Review: Revlon Matte Lipsticks in Mauve it Over and Really Red

I know I've been reviewing a lot of Revlon stuff lately, but the sweet people who run it gave me a stash to try out. I was going to review these lippies as part of their entire Matte collection but girls they're so stand-out good they deserve a post of their own!

While the rest of the collection is great these two lipsticks are really something special. Reasonably priced, light and creamy feeling they nevertheless impart a matte finish which, to my surprise I like! The matte finish isn't dry or caked, it has the same natural sheen bare lips with a hint of non-glossy lip balm has. For different reasons the finish flatters differently with each colour.


The shades
I received two shades to try, and may I add they appear to be the nicest two shades out of the four available?

Mauve it over is actually a very neutral shade with enough peachy pink tones to not wash me out. Perfect for day, the matte finish gives is a natural and surprisigingly natural look. These are lips that don't scream for attention, but are pretty polished and professional. While today's beauty world is all about va-va-voom lips there are days when you just want to pull the whole look together without having any one feature stand out by being glossy, shimmery, and pouty.

Really Red is... REALLY RED. Pure va-va-voom. Think Roger Rabbit's girlfriend, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf. This neutral classic red imparts old-time hollywood glamour (that ties in perfectly with my recent love for vintage) with its matte finish. But there's nothing old or dowdy about it's look. There is something about the matte look that makes it even more edgy, not less. This lipstick is vixen come out to play. Slick this on and turn heads all night.

Wear
Although both lipsticks are comfortable and non-drying to wear they do require some prepping ahead of time. While the creamy formula provides some cushioning, filling in lines and giving lips a smoother surface, it can't fully hide flaws the way a gloss or a more shimmery light reflecting lipstick can. So exfoliate lips and slick on some balm, allow it to sink in a little then apply the lipstick.

Mauve it over can be easily applied straight from the tube but for optimal smooth, precise and even coverage, Really Red, like most red lippies require work. Not that much work though. Thanks to its matte formula I find the lipstick can be applied without a liner and it doesn't travel. However I don't have fine lines around the mouth so I can't testify to whether it will stay put on more mature ladies.

The best way to apply Really Red is to apply directly from the tube staying well within the lipline. Then using a lipbrush blend it outwards for a more precise application. Applying directly from the tube makes it hard to be precise. But the brush doesn't pick up this lipstick very well. This way gets the best of both worlds.

Conclusion
If there's one item in the range you must try, this is it. At about RM33 each they won't break the bank and you'll get a quality lippie in a finish you probably haven't got. And of course I recommend Really Red as it's truly special.