It seems to me like the beauty industry is trying to take lipstick to another level lately. Over the last few years, we’ve made the leap from cream lipsticks in bullets to liquid lipsticks that require chemist-grade solvents to remove. Eyeshadows are now available in everything from cream to gel to soufflé (not even kidding). Don’t even get me started on BB, CC, and DD creams… because I’m not entirely sure I know the difference.
Now, we’re seeing another beauty trend from Korea sneaking over to the states. This time, it comes in the form of a powder – a lipstick powder.
Melting Lip Powder by CLE Cosmetics, $19.99
A few brands have lip powders, with the most easily-found being California-based CLE (Creative Lass Esthetic) and Korean brands Touch in Sol and RiRe.
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Maybe you’ve seen this “gradient lip” K-beauty look before: smooth, bare-looking skin and flesh-toned lips with only a popsicle stain of color in the inner rim. At first, it looks really avant garde, but after you see it a few times, it starts to look really fresh and youthful. That’s the beauty ideal behind K-beauty, after all: bright youthfulness.
This Korean beauty look focuses highly pigmented color in two places: the lips and cheeks. Conveniently, these lip powders are suitable for both the lips… and the cheeks. It really is a beautiful look, and a gorgeous way to highlight your features with bright color.
RiRe Lip Powder, $12.87
RiRe is the least expensive of the lip powders that I’ve found, the other two cost around $20 per color while RiRe is around $12 per color.
It’s worth noting that the Touch in Sol Chroma Lip Powders claim to leave a matte, stained finish that has no transfer when touched. Reviewers say that the lip stain eventually starts to move if you lick your lips a lot, but that it was otherwise budge-proof.
You apply lip powders just like a regular liquid lipstick, on a doe foot wand applicator. Once it’s on your lips, the formula becomes emollient and it sinks into your lips creating a rich stain. After that, you can top it with a gloss or leave it matte and bare.
Dot the applicator on the apples of your cheeks and blend with your fingers to use it as a cheek tint. Lip powders use the temperature of your body to melt the various solids in the formulas, making them easy to blend.
Touch in Sol Chroma Lip Tint Powders, $20
If you were to judge this type of product solely on the reviews its garnered on Sephora and Amazon, you might not end up purchasing it. I’m not sure if the disappointment in lip powders is because this beauty look is pretty far from Western beauty standards… or if it’s actually because the product is difficult to work with.
As for my take – I’m on the fence. I love this K-beauty trend and the gradient lip, and it looks gorgeous in photos. I’m not sure it’s an everyday-ready look. Maybe I’ll try it for a review here, but I’m scared to wear it in my small, island town! What do you think?