If you really want to make a bold statement with your lips that will have people doing double takes when they see you, black lipstick is the way to go. It’s the easiest way to turn up the drama in any kind of makeup look and it’s universally flattering.
But when you live in the Philippines and your choices are pretty limited, how do you find the perfect black liquid lipstick for your preference and budget?
You don’t need to go out and buy each and every one to test out, because I already did that for the sake of this review. Here, I’m featuring six different lipsticks at varying price points that I’ve been testing out extensively.
Before I get into it, I will say that all these are matte liquid lipsticks that go on wet and dry down to a matte finish. I only wear liquid lipsticks as I like long-lasting formulas that don’t make a mess like a bullet lipstick usually does. All products were purchased by me as well. Swatches of each lipstick are below (I'd post lip swatches but they all really look the same on my lips):
J. Cat Beauty Lipfinity Matte Lip – Wild Limo Rides
Arguably the most affordable liquid lipstick I could get from an international cruelty-free brand, I’m actually pretty impressed with the way this product performs. You will need to build up this product as it goes on really sheer with one layer. But it builds up beautifully and lasts through eating and drinking.
I also really like the wand shape because it’s a little longer than the usual doe foot applicator and has a less severe tapered end, so you can easily line and get your desire lip shape done a lot quicker. It also has a rather interesting smell to it, like a candy or a jam.
If you want to increase the wear time of this product (though 10 hours with minimal fading isn’t so bad), I suggest you wipe off any type of lip balm or gloss you have before you put this on. While some liquid lipsticks aren’t too affected by a slightly glassy base, this is one is. So if you’d like it to be completely kiss-proof, I suggest you try it that way.
Where to get it:
(As of posting this, Wild Limo Rides is sold out on both outlets)
J Cat. Beauty Store branches: Gateway Mall
Uptown Bonifacio
Ayala Malls Vertis North
Ayala Malls the 30th
Detail MakeOver Matte in Detail – Shadow D24
Hurray for a local brand deciding to create a liquid lipstick line with a black shade! While I do have several lipsticks from Vice Cosmetics and BLK Cosmetics, they’re all neutral shades. Detail MakeOver managed to include bolder shades in addition to more work-friendly or nude colors, which is really admirable. The price point is also awesome for the quality of the formula that you get as this is the most affordable option in this list.
Shadow is a pretty opaque color and you don’t really need to build it up to get the full intensity of the color. It’s a typical doe foot applicator, which I don’t really have a problem with. If you happen to like fruity smells for your lip products, you’re in luck because Detail MakeOver liquid lipsticks has a nice melon scent to them.
However, it comes in a square-shaped tube like the Jouer liquid lipsticks, and the sharp edges can cut you. So, do be careful with that.
I will say that it doesn’t dry down to a soft and powdery finish, it has a bit of shine to it and is rather tacky. While you can kiss your hand or tap it with your fingers without getting any sort of transfer, you can't smack your lips without it sticking to itself. It stays on when you eat something like a cake or a sandwich, but it does melt and wear off if you drink something hot.
Where to get it:
Watsons Department Store
Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip – Friday
This was my first black liquid lipstick ever. It came in the Moment of Weekness bundle that Colourpop released in early 2017 and I was able to get it individually. At the time, this was the only black liquid lipstick that was accessible to me, and I got it because I like the Colourpop formula enough and enjoy watching ItsBlackFriday on YouTube.
Sometime in late 2016, Colourpop did say that they reformulated their Ultra Matte Lip formula to be less drying, after many complained of its formula but lauded the array of shades. This is made in the new formula so it’s definitely a lot more comfortable and still has a matte finish. Unfortunately, it isn’t as transfer-proof as the old formula, and it does smear everywhere. I suggest you don’t kiss anyone when you’re wearing this lipstick.
It was a good liquid lipstick at the time, but I have since found better formulas so I wouldn’t say that this is the best one out there. Though if you prefer a more comfortable-wearing lipstick than a long-lasting one, this is a really good option.
Where to get it:
(Individual Lipstick)
(Moment of Weekness Bundle)
Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit – Dead of Knight
This was a limited-edition color that the brand released in 2016. I didn’t think it would still be available here in the Philippines by this time but after a quick search on Shopee, I snatched one up. This is a pretty nice formula, it goes on opaque and is pretty comfortable. It’s slightly sticky though, like the Detail MakeOver lipstick. It also smells like cake.
Here’s my gripe with this product, it was specifically made so it can’t be worn on its own. If you look at the doe foot applicator, you can see that the bristles are pretty long. It almost looks like a mascara wand. Since they’re so long and stiff, it makes it hard to get a nice clean line on your lip. You end up having to fix the lines several times until you end up with a lip shape you don't like because it leaves these little wisps or notches outside of the line you create.
I have found that I have to use the lip liner that comes with this so I can line my lips first and then fill in the rest with the lipstick so the messy lines won’t be obvious. I’d also like to add that the lip liner that came in this kit is more wood than product. So that’s really annoying. I feel like I got scammed with this product.
Where to get it:
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick – Witches
This was actually the second black liquid lipstick I ever bought, so please know that I had this way before the conundrum that happened with this brand. After all, this liquid lipstick formula made it a lot of people’s holy grail product and I wanted to see if the brand liquid lipstick well. I already had “Exorcism” and “Vampira” before I bought it, both dark colors too. Since I found the wear time on both those colors to be decent enough, I thought, why not?
So this is why not: This black is even worse than those other two colors. In the first place, I don’t really call the formula everlasting to begin with. It’s comfortable to wear and transfer-proof but it still comes off as the day goes by, even if you don’t eat or drink anything hot or greasy. That can make constant touch-ups quite annoying.
Also, the length of the wand itself is another issue for me. It is around 3.5 inches long, which is longer than standard wand lengths like those from Colourpop (approx. 2.8 inches). Moreover, the wand on the Detail Makeover lipstick is around 2.4 inches. A longer wand length is usually not beginner-friendly because it's hard to control how you put the product on when your hand is pretty far from your lips. That's not really something you want for your first black lipstick.
Where to get it:
Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint – Uninvited
This is the newest addition to this black liquid lipstick collection. I admit that I’ve mostly avoided this brand since it seems to cater to more to people who prefer a more natural-looking and neutral makeup look. Though with recent releases, I noticed that the brand is getting more into fun, bright colors. When I saw that a black shade was being added to their liquid lipstick line, I immediately jumped on it.
I would like to mention that you need to be careful with the tube because it's made of glass and is also heavy. As for the applicator, it has an interesting and somewhat suggestive shape. But it does make putting the product on a bit easier because it does fit into the little contours of your lips. You use the tip to line the outside and put the curve of your lips into the dip on the side of the applicator to fill them in.
Fenty Beauty claims that it has one-stroke intensity and 12-hour matte wear...I think both are rather exaggerated. I found that I still need two layers of this product to make it completely opaque. This feels like a liquefied matte bullet lipstick because it's really sticky and it's not transfer-proof at all.
It also only really lasts long with lip liner or foundation that has been set with powder as a base. I would not really call this a product you can use just by itself, and that disappoints me.
Where to get it:
My Final Thoughts
Finding the perfect black liquid lipstick can be really hard. I’d be lying if I said that I found my perfect liquid lipstick because I really haven't. Of these six products, the lipsticks I wear the most are from J. Cat Beauty, Detail MakeOver, and Kylie Cosmetics - in that order. I won't necessarily call any of them holy grail products just yet because the search is still ongoing. Though hopefully, this post will guide you and help you find a black liquid lipstick you'll love.
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