Beauty Product Battles, Throw Downs and Showdowns

[itsfi]

Ready to pit some beauty products against each other? Can't decide which of your mascaras, lipsticks, hair masks, eye creams, vanilla scents, etc. reign supreme? I don't know about you but I love hearing about how products compare with one another, and which products come out on top when going head-to-head in a dual.  Share your beauty battles here and let's see which of our product(s) come out on top! 

If you have two or more similar products you're testing out or have been wanting to compare against the other to see which performs better for you, put them to the test. So that we can all join in on the fun and learn from your experiment, let us know what product(s) you'll have face off against each other and who comes out victorious, and any other details you'd like to share. 

[itsfi]

@PDXXXX, lol, I remember trying to get the product out of Tarte honeysuckle the first time and thinking I’d been clicking away for a while. 😂 It’s a pretty color. The Lawless plumping glosses are among my favorites when it comes to lip plumping products - the effects are good and the tingling is not too much.

Thanks for the swatches - Kosas Revealed is more pigmented than I thought it would be. 

[PDXXXX]

So it looks like we have another red lip showdown: this time, the hunt for a matte brick red edition...

I've been wanting a good dark brick red and in the past month or so have bought two new lipsticks (The first DIOR Rouge Dior Forever Transfer-Proof Lipstick 866 - Forever Together, the second NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment Vain ) and one new liner NARS Precision Lip Liner Mariachi as part of that hunt.

Here is how they swatch out:

As you can see these practically look like the same color. Yet, they worked very differently on me.

My favorite of the three in terms of shade - the NARS Power Pigment in Vain-  is my least favorite in terms of application, bleeding, smearing, etc. The Dior was lovely, don't get me wrong, it's just more sheer and not as concentrated as the NARS leading to a brighter, lighter color on the lip. The NARS liner, however, is a great staple. I can see using it with a lot of reds and even on its own.

Anyway here is my favorite - The NARS; if this shade reminds you of any you may have and love puh-leeze let me know, I would love the suggestions!

[peculiarzmakeup]

Amazing throw down I love how you mentioned they look the same shade but how they worked differently I think that is such a helpful thing to think about in terms of selecting the best fit. I love how you were able to notice the differences and what works best for you. The look is gorgeous I love that lippie on you! I loved reading on your process of selecting and the winner looks amazing and hopefully feels amazing too! Great throw down ❤️❤️💄 @PDXXXX 

[PDXXXX]

@peculiarzmakeup you are always such a sweetheart, thank you! I'm so sad I found a color I love in a formulation I'm not crazy about but think I will play with the Dior layered over the lip liner and see where I land. Lipstick has never really been a staple for me so I love reading all the lipstick comps here as I'm warming up to it (yours are great as we're both into those peachy tones, now I just need to get brave enough to try lipstick more often). I don't know what's with the current red lip obsession, lol. Figure I'll just go with it within reason. Hope your weekend is off to a good start 🙂

[peculiarzmakeup]

Aw thank you, so are you! I hope your weekend is going well as well 🙂 it seems to be a theme currently reds are very pretty! I am the same with lip stuff it’s trial and error for me I like how everyone has their unique take on lippies, such a neat throw down you did ❤️ @PDXXXX 

[itsfi]

NARS Vain looks stunning on you @PDXXXX. I feel like YSL had a similar lipstick shade but I think they’ve discontinued it. I can’t find it online. 😞 Will keep an eye out for something similar. 

[PDXXXX]

Thank you @itsfi. It's so hard to fall in love with a color but not the formula (as I know you know from your own red lip battles)!

[PrettyPaint]

That's beautiful on you @PDXXXX 

[PDXXXX]

Thank you so much @PrettyPaint !

[itsfi]

Battle of the Red Lipsticks, Round 2  

Round 2 focused mainly on liquid lipsticks, but I included a gloss and a balm just in case the liquid lipsticks were too drying for me (they were not - these are the newer class of liquid lipsticks that are less drying than the first ones that were popular in 2015? 2016?). It's been almost 2 weeks since I've been rotating these red lips into my makeup routine for this showdown.

Armani Beauty Lip Maestro Liquid Matte Lipstick (in shade 524)

Chanel N°1 de Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm 01 Red Camellia 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper Hot Cherry 

Gucci Transfer-Proof Matte Liquid Lipstick 25* Goldie Red 

GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI I’m Still Here Longwear Clean Matte Liquid Lipstick Original Recipe (gratis)

My comments on these reds are broken down into two groups - my thoughts before and after the throw down. "Before" thoughts are before swatching the product (as that is part of the throw down process for me), so the “before” is likely based those are mainly based on the product in the tube / jar, etc. and/or if I’ve used the product before this battle, any impressions formed then. 

These are my bare lips, after Rhode unscented (and untinted) lip treatment applied and absorbed, skincare and makeup (except for lips).

Spoiler

Armani Lip Maestro Velvet Liquid Lipstick 524:

💄  Pre-Throw Down Impression: It's deeper and rosier than most of the handful of reds in my collection. It being deeper in hue held promise for my lips, which naturally have more pigment to them, as did the rosier undertones. Maybe this should be in a rose lippie showdown and not this red one? 🤔

💋  After Throw Down Thoughts: A smidge rosier than red but I actually really like this one. 

Chanel N°1 de Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm 01 Red Camellia:  

💄  Pre-Throw Down Impression: In its jar, the Chanel N°1 de Chanel Lip and Cheek Balm 01 Red Camellia looks like maybe a smidge deeper than a  classic, true red. 

