Monday 25 February 2013

comparison post: smashbox limitless lip stain v max factor lipfinity lip stain


Hello again!!! Sorry I haven't been around in a while. Been very busy with coursework deadlines, work and general laziness. Takes up so much time!! 

Anyway, here I am with a lip-stain comparison post. I love love love berry coloured lips - berry lips has been my "thing" for a good few years. Some favourite lipsticks are Rimmel Bordeaux (sadly discontinued, cry cry) and Starry-Eyed. Also, Revlon Black Cherry. Love it! Anyway, I find that lipsticks don't quite cut it when I'm going out - they constantly smudge all over my face and wipe off, leaving a ridiculously unattractive ring around my mouth, I leave prints on glasses and around bottles even when I wet the surface first, and worst of all, I leave red marks all over my boyfriend. He hates it and won't give me kisses when I'm wearing lipstick!!! Due to this, I decided to try some stains! Yay!

I wanted to try one high-end one, and one from the drugstore (Boots). I purchased Max Factor 'Lipfinity' in 06, and Smashbox 'Limitless' in 'Berry'.

Smashbox 'Limitless' on the left, with the balm and Max Factor 'Lipfinity' on the right.

 I was originally going to try the Revlon 'Just Bitten' stains, but I couldn't find a berry coloured one. So I went for the Max Factor 'Lipfinity' in 06, which retails for £7.99. I used that for a couple of days - and HATED it after a while. It looks amazing at first, but after the first couple of uses the colour is nowhere near as pigmented, and is in fact more of a bright fuschia-pink than a deep berry-pink. However, it builds up to quite a nice colour with a couple of applications and I like this about it. As you can see from the swatch photo, this does have quite a gritty texture.
The staying power for this one is okay, it does need reapplication throughout the night and after a drink but holds up fine when eating. It fades evenly all over the lips. It does have a tendency to bleed and feather quite quickly after application, however, as can be seen in the photos.
The packaging is HORRENDOUS. It looks horrific in the picture! I (stupidly) just threw it in my makeup bag after I bought it, and that is what has happened after a couple days of being knocked around in there. Shudder.
It does in fact transfer, it is not completely immovable. I tried the 'kiss test' - where I applied the product, waited for it to dry, and then gave my boyfriend an enormous wet kiss, and it did transfer quite noticeably.

Excuse my lack of makeup! Also, look at how badly this product has bled??
Not a happy bunny

Next up I tried Smashbox's 'Limitless' lipstain with 'Colourseal' balm in the colour 'Berry' - which retails for £18. This applied very neatly which I liked, and was a far deeper, truer red-pink berry colour than the Max Factor one. I liked how it applied, and especially liked how it looked with the balm as it was very drying. It was supposed to have some kind of anti-feather technology thing going on, but of course it did feather a little bit, albeit much less than the Max Factor stain. 
This does tend to migrate to the edges of the lips, which does give that dreaded 'ring' look which I was trying to avoid. Aaaaaah!! 
The pigmentation and lasting power of this product however, is like NO other. I LITERALLY could not get it off!!! No matter how hard I tried I could not get it out of the lines in my lips. It will not move when on your lips either - it doesn't transfer on to food, drinks, or my boyfriend - result!

Foundation smudge on my nose, oh no!

Sleepy cat... Also my teddy bear sneaking in the corner there.
I would probably score both of these lipstains at 7/10. Both of them have their good and bad points. I think I possibly prefer the Smashbox one, but I don't think it's worth paying an extra £10 for. I will however continue to use it on nights out. I would not repurchase either of these and will probably have to continue my quest to find the perfect berry lipstain. Next up on my list is Revlon's Just Bitten Balmstain in 'Crush' I think.

What is your favourite lipstain? Have you tried either of these?



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