Full review and swatches of Colourette’s Valentine's Day reds
I stalk Colourette’s releases like a hawk. It began with their Kolorete release in August 2018 (Buwan ng Wika for our less informed friends), and while I was not always a fan of their packaging and branding, I was in awe of how they just got the pulse of their consumers. I recently just accepted that red is my color and was (yet again) thrilled by Colourette’s timing. Three gorgeous reds, Cupid (a warm tone), Beau (a vamp), and Arrow (a berry) are available just in time for V-day! These Colourette Supramatte Liq’Lacquers are P349 each, or P899 for the set.
When I wear a full red lip I like to make sure of three things:
That they don’t bleed or feather, because no one wants to accidentally look unkempt,
That they’re of full opacity, and
That the lip lines are as crisp as can be!
Reds demand attention, and attention demands perfection… or something close to that. Here’s how the Supramattes fared:
Before you put them on
The Supramattes can feel pretty weightless for extended periods of time, which is not something common amongst matte liquid lipsticks. I’ve been more interested in their Velvetints since I prefer velvet mattes to übermattes, and truly, I was hesitant to put a full face on just to have my lips feel like cement. Fortunately for me the Colourette formula was nothing like that at all.
Still, preparation is key, especially if you’re a chronic lip peeler like I am. I prefer to use a heavy balm (like Nuxe Rêve de Miel or Bite Agave Lip Mask) to really soften the lips.
Arrow is a cool red (they describe it as berry) that I was hesitant to try. I usually go for my neutrals and warms, but apparently I had nothing to fear. I paired the lip with nothing much, just a perfected canvas and strong brows.
Finish
As in the name, the Supramattes have no trace of shine. They don’t contract the lips per se, but they don’t smoothen the skin either. They’re just matte matte matte, and I’m here for it.
Opacity
Opacity varies per shade. As you can see in the lip swatches, Beau is the least opaque, and you can see the edges of all three swatches look a touch darker since I went over them multiple times to get a crisp line. I find that you can layer them just once to get the desired saturation, but more than that results in crumbling (see photo below).
Beau is your classic vamp, a maroon reminiscent of MAC Diva. It makes a great impact, so I decided to up the ante by really contouring the cheeks and eyes and paired with a topknot for more Intsagrammy goodness.
Consistency
The Supramattes are a thick crème that’s easily spreadable. I do prefer something with a little more slip to aid in creating the crispiest line ever (Nars Powermatte Pigments do this well, and are still my top pick) so I had a hard time perfecting the shape. If you’re anal about that, use a separate lip pencil (I use the Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner) or a brush. There would be no need for this if the applicator was sturdier and smaller though.
Cupid is a lovely warm-toned red that brightens up my complexion. I used a lot of bronzer as blush to play up the warmth.
Feel and wear
As I said before, I was pleasantly surprised by the lightness of these mattes. They kinda feel like powder when dried down, then like nothing after around 10 to 30 minutes! This makes me more confident in purchasing their other shades (as I have wanted Gigil for the longest time), although the scent and minty feeling is very off-putting. I was alarmed that the tingling sensation was so strong that it almost felt like burns, and I also stupidly tried to use one as eyeliner. (Pro tip: don’t do that.)
After a sandwich and a drink using a metal straw, Cupid crumbled. If you lightly brush your lips with your finger, you can literally make it crumble away.
I wore the shades for 12 hours minimum with about one touchup. Actually, if you’re not careful with layering, you can end up with a crumbly mess. But since they reapply nicely, touchups aren’t a bother.
Overall, I’m super delighted that these exist, and I love the concept of multiple choices for different skin tones. I do wish they had a different applicator, and there are some formula improvements that could be made but I now have new staples I’m actually going to use. I’ll have to check if these are kiss-proof though. ;)
What reds do you usually go for?
