Review: Hard Candy Painted Lady Lip Color in "Crush"

Here's the first of six reviews that I'll be writing in the days to come of my recent Hard Candy haul from Walmart.  To see pics of the Hard Candy display, click here.

Today I'm going to talk about Hard Candy's only lipstick (there are tons of gloss options but only one lipstick to date). "Painted Lady" is a collection of lipsticks with the cutest packaging I've seen in a long while:

 

The shade I purchased is "Crush" and let me tell you why I purchased this shade.  There are a lot of very bold colors in the "Painted Lady" collection.  In fact, there are more bold colors (vampy reds, bright fuschias, dark maroons) than neutral shades, so my decision was pretty easy. I didn't want a nude, but I also didn't want a color that can stop traffic.  So I bought "Crush" which, to me, is a dupe of MAC "O".  It's been a few years since I've owned MAC "O" but I remember it fondly.  "Crush" has that same feel--it's a plummy-coppery-berry-bronze-brownish-pink with gorgeous gold shimmer, just like "O".  It's definitely got the same chameleon-like quality of "O" and, to me, it's a universal shades that would probably look great on anyone.

And from what I can remember of MAC "O", Hard Candy "Crush" looks very similar on my lips:

 

This lipstick goes on pretty sheer at first but the color is definitely buildable.  The texture is thin (as opposed to creamy) and extremely slick (some may even call it a bit greasy). This lipstick almost feels like a gloss at first, but after a while it feels more like a traditional lipstick.  I've been wearing this shade for a few days now and haven't noticed any drying to my lips, but my lips don't feel extra moisturized either. They pretty much feel the same as they always do, with no added benefits but no drying effect either.

As for this product having "manic shine and intense color", it's pretty darn shiny but I don't think I'd call "Crush" and intense color.  However, I am willing to bet that the vampire red I saw in the display would be pretty darn intense.

The fragrance of this lipstick reminds me a lot of MAC as well.  It's a pleasant vanilla scent that isn't too bold or overwhelming.  The flavor is also vanilla but it's not too strong and it fades quickly.

The staying power? For such a sheer, shiny and slick lipstick, the staying power isn't too bad. I wasn't expecting any miracles given the formula, but I was pleasantly surprised that it lasted about two hours on my lips. I was thinking it would be gone in 20 minutes so it definitely exceeded my expectations.

I'd also like to add that, according to the label, Hard Candy does not do animal testing, and their products are made in the USA. Two bonus points for that!

For $6, I would definitely give Hard Candy "Painted Lady" lipsticks a shot. If you're a bold color girl, you'll love the selection of vampy reds, deep purples and bright fuschias (I think I even saw a few intense orangey-red metallics in there).  If you're a neutral lovin' gal like myself, there are less options but don't let that stop you. There are a few pretty shades in this collection for us, and if you're a MAC "O" fan, you definitely need to check out "Crush".

Will you be purchasing any Painted Lady lipsticks? I'd love to know your thoughts.