Review: Gerard Cosmetics 1995 Lipstick

Purchased by Me 

If you're a makeup addict and you're on social media, I'm guessing you've at least heard of Gerard Cosmetics. I first discovered this brand after some of you tagged me on Instagram alerting me to sales on the Gerard Cosmetics website (I've since shared some of those sales with you here on the blog).

After hearing so much about their lip products from you, I thought it was finally time for me to try this indie brand out of Valencia, California. I decided to purchase their famous 1995 Lipstick since there was a code at the time for 35% off + free shipping. I actually wasn't planning on reviewing this product since the regular retail price of Gerard Cosmetics is far outside the niche of my blog (their lipsticks are $19 each). BUT, since I've been following Gerard Cosmetics on Instagram, I've noticed that they're constantly posting codes for discounts + free worldwide shipping, and those codes usually bring the price of one lipstick down to about $9 or $10, making these much more Nouveau-Cheap-friendly. So that's why I thought I'd share my thoughts about this lipstick with you today.

NOTE: Gerard Cosmetics offers new discount codes (which include free worldwide shipping) all the time, so I highly suggest checking their latest posts on Instagram or on Facebook before you place an order, to see which codes are valid. They often post codes for two lipsticks for $20 with free shipping, three lipglosses for $29 with free shipping, etc.

1995 is a signature shade created by popular Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. According to the Gerard Cosmetics website, this shade is "inspired by the 90s grunge revival and the beauty trends of an unforgettable decade" and it is "a matte but creamy lip color that isn't trendy but a timeless expression of glam."

I like to think of myself as sort of an authority when it comes to lipstick shades of the 90s. I graduated from college in 1995 and I had a lot of disposable income at that time to spend on makeup. I didn't have a mortgage or any of that other "fun" stuff that tends to keep many of us on tight budgets. Aside from splitting rent and utilities with roommates, it was a magical time for me and the majority of my income from my first real job out of college was spent on travel, clothes and makeup. Lots of makeup.

Now you can understand why a lipstick named 1995 has serious significance for me. But I admit that I'm a harsh critic when it comes to anyone attempting to recreate a shade from that era, so here we go...

Gerard Cosmetics 1995 Lipstick
(retail: $19; weight unknown)

The lipstick I purchased did not come with a list of ingredients, nor could I locate one on the company's website. I did, however, find the ingredients on the Gerard Cosmetics Facebook page (copied from a response by Gerard Cosmetics to a Facebook comment):

Castor Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Candelilla Wax, Lanolin, Cetyl Acetate, Liquid Paraffin, Ozokerite Wax, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Myristyl Lactate, Lanolin Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Octinoxate, Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Aloe Vera Lipoid, Soybean Oil, Phenoxyethanol, BHA
May Contain: Mica CI 70019, Iron Oxides CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 7499,Titanium Dioxide CI 77891

1995

One swipe, three swipes

Excuse the chapped lips...

1995 has a matte finish, and I would consider it a warm medium brown with cool red undertones. It's not a brick or rust--the red is more rose-toned.

So did Jaclyn Hill/Gerard Cosmetics nail this color? Does it truly evoke the year 1995? I'd say they're 95% there! But don't get me wrong--I'm not at all upset that this isn't 100% what I think of when I remember my lipstick stash in 1995, because so many of those shades were just not as versatile as lip colors today. Back then, lipsticks were either EXTREME warms or EXTREME cools. There just weren't a lot of neutrals at that time, and I feel like 1995 straddles that fence nicely. I can see this working on those who already love warm brown lipsticks, and I can also see it working on those who usually avoid warm brown lipsticks. There's definitely enough of a call-back to 1995 here to make those nostalgic for that era happy but, at the same time, this feels like a more modern take on the lip colors of that era.

I find the formula of this lipstick to be a little bit on the dry side, but I'm quite used to that when it comes to mattes. It doesn't ball up or get grainy after application, and I find that it wears down quite evenly all the way to the end. I can get about four hours of wear before I feel the need to reapply. The fragrance of this lipstick is faint vanilla (sort of like a MAC lipstick) and there's very little flavor (just a tiny hint of vanilla).

One more thing! I've heard that Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Touch of Spice is a dupe for 1995, but I think it is a bit more pink. If you scroll to the bottom of this blog post, you'll see what I mean.

FINAL VERDICT: For this 90s girl, 1995 manages to evoke the best of that era when it comes to lip color. It's right in the zone when it comes to color and finish, but it also manages to feel more current since it's not quite as warm as the shades I was wearing back then. It also doesn't feel like tar on the lips (which is exactly what matte lipsticks felt like back then). But if you're new to mattes or are only familiar with second generation mattes, then this might feel a bit drying to you. Since I lived through the first generation of mattes, I'm not as sensitive to dry lipsticks and this one doesn't bother me at all.

Do you own any Gerard Cosmetics? If so, I'd love to hear what you have and what you think!

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