soon – it’s lush!
Totally agree about rouge gs – they are such gorgeous lippies. What is the colour of the one you’ve watched above? I hope I’m not being blind and missing the obvious!
I didn’t specify the colour, so you’re not blind! 😉 The shade I featured is a limited edition one from Christmas 2015 Merveilleux Rose lipstick, but if you like the shade, check out Georgia in the permanent range. Happy that you too agree about the sublime quality of the Rouge G! 😀
PB, The prices……oh the prices! How can anyone justify the 200 Ringgit price tag for a lipstick? I would by in a heartbeat if I loved the color enough for sure but when you lay down the numbers like that, it looks rather scaryyy! But I’m off the hook for now…..stopped wearing lipstick on a daily basis for over 6 months since I had a bout of sensitivity to either lipstick or something I ate. I have been eliminating this and that until I found the culprit which was not lipstick however, seems so liberating to go to work everyday with eyes and cheeks done but with a slick of lipbalm only!
In this day and age, with all the rising prices around us, I have to say that it’s harder to justify a RM200 lipstick than it would have been a few years back, when it was about RM180 I think? Sure, still expensive, but didn’t break the mental barrier of RM200 yet! So sorry to hear about your lip allergy! 🙁 What a bummer! That said, there are lots of nice tinted lip balms around these days if you’d like a spot of colour, and there’s something just as beautiful about sheer, glossy lip shades! 😉
I have worked with Guerlain in the past and own quite a few products (thankfully :))
Rouge G is undoubtedly one of the best lipsticks available these days.
Oh you’ve worked with Guerlain! Lucky! 😀 Thank you for affirming my pick of the Rouge G! 😉
hi! love your selection of lippies. i bought the guerlain rouge lipstick a while back to fulfil some beauty vouchers. while i agree with your pointers, i find the colour to be too pigmented and opaque for me. i’m terrified of applying it outside my lips because it doesnt wipe off easily. and i have thick lips so the opaque-ness makes it look thicker ? it’s loiterly expensively inside my drawer now ?
i rediscovered an old love the other day – chanel rouge allure in emotive. it’s the perfect orangey red that complemented my skin tone perfectly. i was pretty young when i first bought it and couldnt face how old it made me look. many years later, i cant believe how radiant and youthful it makes me look ? and yes, some of my lippies have been with me for years and im still using them ?
Hi Nicole, glad you enjoyed this post! 😀 Guerlain Rouge G does go on very strong, I’d agree. Did you try picking a lighter shade? Unless you’re into the bright colours like I am, I find that in opaque and pigmented lipsticks, a lighter shade is usually easier to handle and sometimes, even more flattering. Another way you can get the Guerlain to work for you is to just dab it on, not slick it on, then put a bit of balm on your finger and spread it out. That way you get a lighter, sheerer shade that might work better, and your lovely Rouge G won’t go to waste hiding in your drawer 😀 Thank you also for reminding me about Rouge Allure. For some reason, I never quite liked them. Oops! But am happy to know that your past self was far-sighted enough to pick a colour that your present self now loves! 😀 I say that if it doesn’t smell or look funky, go ahead and use it – I do too! 😉
Ah Rouge G, that metal case can double as a weapon i tell yah and they had indeed raised red flags at a couple of airports. So now they stay home. For convenience the plastic tube BB Hollywood Red takes its place in my satchel these days.
I have not seen you review D&G lipsticks; their classic cream red lipsticks are lovely. They came with a very ‘ 70’s lipstick’ smell at first but I soldiered on and got used to it. I love the creamy formula. Scarlett and devil are my favorites. Another top shelf is Rouge Armani. Love the 400s.
Haha Oh yes, that case sure gives new definition to the word “lipstick bullet”! 😀 I actually haven’t tried any D&G makeup so I haven’t had the luxury of testing their lipsticks. I remember they were quite popular a few years back, but no one seems to mention D&G anymore so I wasn’t even sure that they’re still around! In fact, I’d forgotten until you mentioned them haha! 😀 Oh and Rouge Armani! *smacks forehead* How could I forget the GA lipsticks! I must agree with you about how sublime they are, but gosh, I must have kept them too safely… I wonder where my GA lippes are?! LOL! 😀
ermm…coughh..yes..my D&G and GAs are not new…cough..
But hey, I don’t share my lippies, so if there are cooties, they are MY cooties.
Amen to that! My cooties are fine with me 😀
Bobbi Brown Luxe are very creamy indeed! The Marc Jacobs Le Creme lipsticks are good too. I find the NARS one not as good as the rest though. I have 3 of them, and I like them very much, but they lack the slip that you find from the rest you mentioned here. I have 2 Guerlain Rouge G and I won’t be purchasing anymore because a) the price and b) the hefty packaging actually bothers me after a while, even though it’s handy to have a built in mirror! 😀
I just got my first Le Marc, and you’re right. It is creamy, but I also found it drying 🙁 The Nars ones are certainly drier in texture. I don’t find them drying once on, but it can sometimes take a little bit of work to get the colour applying smoothly. Maybe I don’t use it enough 😛