A Review of the Lancome Matte Shakers

[gymgirl2]

So I picked up 2 of the Lancome Matte Shakers since they were on sale. Thought I'd give my impression of these especially since the Matte Shakers are still discounted at Sephora.

Matte Shakers - 191 Cherry Leader & 264 Completely Nut!

I've tried the Juicy Shakers before (about 2yrs ago) and didn't like them. I have pigmented lips, so sheer washes of color tend to be pretty pointless, and the Juicy Shakers were basically like putting clear oil on my lips. The Matte Shakers are MUCH more pigmented tho if you don't shake them much, you can keep it sheerer. 

So I'm a bit confused by this product. It says matte, but it never dries down to matte. When you first put it on, it's straight-up glossy. It's a beautiful glossy finish, but these say "Matte" Shakers... It also takes a good 30-40min for it to completely dry-down, and even then it's at best a satin-matte finish. It's not completely transfer-proof, but not that much more than most liquid lipsticks and definitely less than bullet lipsticks. It does leave a nice stain tho (well not the nude shade lol).

Another issue is that the applicator is cumbersome. For the very sheer Juicy Shakers, that's fine and makes sense. But the Matte Shakers are basically like liquid lipsticks, so the wide-tip sponge applicator makes it harder to get a precise line. It's not as difficult as it might seem, but it absolutely could've been easier. If you like the Korean style of makeup where it's pigmented at the lip-center and fades outward, the applicator is alright for that.

I do like the 2 shades I got. I really like Cherry Leader, it's very much a Taylor Swift NARS Dragon Girl kinda vibe. Completely Nut is just a standard beige nude, but it's still nice everyday color. FYI some of the shade descriptions are misleading. 270 Beige Vintage is basically a pinky-rose color. 374 Kiss Me Cherie is more like a deep pink-red or berry-red than brick red. And 186 Magic Orange was the weirdest of them, it was straight-up pink on me. 

Overall if these hadn't been on sale, I would not repurchase them. I find the claims vs the actual functionality to be confusing. Other than the stain aspect, I can get the same effect w/ any other bullet lipstick or lip cream product. And if I do want the stain, I can just go buy Korean brand lip stains (tho the color selection is more limited). 

[WinglessOne]

I almost bought Berry N Clyde last weekend but the applicator stopped me. It looks so unwieldy, especially since it’s attached to a round cap that seems like it’d obstruct my view. Add my small hands to the mix and yeah, it’d be hard for me to get clean lines. 

Also, good to know about the coverage and finish! That’s a bummer because I really like Lancôme’s lacquer glosses—but those are accurately marketed as buildable coverage, and it’s very easy to get full coverage with them. Though I guess Lancôme also calls the matte shakers “buildable,” now that I look at their product description (at their site)... but if it takes more effort to get full coverage, with no matte finish payoff, then these are a pass for me. 

[PinkEvergreen]

I agree 100% with your observations, @gymgirl2. Honestly, I think this product’s format is more appropriate for a younger (teen/pre-teen) audience that isn’t too hung up on precise application — but the price tag sure doesn’t match that!

The matte formula is indeed rather odd. I must admit, though, that their shades are very pretty. I just wish they came with a more precise applicator and dried down more quickly. I purchased shade Energy in Peach and this photo does not do it justice. It’s one of the most unique lip shades I own. That’s the only reason I haven’t decluttered it from my collection! 😌

[gymgirl2]

@PinkEvergreen - I'm' glad I'm not the only that was a bit thrown-off by the packaging lol. I would definitely like these a lot more if the applicator was better. Like the Lancome L'Absolu Lacquers have a nice doefoot, and that's one of my favorite products.