Review: New Milani Lip Flash pencils

A little while ago, I reviewed the new Milani HD Advance Lip Color in Modern Mauve and today I'd like to show you the other new Milani lip product, Lip Flash Full Coverage Shimmer Gloss Pencils.

Milani Lip Flash Pencils (retail: $6.99)

I was fortunate enough to receive three gorgeous shades of Lip Flash for review recently, and if I had to sum them up in one word, it would be LOVE.

Left to right: In a Flash, Lip Flash and Photo Flash

Let me try to break this down as simply as possible: if you love color, high pigmentation and tons of sparkle, these Lip Flash pencils are for YOU. 

Unlike other jumbo lip pencils I've used in the past, these do not glide on the lips in that greasy way that is the trademark of a lot of jumbo pencil lip colors.  No, these go on sort of like a lipstick--not sticky or goopy, but smooth and more on the dry side (as opposed to a gloss). But they're not TOO dry--I want to make that perfectly clear. And they are not drying to my lips either. Basically, it's like a lipstick or balm but in pencil form, and the only thing that these pencils have in common with a gloss is the amount of sparkle (there is a ton) and also the fact that they do provide more shine than most lipsticks.

It was virtually impossible for me capture in photos the true beauty of these colors. Honestly, you need to see and experience them for yourself to fully understand how stunning these are. Also, I want to note that Photo Flash is not as red as it appears in my pics--it is actually more on the magenta side. 

And please, please enlarge these photos so you can see the gorgeous sparkle in these colors. I'm stunned at how much gorgeousness is packed in these pencils.

In a Flash is cool lavender-pinkish-magenta shade that is packed with violet blue sparkle. I immediately thought of the lovely Phyrra when I first swiped this shade, because this is definitely one of her signature lip colors (Phyrra, if you're reading this, you NEED In a Flash!).

Lip Flash is a difficult shade to describe. At first glance you might think it's a lovely bronzey-brown with golden shimmer. But upon closer inspection, there's a beautiful plum undertone here that almost gives off a rose-gold quality. Complex and gorgeous, I think this would look stunning on those of you with deeper skintones.

If you only enlarge one photo in this post, please PLEASE let it be this collage of Photo Flash. You need to see the gorgeous hot-pink sparkle running through this color.  My goodness, I don't even have the words to describe how amazing this color is in person. But be warned: it's definitely not for the timid. This is a "New Year's Eve color" if I ever saw one! It's festive, it's stunning and it WILL get you noticed (but in a good way). But again, please note that in real life this shade leans more toward magenta than true red (my camera is notorious for turning pinks and purples red--sorry about that).

So after wearing these shades for a few days now, here are my favorite things about them (besides the stunning colors):

1) They are shockingly long-wearing! I can get over four hours of wear from these pencils, which is far more than most of the glosses and lipsticks that I own.  I think this probably has to do with the fact that these are not greasy in texture--they actually have a very slight tacky feel to them. But it's not sticky and it's not irritating in any way to me.

2) Very little to no fragrance or flavor. If you're sensitive to those kinds of things, I don't think you'll have any issues with these.

3) The tip of these pencils don't "smoosh" when you apply them to your lips. In fact, they hold their form quite well for a jumbo pencil. (Of course I can't vouch for how these would do on a very hot day, but it's been about 85 degrees here lately and I haven't had a problem with them at all.)

Now, if I had to find fault with Milani Lip Flash pencils, the only negative thing I could possibly say about them is that, when the color eventually fades, the sparkle stays behind on my lips a bit.  But honestly, I anticipated that this would happen just due to the sheer abundance of sparkle in these pencils. Which reminds me: no gritty feel or texture when I rub my lips together. Another bonus!

Have you tired any Lip Flash pencils yet? Do you think you need one (or more) of these in your life? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

PS: And remember, if you're the type of gal who prefers a softer, more sheer and natural-looking lip color, you might want to check out the Milani HD Advance Lip Colors I reviewed earlier. I am still wearing Modern Mauve on a weekly basis and I adore it for an every-day, out-the-door-in-hurry type of shade.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.