I strongly feel that NYC is a brand that gets overlooked at times because of how cheap the products are. I think people assume that if the products don't cost much then they must not be any good. While yes, some of NYC products do such, they have a vast array of products that are actually fairly good, among them their lipsticks. I was at Target a couple of weeks ago and picked up two lipsticks to try out.
First one is Caramel:
Caramel is part of the Ultra Last collection. I actually purchased it because it reminded me a lot of a lipstick I've got from Lancome called Natural Glimmer. Both are glimmery bronzes that give lips this gorgeous bronzy/metallic glow.
The next one I got was a red called Retro Red:
Retro Red is from the Ultra Moist line. It's a true, blue based red. I picked it up because I don't really have a true red and it looks awesome under a balm in the summer for that super kissable lip look.
Caramel:
It's a bit more orange in real life.
Retro Red:
Some swatches:
L to R, Caramel (light application), Caramel (heavy application), Retro Red.
Caramel:
I applied it very lightly here. It gives my lips this bare sheen that is soooo pretty! It looks amazing with dark bronze eye makeup.
Retro Red:
I applied it lightly over my C. O. Bigelow Rose Balm for a really moist look.
Overall, my experience with NYC lipsticks has almost always been a positive one. Like many women, I've used NYC products since junior high and I'm proud to say that I still like them, haha! That being said, there are a few warnings I'd like to give out in regards to NYC lip products. First off, beware of shimmer. Many of the shades have very frosty finishes so if you're not a fan of the shimmer be careful when choosing a shade. Also, be careful when opening/closing the lipsticks. One of my pet peeves with the packaging is how the actual lipsticks don't retract all the way into the tube. I suppose part of the strategy there is so that consumers can view the shades more accurately. However, it becomes a problem when I'm in a hurry and end up nicking the lipstick when I open/close it. It's not a major inconvenience, but be careful.
On a more positive note, these lipsticks are incredibly pigmented. I'm not really that big a fan of super dark lipsticks, but for around a dollar they really are pretty good. Especially the red, if you look at the swatch above. It's super vibrant, not sheer, like many other discount lipsticks. Also, the price is great if you are looking to experiment with shades. Again, I don't usually wear red lipstick and was looking to experiment with a lip combo for a summery look. I know that I'll probably never finish the tube so spending close to $10 on another drugstore lipstick doesn't make sense to me. It's a great value to be able to try out a shade for around a dollar.
Now, as for the promises the lipsticks make (Ultra Last and Ultra Moist), while they're not amazing, surprisingly they don't all together fail either. The Ultra Last in Caramel lasted almost five hours on my lips. Granted I didn't eat or drink, but that's pretty good in my book. The Ultra Moist lasted less, but that was because I applied it over a balm for a more watered down effect. While both aren't the most moisturizing lipsticks, neither did they dry my lips out. Of the two Retro Red is the more moist. It has a more creamier consistency and goes on smoother. Caramel is a bit drier in texture, but that does help it last longer on the lips. In general, for around a dollar you really can't go wrong trying out a shade or two.
Info:
Price:
Retro Red: $0.97
Caramel:$1.74
Ingredients:
Retro Red: Ricinus Communis(Castor) Seed Oil, Caprylic, Capric Triglyceride, Ozokerite, Euphorbia(Candelilla)Wax, Ethylexyl Palmitate, Ceresin, Ppg-2, Myristyl Ester Propionate, Beeswax, Lanolin Oil, Peg-4, Diheptanoate, Petrolatum, Hexadecene Copolymer, Coperinicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax. Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Fragrance, Propylparaben, Tin Oxide, Silica. May Contain Mica,Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Red Lake 6, Red Lake 7, Red Lake 27, Blue Lake 1, Carmine
Caramel: Ricinus Communis (Castor)Seed Oil,Octyldodecanl, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla)Wax, Tridecyl Stearage, Neplentyl Glycol Dicaprylate, Dicaptrate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacladipate-2, Peg-4 Diheptanotae, Polyethylene, Peg-8 Beeswax, Vp-Hexadecene Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)Seed Oil, Beeswax, Tocopheryla Acetate, Propyparaben. May Also Contain Tin Oxide, Silica. May Contain Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Red 6, Red 7 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Red 27 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Carmine.
Disclosure: The products featured in this post were bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.
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