Review: Ulta Color Core Lipstick in Wine Berry

Purchased by Me 

Lipsticks with an inner core are nothing new of course, but usually these types of lipsticks have a clear or translucent inner core that's encased by color. So when I saw these new-for-2014 Color Core Lipsticks at Ulta recently, I was intrigued and had to pick one up. The core is the part that contains the color, while the outer part of the lipstick is translucent. Check it out:

Ulta Color Core Lipstick in Wine Berry

(retail: $8, 0.13 oz)

From the Ulta website:

ULTA's 2 in 1 Lipstick and gloss provides rich color with a moisturizing and high gloss finish. Formulated without parabens, preservatives or fragrance.

This collection contains seven shades, which you can view here. I can't list the ingredients because they're not printed on the tube, and they're not on Ulta's site (but per the copy above, they are formulated "without parabens, preservatives or fragrance").

Made in Italy

The swatch above illustrates that the outer core is indeed clear (no color at all). So the only color you get from this lipstick is from the small inner core.

After two applications on my lips

This lipstick is slow to start. It kind of drags on the lips before it gets going and it takes several swipes to build color. After the second application, the color is definitely visible. I'm glad that this isn't as pink as it looks in the tube (on my lips) and when the inner core combines with the clear outer core, the result is similar to a tinted lip balm, but perhaps a bit more pigmented than your average tinted lip balm.

I don't find this lipstick particularly moisturizing--the outer core feels a bit dry and gummy during application but it does start to become smoother when it comes in contact with the heat of your skin. The overall texture when the two parts of this lip color are combined is a bit thin and slick, but not as glossy as I had hoped. 

This lipstick hugs the lips (as opposed to just sitting on top of the lips) but I don't find that it delivers as much moisture as I had hoped. The results in terms of pigmentation are similar to a tinted lip balm, but it doesn't feel quite as creamy or soothing as a tinted lip balm. I know that Ulta calls this a 2-in-1 lipstick and lipgloss, but I'm just not getting a lipgloss vibe from this one at all.

The fragrance of this lipstick smells faintly of Play-Doh to my nose, and the flavor is sort of like berries combined with a sharp, bitter plastic note. The fragrance fades quickly but it takes about 15-20 minutes before the plastic flavors starts to fade (for me at least). Staying power is about the same for me as an average tinted lip balm. I can get about an hour of wear before it starts to fade significantly, and I'm afraid that this product does not fade evenly on my lips. I'm left with ring-around-the-lips after an hour of wear.

FINAL VERDICT: I'm a sucker for gimmicks and I love lipsticks with a cool-looking "inner core" but I'm afraid this one falls flat for me. I don't get any "lipgloss" from this lipstick-and-lipgloss hybrid, and the overall result feels like a thin, tinted lip balm. I was hoping for high shine and soft color, but I feel like I got soft color and not much else from this product. The Play-Doh fragrance doesn't bother me, but I haven't been enjoying the sharp, bitter, plastic flavor.

Do you own any Ulta Color Core Lipsticks? If so, I would absolutely love to hear how they've been working for you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.