Review: Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks in Berry Bright and Soft Raspberry

These new jumbo lip pencils from Neutrogena have been getting lots and lots of raves across the internet, and if you think this review is just going to add to the chorus, you're right! No suspense here, my lovelies. These lip colors are fan-freaking-tastic. I purchased two shades a few weeks ago at Rite Aid, and I'm beyond pleased with both. Take a look:

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks in Berry Bright and Soft Raspberry

(retail: around $8.99 each, 0.11 oz)

From the Ulta website:

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks instantly moisturize lips, while continuously conditioning them so they are softer and smoother in just 3 days with nothing on them. Made with fruit extracts along with mango and shea butter, the balm-like formula glides on easily, providing a sheer wash of moisturizing color that lasts for hours. In addition, the twist up package allows for perfect application each time with no sharpener needed.

Twist-up color; no sharpener needed

Lips feel moisturized for hours; Dermatologist tested

Ingredients: Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polybutene, Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Lanolin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ozokerite Cetyl Lactate, Myristyl Myristate, Polyethylene, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Silica, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Flavor, Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Silica Silylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tribehenin, Maltodextrin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lactic Acid, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide. May Contain: Mica, Synthetic Wax, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Iron Oxides, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Red 6, Red 33 Lake, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Blue 1 Lake, Tin Oxide, Yellow 6 Lake, Carmine.

Keep reading for my full review...

Berry Bright

Berry Bright is a little chameleon and at first you'll think it's a cool-toned berry shade but once it's on the lips, you'll see that there's a bit of a warm undertone to this one. If you usually can't pull off cooler pink/berry shades, I think this one might work out quite well for you. This shade contains fine shimmer.

Soft Raspberry

Whenever I buy a shade that looks mauve in the tube, I'm always a little bit scared to try it on. Mauves can be super cool and make my lips look blue sometimes. Thankfully, Soft Raspberry is more of a plummy mauve, and it has just enough warmth to it to make it look like a nice nudish-pinky-brown on my lips. Just like Bright Berry, this shade also contains fine shimmer.

Bright Berry

Soft Raspberry

Texture and consistency: These lip colors definitely have a balm-y feel to them. They're smooth and creamy and a tiny bit slick. They feel nice and light on the lips, although not so light that they feel like they're going to disappear in ten minutes. There's no grittiness to these and they feel quite comfortable from beginning to end.

Pigmentation and shine: I find the pigmentation to be impressive (much better than I was expecting). I'd say the pigmentation is just a notch or two below Revlon Balm Stains (at least the two colors I purchased). They don't have crazy eye-searing pigmentation on the first swipe, but they build beautifully without having to go over your lips a dozen times. There isn't an intense shine to these (at least the shades I purchased) but they do have a subtle shine--they're definitely not matte.

Staying power and moisturization: Let me put it to you this way. I was testing a lip color recently that was quite drying, and a few hours after that lip color wore off, my lips felt parched and I could feel little flakes starting to form. I decide to apply Soft Raspberry to my lips and by the time that wore off, I was shocked to find that my lips felt smooth and hydrated with no flakes. This happens every time I wear these--I'm always so pleasantly surprised to find my lips smoother and softer than they were before. Seriously, these have to be the most moisturizing lip colors I've purchased from the drugstore in quite some time. I know for a fact I have actual lip balms that deliver less hydration than these lip colors. Staying power is not stellar, but since these are so hydrating and creamy on the lips, I kind of expected to get about two hours of wear from and that's exactly what I usually get.

Flavor and fragrance: Both the flavor and fragrance remind me of peaches with maybe just a touch of watermelon or cantaloupe. It's a fun fragrance and the flavor is peachy-melon-ish too, although it's not sugary sweet.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're looking for a lip color that you can wear as a sheer wash and also easily build for more intensity, and you also want that lip color to be moisturizing and come in shades that are super easy to wear, I think you might be quite pleased with Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks. I absolutely love the two shades that I purchased (although I tend to favor Soft Raspberry because it's so wearable with my usual earthtone eye looks) and I will definitely be purchasing more of them. The only downside I can think of when it comes to these lip colors is that the staying power in no way compares to Revlon Balm Stains. I can only get about two hours of wear from MoistureSmooth Color Sticks, but I personally find that an acceptable trade-off considering their hydration. Combine that with the fun fragrance and flavor and I actually find myself looking forward to reapplying these babies. I can't say that for a lot of lip colors I own, but these are kind of amazing. I highly recommend them.

Do you own any Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks? I would absolutely love the hear what you think of them!