I can't help it, I'm drawn to Barbie brights. The packaging on this is aesthetically pleasing with a nice satisfying click upon closing and it smells like sweets- yay! The info on the box describes the formula as follows:
"Pamper your lips with rich, silky color and lasting moisturization! This innovative formula with exclusive sila-silk technology is enhanced with silica for exceptional shine and flawless application while vitamin E and Tahitian flower provide non-stop hydration and plush, cushion-like comfort."
I don't know about all this silica business or the Tahitian flower extract (so hard to get enough Tahitian flower extract in your cosmetics these days, I always say) but it does feel quite comforting on- like a slightly creamier version of Vaseline. Unfortunately, pigmentation in this is not superb, when I swatched it on on my hand in the pharmacy, I only did it lightly and the colour was faint enough but I assumed with correct application this wouldn't be a problem. Wrong.
The below swatch involved a serious amount of build up to achieve this colour and even then it wasn't as strong as the colour in the tube:
Boo. So really it's more of tinted gloss than anything (and even at that, you really have to pile it on). You live, you learn. As I was buying this, the kindly (and thankfully, well recovered) pharmacist popped in a sample of the famous Smashbox "Photo Finish Foundation Primer" too:
"Create the perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation to increase its longevity, this unique formula helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for visibly softer skin with a velvety smooth finish."
I will never understand the beauty industries' obsession with reducing pore size, it's not like there's some sort of epidemic whereby women are struggling to walk around because they're so laden down by the crater-size pores on their faces. It just seems like one more thing to try and snare women with and make them feel self conscious about so they'll buy another product they don't actually need. I've definitely been guilty in the past of buying beauty products I don't technically need but that's always been things like lip products (see above) or nail polish and that is purely because, like a magpie, I am drawn to sparkly, shiny things..I can't help it and it makes me momentarily happy, so I don't care! What does bother me is stuff like the above "reduce the appearance of pores"..a Sales Assistant in Brown Thomas stopped me recently to try to sell me a new product for reducing pore size and I said "But I have no need for that- my pores are fine" and she said "well most people think that but actually their pores do need minimizing"...what??!! Based on what research exactly?! No, just no!! Step away from the pore minimizers people! And, breath. You'll be pleased to know that during that rant I only turned green and split my pants for just a few minutes and am now back to normality.
Anyways, although this sample looks teeny, you only need a small amount for under foundation so I've used it about three times now and like it. It applies smoothly and does provide a nice base for foundation so I would use it again but probably not at the moment. I can't use this and my Clarins Bronzing Primer too-that'd be like primer overload and some sort of minor explosion might occur if I did, so I think I'll stick with the Clarins, purely because the good weather is approaching (allegedly) and I require a faint glow for that, which I won't get from the Smashbox. If however, you're looking for a good regular primer that'll increase the wear time of your foundation, this is definitely worth a go.
I'd give that particular shade of their lipstick a miss though!
Beautiful color :)
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