Tried & Tested...Maybelline 24hr LipColor

Plum Seduction

Timeless Brown

Red Passion

I must confess, I rarely wear lipgloss. Aside from the fact that a high-shine finish doesn't sit well with my slept-in eye makeup and purposely unkempt hair, I've never liked that sticky feeling or the inevitable hair-stuck-on-lips look. Then there's the constant topping up to consider...and did I even mention that gloss is a major kissing deterrent? But I'm always on the lookout for a gloss that's going to test my preconceptions...

LipColor immediately after application

I first encountered Maybelline New York 24hr LipColor, £8.99, at the brand's Christmas party. The array of 18 shades was seriously impressive - all bright reds and luscious pinks - but I did wonder, if like other well-known glosses, the colour would come out wishy-washy on application? Not so with Maybelline's gloss. I applied 'Red Passion' and it really is a classic, postbox red. The pictures actually don't do the colour justice. After the colour basecoat, designed to grip to the lips for hours, I applied the conditioning balm topcoat, which adds the glossy finish. The great thing about this for non-gloss wearers is it adds a subtle, healthy-looking shine, rather than all-out glossiness. I can promise you the gloss does not feel remotely sticky, rather your lips feel soft and conditioned, like wearing a lip balm.

The glass test

Immediately after applying I decided to put the gloss to the transfer test with a glass of juice. As you can see from the picture above, the colour transfer was minimal. And shockingly for a gloss-phobe, after less than an hour I totally forgot I was wearing any colour...the postman must have got a shock when I answered the door in pjs and scarlet lips! I will say be careful when applying it. Because the colour basecoat is designed to be adhesive, any mistakes will be difficult to correct without starting again. Removing it, also, is a challenge, but what would you expect for colour this long-lasting? A minute with a makeup wipe will do the job.

Lips 6 hours in, after food

Okay, so after 6 hours, two cranberry juices, 4 green teas, toast and a lunch of pitta breads and hummus, the very centre of my lips has worn off slightly. Not 24 hours but still pretty impressive in my book. I might be a glosser afterall! Sx