The Matte Matchup - Wear and Compare

In today's Muddle blog I will be doing a wear and compare of four matte liquid lipsticks, looking at how they go on, how they last and wear throughout the day and which ones were the most comfortable to wear.

Here are the four contestants:

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Paris, Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Color in Addiction, Barry M Matte Me Up Lip Paint in Runway and the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Ole Flamingo! They are all touted as long wear liquid lipsticks and are all available at the drug store.  

First up Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Color in Addiction.  

This liquid lipstick goes on very well it has a mousse like formula. The colour is a dark pink/purple that works well on my (some may say) freakishly pale skin.  This formula doesn't dry down completely so it isn't transfer proof but that does make it comfortable to wear.  As it doesn't dry down I was surprised at how well it lasts.  With each lipstick I wore it from the morning through lunch to the early evening.  I had the same lunch each time which was the most amazing sandwich (I mean a huge doorstep sandwich with cheese and salami...so good!!).  This lipstick survived the sandwich test with no need to reapply.  It lost some of the shine but the colour was still there.  This retails for £8.99 so is affordable and definitely worth the money.  

Next up is the Barry M Matte Me Up in Runway. 

This is a pure matte liquid lip paint.  It was probably my favourite lipstick to apply, its the most liquid out of the four tested so is very easy to spread and is opaque on the first application. Runway is a dark mauve colour that flatters most skin types. This formula dries completely, the great thing about this is that it is transfer proof however it is very drying on the lips.  It wore well throughout the day and for the most part survived the sandwich test.  However when I reapplied after eating that did give it a gritty feel, so if you want to reapply it's probably best to wipe off then reapply.  This is a lipstick that I would use on a night out where I know I won't be eating, having worn it since it will last for HOURS so long as you don't need to eat and it won't transfer onto your glass. It retails for £4.99 on the Barry M website and there are corresponding lip pencils to make it easier to get a really sharp line around the lips.  

Number three on the list is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in 

This is another mousse type formula in the colour Paris but this one drys down so the transfer is little if anything.  Despite the fact it dries down the formula is not at all drying and is comfortable to wear.  The colour is a deep pink and complemented my skin tone well.  This one did not fair well with the sandwich test and even transferred onto my chin as I ate, (although that might be the way I eat?! Food is yummy!) but it reapplied very well and lasted well into the evening post sandwich. Out of the four this was my favourite colour by far and it smells amazing like banoffe pie. So while it doesn't last as well as the others it is a joy to use. At £5.50 it is a great liquid lipstick to use and practise with if you are new to bright colours.

Last but not least is the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Ole Flamingo! 

This one by far has the best name.  It comes off more red in the picture above than it is in person as it is more of a pink shade.  This one is also a mousse like formula and is very comfortable to wear, not at all drying.  it survived the sandwich test well with only a little loss of colour.  This one, for the most part, dries down and there is little if any transfer.  The nice thing about this formula is that if you are not so keep on crazy bright colours and want something more subtle Bourjois also do a less intense matte lip cream with a similar formula that lasts called Souffle De Velvet.  So there really is something for everyone in this line.  This retails at £8.99 so is absolutely value for money.

Okay so here is the compare part. 

On first application my favourite is the Revlon.  It is smooth with a little bit of a shine.  Closely followed by the Bourjois. These two were so comfortable to wear it and felt smooth on application I loved them. The Barry M is the easiest to apply but is the most uncomfortable of the four. Finally the NYX, this is easy to apply and has a slight shine until it has dried down completely.

In terms of wear-ability and last-ability here is the rundown.

Revlon and Bourjois are at a dead heat on this one, however the Bourjois just pips the Revlon to the finish line as it is pure matte and is less likely to transfer on your glass.   I am in two minds about the Barry M lip paint. While it is transfer proof it isn't the most comfortable to wear and reapplying it is a pain if you don't want that gritty feeling. However it does stay in place better than any of the others but only if you are not eating. The NYX I have a real soft spot for, the colours in this range are amazing are great and the smell is just wonderful, so while it doesn't last as well as the others I am giving this the award for the most fun! 

In terms of which one you should buy that depends on what you are looking for.  The best all rounder is the Bourjois, it is matte, it lasts, its comfortable with little or no transfer.  If you want something that is not quite matte that is a little more moisturising then the Revlon or the NYX is your buy, if you want those things with a long lasting effect then Revlon over the NYX. Finally if you like a super matte finish that is budge proof (unless you are eating) then the Barry M Matte Me Up is your go to.  

As always I hope this helps, should you have any hints or tips don't forget to comment below.