Something you may not know about me is that I've had a long running off and on affair with makeup. There will be long stretches of time where I dabble and experiment constantly, making an effort to do my face on a daily basis so I can figure out which colors and formulas work best for me and which aren't doing me any favors...then there will be months where I couldn't care less and go naked faced into the world, for whatever variety of reasons suit at the moment.
While I was living in Korea, a mecca of makeup and skincare, I found myself going a bit more simple with my looks. This was due to a few factors, like being away from my boyfriend (who calls me gorgeous regardless of what's on my face) and feeling less of a need to get dolled up ("who am I trying to impress?") plus feeling a bit frumpy with my hair as it grew out, but also a bit of intimidation when faced with the plethora of items available and my linguistic lacking. My grasp on Korean is abysmal so unless I had my host or my friends along to help play translator I would struggle to communicate what I was looking for in a product... To be honest, though, this was also partially due to the fact I was, simply put, pretty broke in the beginning. Moving overseas is a big change of lifestyle on top of location, and there can be an adjustment period before you settle in and your new paychecks start rolling in that a sense of financial security starts to develop. Once I felt a little more stable in my funds I did eventually begin to dabble a toe in the large and varied most wonderful world of Korean cosmetics... The style of makeup in Korea tends towards a more natural look, too, from what I saw while there. I really enjoyed seeing the different makeup looks the girls I'd draw at Fun Caricature locations would wear, as they often looked put together and pretty but fresh faced, too...a stark contrast to the heavy contour and smokey eyes looks that are so popular here in the US. I love both approaches to makeup, but while living there I tended to stick with a routine of just: BB cream, smidge of eyeshadow (maybe), dash of eyeliner and mascara. The first time I wore a peripera lip stain, about 3 months into my stay, one of my male coworkers asked if I was wearing makeup to work... for the first time. π
(indoor lighting)
So, how does this bring us to American indie makeup brand Sugarpill's lipstick that was developed with the help of Drag Queen (or goddess) Kim Chi?
(with flash)
(indoor lighting)
Well, this lippie, and the Queen, is given the name of Korea's most eponymous food stuff. Spicy, intense, in-your-face and bold, the signature food is a fitting moniker. While I've never watched RuPaul's Drag Race I did some research and I can dig it and have absolutely no problem with any of my pennies going towards Kim Chi's pockets if it meant having this lovely shade! Slay on, Queen.
Review continues after the cut!
And look at those sweet shiny words of encouragement on the box! I don't know about you, but I love free compliments, so having my lipstick calling me a cutie (or Q.T.) just makes me smile. Instant mood boost every time! And then there's the smell... it's described as smelling like a donut, and it's definitely a sweet, sugary scent. My sense of smell is pretty terrible, so this isn't the biggest selling point for me, but I don't hate having a little whiff of something yummy when I can get it! Also, if those chopsticks actually existed I would love to have them. So cute! In fact, I have to say I really adore the packaging and design as a whole. With Kim Chi the name of the lipstick is written on the side of the tube in super shiny gold, and the Sugarpill bleeding heart logo is also fancy in melty gold. The logo is the same on Trinket (review will be coming), with the absence of the lipstick's name on the side of the tube. The lid has a nice feel and clicks shut, so you know it's airtight. I believe Jeffree Star Cosmetics use the same tubes for their liquid lipsticks. This isn't unusual as many companies get their base materials or packaging from the same manufactures, it's the product inside and the branding that will vary.
Oh, hey there~ π
Even the lid of the box the lipstick comes in is flirty and friendly!
In fact, I'm sensing a theme here!
One thing I really like, and respect, is that Sugarpill goes to the effort to have their entire box branded like this. It might seem like a minor detail, but it really makes the whole experience of getting the package in the mail and opening it that much more special. It shows an attention to detail and investment by the company to provide a well-crafted delivery of product to the individual consumer...and it's not exactly cheap, either, depending where the printing is done. The downside of this, compared to other brands who only have the interior of their shipping boxes decorated (like Lime Crime, who's plain white boxes surprise with rainbow insides) or opt not to at all, is that this can advertise your shopping to neighbours if you'd rather not have them knowing what sort of goodies you get in the mail.
Personally, I love it and feel comfortable with our delivery set up to not be terribly worried about my neighbors trying to jack my lipstick.
As for the actual wear of the lipstick and my appraisal of it... It's a beautiful color! I absolutely love wearing it. Sugarpill describes it as "Matte lavender mauve with a subtle, unique blend of transparent aqua and violet sparkles that twinkle brighter as the formula sets! Our creamy, mousse-like formula never feels dry on your lips. Donut scented!" and I think that's pretty accurate. It's a pretty pale shade, in my opinion, and can be a little different for daily wear so I find I don't grab for it as often as I could. A stronger eye game is needed for rocking this color without looking a bit corpselike, I suppose, as even Antho said it made me look undead or icy, which just makes me think of:
or
both of which I am 100% okay with. My love of the CW Flash, and particularly Killer Frost, runs deep. My quest for the perfect Killer Frost lipstick is ongoing, but I digress.
The photo on their website is pretty accurate, though you typically have to expect the company's photos to have the gamma/exposure cranked up and other Photoshop magic possibly applied. Individual lip coloring can also change how the color presents on the lips, so always bear that in mind when shopping online. The formula itself is smooth and creamy, applies easily in one coat without needing much touch up for the first few hours depending on how much you eat/drink/smoke throughout that time. The applicator is easy to use and the longer the formula is on your lips, the more those sparkles will come through! If you're in a hurry you can always run your finger across your lips, but this may negatively impact your overall weartime. It's not the most smudge-proof liquid lipstick I've ever used and I usually find myself reapplying 3-4 hours down the road but the color is close enough to natural that as it fades it's not going to look terrible, so that's pretty nice.
On Halloween I layered Kim Chi over faded L'Oreal infallible Paints in #308 Navy Spy... I found the L'Oreal didn't have much staying power for me, which is a shame because I really love the color. and got a lot of compliments on it while it lasted (this was part of my aforementioned quest for the perfect Killer Frost lipstick). When I mixed the two shades with my fingers, I got this muted periwinkle lip that I definitely love.
Overall I'm glad that I made the jump and got this lipstick. It was one of my first indie purchases and it feels good to support small companies and look good in the process. If you've been eyeballing it, give it a shot! Life is short, let's get colorful. I only deduct half a point for how easily this gorgeousness fades from my face, but to be fair I may have unreasonably high expectations for my lip products.
I give it a 4.5 out of 5
ππππ
XOXO,
NAU
P.S. All products were purchased with my own hard earned money, and all opinions are my own honest thoughts on the products.
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