Hello darlings! So a few weeks ago I was browsing the ‘gram and I came across a post on @ummbaby’s page of two lipliners and two lipstick crayons from Primark. It genuinely took a minute for that information to sink into my head…
Mac Velvetease Lip Pencil REDDY TO GO by M.A.C - Size 1.5 g / 0.05 Oz. Velvetease Lip Pencil delivers the vivid colour impact of a lipstick with the ease of a mechanical pencil, no sharpener required. Go daring in blackened plum, classic red and warm chocolate, or subtly chic in light pinks and buttery nudes. Rich and matte, with a smooth, clean finish. MAC is working toward a cruelty-free world.
I haven’t actually been into the beauty section of Primark in years and from what I remember they had some decent brushes and lashes, but their actual makeup was pretty non-descript and cheap looking. It looked more like the “play makeup” sets you can buy in toy shops for little girls. You know, the ones which consist of glittery petroleum jelly and coloured talcum powder in heart and flower shapes. So I never bought anything from the Primark beauty range then because none of it looked like it would be amazing (plus everything was always opened anyway). BUT after seeing this post, I did some research and HOLY CRAP – Primark have upped their makeup game. They now have a proper beauty range called P.S. Love and the collection of products they have to offer is quite extensive. And it looks SO much better. The packaging is quite sturdy and the general aesthetic is very reminiscent to brands you would find in the drugstore. And it’s ridiculously good value, as is expected by Primark. But anyway onto the actual review:
Now there’s a very specific reason as to why I wanted to get the Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayons so badly. Basically, it was because I REALLY liked the MAC Velvetease Lip Pencils – but I just couldn’t justify spending £17.50 for one. I just couldn’t do it. So I made it my personal mission to find a cheap alternative so I wouldn’t feel like I had totally missed out. So of COURSE I had to pick these up. I mean at £2 a pop, even if they ended up being absolutely awful, at least I hadn’t spent/wasted a huge amount of money. But you know what?
THEY’RE AMAZING.
Seriously guys, I fell in love with these lipsticks faster than I did with my boyfriend.
Mac Velvetease Lip Pencil Anything Goes
Firstly, they had a fairly good shade range. I saw about six different colours in store, but I’m not sure if there are more online. I ended up getting two shades in: ‘Brown’ (because I’m physically incapable of passing up a brown lipstick) and ‘Purple’. Brown is quite dark and actually has a strong red undertone, so it looks like a deep, warm red on MY skin tone. Purple is a simple, bright berry purple – but it packs a punch on the lips. It’s actually the first lipstick I’ve ever had of this colour and I actually quite like how it looks on me. Both shades are VERY pigmented. One layer of this lipstick is enough to give you full opacity.
Mac Velvetease Lip Pencil Reddy To Go
The finish is not a flat matte like you would get with a liquid lipstick. These have a gorgeous velvet matte finish (as the name suggests) which is a similar finish to the MAC matte lipsticks. Of course these won’t be the EXACT same formula as the MAC Velvetease Lip Pencils. It’s like a 6th of the price, so naturally the ingredients won’t be the same quality. Indeed, the latter has a creamier texture which is indicative of the more expensive silicones whereas the Primark dupes have a waxier kind of formula. That does mean that the application of the MAC ones IS smoother, but that’s NOT to say that the Primark lipsticks are difficult to apply. Because they’re not. They go on very easily. However I would recommend that your lips be exfoliated and moisturised beforehand because this lipstick can sometimes emphasise really dry areas.
Because I didn’t get the MAC Velvetease Pencil I can’t speak for its longevity and comfort of wear, but I CAN speak for the Primark crayons. These babies last a LONG time. Providing I don’t eat anything too greasy, the colour can last on my lips up to FIVE hours before it starts to fade. That’s pretty darn good for a £2 lipstick. These are also very easy to re-apply – you can just put a new layer on top of an old one without it looking weird – which makes it perfect to chuck in the bag so that you can touch-up your lip colour as the day goes on. It’s quite comfortable to wear for the first few hours or so, but these CAN be slightly drying if you’ve been wearing them for a long time. I noticed dryness on my bottom lip after wearing this for 7+ hours. But that, at least to me, is a minor con in comparison to all the pros and good points that this lipstick brings to the table.
I honestly hope Primark extend the shade range because I want to buy them ALL. No joke. And for £2 each, it won’t break my bank even if I did. So if you’re looking for a dupe for the MAC Velvetease Lip Pencils or even the NARS Matte Lip Pencils, then you should definitely try these out.
Here’s two pictures of me using the both shades (Top: Purple – Bottom: Brown) =
Mac Velvetease Lip Pencil Aim To Please
Until next time my loves,
Mac Velvetease Lip Pencil Frolic
Cephy xx