I love getting review samples waaay ahead of their release date as it gives me time to play around with them before committing to an informed opinion on here. However, today I was sent this lovely looking lipgloss and despite only wearing it since this morning I think I’ve already got the 411 to offer you an accurate review! Sometimes you can just tell a product has given you all it’s got – but not necessarily in a bad way. Btw, sorry about the ‘411’ Americanism, 118 118 just didn’t have the same ring to it!
What Max Factor say: “A stunning new collection of high shine lip glosses which combine a unique applicator and glossy, vibrant shades to leave your lips looking more curvaceous and fuller.” From description alone, one could be forgiven for thinking yet another super gloopy, un-fun wearing, sticky hair stuck in your gloss affair, but one would then be wrong! It is actually really light and pleasant to apply, more moisturising than sticky, and provides a pretty, lightly pigmented soft shine to your lips. So possibly the description Max Factor gave was a little misleading.. but in my opinion for the better! It’s always interesting to see how all these new inventions regarding applicators and brushes and so on apparently revolutionise a product. The vibrant curve effect lip gloss claims to have a unique applicator that fits the lip perfectly, including the corners (where the wand tapers in). It is curved, and as I mentioned tapered, and yes it does cleverly apply easily without ever going over my lipline, but essentially it is just a slightly more sophisticated doe foot applicator. There are ten shades in total, each chosen by co-creative designer director Pat McGrath, and they do seem all lovely and highly wearable. However, regarding the one I was sent, ‘Trend Setter’, this product really wasn’t highly pigmented or ‘vibrant’ as the description suggests! There is a slight pink hue to the lips, but possibly because my lips are suuuper pale (like, WHITE) the colour was really nothing and in future I will probably use this on top of a light stain or colour smudged in. However, to its credit there is some vivacity and body due to all the pretty flecks of shimmer the gloss contains, but this is unfortunately only noticable in the evening and is ever so subtle. No biggie though, it is still pretty on its own in its quiet way. So what do I think about Max Factors Vibrant Curve Effect Lip Gloss? Well, there was no vibrant-ness and it wasn’t massively volumising, but it did enhance your lips in a much more prettier natural way (hence the ‘curvaceous and fuller’ claims) and I am actually really grateful it does so so subtly. It is verging on perfect consistency for a gloss (I detest thick, super sticky, yucky glosses!) and I find it really comfortable to wear. It lasts well, and possibly because there is hardly much pigment to transfer it doesn’t transfer much when eating, drinking, etc. Overall, a truly lovely lipgloss but if you’re expecting some full on liquid lipstick POW pigment with glass like shine, you won’t get it here. Although you may instead get a gorgeous gloss that delicately enhances and looks heaps better. Max Factor Vibrant Curve Lip Gloss will be in store from April 2010, priced at £7.99. Lx