💋  After Throw Down Thoughts: The swatch of this one was not promising. It's more pinky/rosy on my lips than I thought it would be (both based on the color in the jar and swatch). It’s grown on me with a couple of uses and a like for now. 

Fenty Lip Plumper Gloss Bomb Hot Cherry 01:

💄  Pre-Throw Down Impression: This is @Guessgal  approved. Hoping the sting from the plumping effect isn't too much. 

💋  After Throw Down Thoughts: The level of sting has varied on each wear. While noticeable each time, it's not too overwhelming. I don't think I'd purchase a full size - I have more than enough of the mini/deluxe sample size to last me. 

Gucci Transfer-Proof Matte Liquid Lipstick 25* Goldie Red:

💄  Pre-Throw Down Impression: I wanted to like this one but after the first round, it was in the hot seat. 

💋  After Throw Down Thoughts:  I love the color as swatched; on me, it's alright, but not my favorite. Also on me, it's prone to bleeding and is fussy to apply.

GXVE Original Recipe:

💄  Pre-Throw Down Impression: I was pleasantly surprised by this one when I received it as part of a gratis package. It was one of my favorite products from the gratis. 

💋  After Throw Down Thoughts: This still performs well. The undertones in this one suit me and it applies better on me than the Gucci (to my great surprise). It passed my Covid-19 mask test when I first received it and it passed my ramen test this go around. 😉
photo from when I first received the lipstick. I forgot to take a pic of it this round.

Final Results:

Spoiler

All but the Gucci liquid lipstick stays. Whaaaat?!! 😳 

It's a Gucci. True.

I love Gucci products. Also, true.

This one, however, didn't apply or wear as well on me as I would like. This one is a beauty. It's just not a great fit for me. Going to see if anyone I know wants it (despite my having used it multiple times straight from the tube); if not, I'll figure out a way to rehome it. 

This does mean I will be revisiting the other Gucci liquid lipsticks in my collection - I have 2 (maybe 3) others. It may just be this Goldie Red from the collection that is fussy. 

Okay, it's just the lipsticks left to be tested as far as the initial group of reds - I started out with 8 red lip products originally - 2 were part of the first round of testing and were easy picks for the "yes" bucket, so Round 3 of the red lipstick throw down will involve the remaining 6 lipsticks. I'll aim to post by Thanksgiving but it could be earlier - if I keep up at this current clip, I could be done with the third round a few days before Thanksgiving. 

[PrettyPaint]

Original recipe is really lovely on you @itsfi. Before reading your post, I thought for sure the Gucci was going to win! 🙂

[itsfi]

I have another red from Gucci @PrettyPaint; it’s a deeper, more neutral to cool toned red, so I’m hoping that one performs better. 🤞🏼🤞🏼 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi I hope you like it! I don't know if I've found my perfect red yet, but I tend to gravitate toward cooler-toned reds.

[itsfi]

Do you have a finish you prefer @PrettyPaint? Matte? Liquid lipstick? Satin? Gloss? Balm?

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi For reds, I think I generally prefer mattes/satins (as long as they aren't too drying). I get a little nervous with red gloss because I don't want it to get smeared on my face or gravitate outside the lip line. Do you have a big preference, or is it more dependent on brand/formula? 

[PDXXXX]

@itsfi I just came here to do my own red showdown and I'm loving the GXVE and glad to hear how you liked it. What a letdown on the Gucci, that was a very pretty shade as well.

[itsfi]

Yaaaay for red showdowns @PDXXXX! I really wanted the Gucci red to show up as swatched. 😔 I have another red, a deeper one, from that line and am hopeful that will work out better for me. 

[danielledanielle]

The gxve is perfect @itsfi 

[itsfi]

Thank you @danielledanielle! My default won't be a red lip, but I am getting a much better idea of what I would be more comfortable with and what tones, finishes work best for me.

The GXVE reds have been good to me and I'm grateful to have received them from TeamBIC and the brand, as I'm sure I would not have picked up their reds on my own. I am wondering what's going on with the company though - their products have been on markdown for awhile now, with more, even the newest released product marked down, and now they are no longer selling direct on their website. I mean, with just the reds from the brand I have, I will be good for the rest of my lifetime, even if I were to reds more frequently. Just curious about what's on the horizon for them. 🤔

[danielledanielle]

Same @itsfi , there was a big when they shut down their own community\seller site, but they were still selling through the website...I remember posting about a sale right after they started selling their tanktop.  I would be more privy to think it was closing, but they had occasional releases and updated socials until Oct (?), it's so odd.  Maybe there's a buyer looming?  I actually like several of their products, I know celeb brands are kind of overdone and questionable at times, but I feel like a few had\have some good items and the celebs are at least involved.  Gxve is\was(?) one of them.

[itsfi]

@danielledanielle, the way things are happening does make a winding down / closing seem likely. Typically, with a prospective sale, it would benefit both sides to continue to operate the business (and not close down the website as here). There could be other arrangements agreed to though. I wondered if they were doing an overhaul of the brand a la Haus Labs, but again, I don't know if they would shut down their website like they have, though I can see some benefits in that situation for doing so. There are definitely many thoughts on celeb-owned / celeb-backed brands. Some have very good products and I agree with you that GXVE would fall into that camp. I guess we will just wait and see...