Review: New Styli-Style Lip Paint in Tres Chic

Remember back in October when I gave you that sneak-peek at the new products from the recently relaunched drugstore brand, Styli-Style? Well now that Styli-Style is back with so many new products (click here for a store locator or to purchase online), I'm delighted to be able to bring you a series of product reviews, thanks to an assortment of products that I received directly from the brand.

So I'd like to kick things off with their new liquid lipstick called Lip Paint.

(NOTE: for those new to this brand, if you see items on deep clearance at Big Lots, Rite Aid, etc. right now, please know that those are the older products that used to be available at drugstores, and not the newly relaunched products.)

Styli-Style Lip Paint in Tres Chic
(retail: $5.99, 0.14 oz)

This liquid lipstick is cruelty-free and made in Poland. There are six shades in the Lip Paint range, which you can view here.

Keep reading for my full review...

Before I even get into this review, I'd like to take a minute to say that I think it's refreshing, in a sea of new lip colors that claim to be part gloss, part stain, part balm, etc. that Styli-Style has released a new line of traditional liquid lipsticks. I adore liquid lipsticks for their color payoff, opacity and shine, so let's see how this one performed for me:

These Lip Paints come with a very small, precise brush with firm bristles. This enables you to line the lips easily as well as fill in the lips with much precision. I have experienced no splaying or shedding of bristles in the weeks that I have been using this product.

To give you some perspective, here is the Styli-Style brush next to the brush from an e.l.f. Glossy Gloss. I find the brush on the Glossy Gloss to be small, so hopefully you can tell that the Styli-Style brush is about the same length, only with a tapered end (it's a bit more firm than the e.l.f brush as well):

e.l.f. Glossy Gloss vs. Styli-Style Lip Paint

True to its name, this liquid lipstick delivers on pigmentation and opacity:

You will definitely not need to go back over your first application for more color or intensity when you wear this product. This one's bright, vivid and opaque on first swipe, with lots of shine:

adjusted to show color accuracy

In my un-touched photos of this product on my lips, the color was looking more like a warmer red, so I adjusted the color a tiny bit in post-editing to better show you that this is actually a deeper, blue-based magenta on my lips. As you can see, it's very opaque and quite shiny.

I also want to tell you that my lips (and skin in general) have taken a beating during this weird winter weather we've been having here in San Diego (extremely dry and cold) and my skin is very dry (especially my lips). As a consequence, I have experienced some bleeding into the fine lines around my mouth when I wear this product, which is not really surprising given the amount of pigment in this product and the nature of liquid lipsticks in general. So if you have drier lips right now, or generally experience bleeding with heavily-pigmented glosses, I would suggest applying a lipliner (clear or in a color that matches this product) before application to help avoid bleeding.

What I love about Lip Paint:

This is a true, "old school" liquid lipstick. It doesn't promise "12HR wear" or anything crazy. Per the website, it promises "luminous shine" and "great color payoff and color that will last all night" and that's pretty much exactly what it delivers. If you are a traditional liquid lipstick lover, you will probably enjoy this product because it really delivers on the pigmentation, opacity and shine (the three key elements to liquid lipsticks). It does not feel heavy or sticky on the lips (those traits are more in line with glosses, not liquid lipsticks). The flavor and fragrance are watermelon in nature, which I love (but the watermelon taste and flavor do dissipate after a few minutes on the lips). I also love that this product wears for about four hours on my lips (which, given my age, is pretty much "all night" as promised), leaving behind a soft stain of color. But I should note that the four hours of wear does not include eating--this product will not last as well through a meal.

What I don't love about Lip Paint:

If you have dry lips or fine lines around your lips, expect some bleeding if you don't wear a liner with this product. Heavily-pigmented liquid lip colors often tend to bleed due to their very nature, so this shouldn't come as a surprise, but it's still worth noting in case you haven't used a liquid lipstick before (also, lighter shades don't tend to bleed or bleed as noticeably on lips versus darker shades). The only other thing I didn't care for about this product was that it didn't fade as evenly as I had hoped. It didn't leave me with pronounced "ring around the lips" but the color did cling to the outer areas of my lips a tiny bit more than the inner areas.

FINAL VERDICT: In a world of gloss/stain/lipstick/balm hybrids, I find it quite refreshing to see a brand release a line of true liquid lipsticks (something you don't see too often at the drugstores these days). Styli-Style Lip Paint in Tres Chic delivers on its promises and reminds me of why I loved liquid lipsticks in the first place. This product is packed with pigment, it's opaque on the first swipe and has a very nice level of shine. Unlike glosses, this product feels lighter on the lips and it's not sticky. It also has great staying power, lasting me four hours before it fades to a soft stain. But do beware that it can bleed into any fine lines or dryness you may have around your lips, so if you purchase a deep shade like Tres Chic, definitely apply a liner first. The brush on this product is great and enables super-precise application, and I also love the watermelon fragrance and flavor. If you love traditional liquid lipsticks, I think the Styli-Style Lip Paints are definitely worth exploring.

To find out where Styli-Style products are sold in your area, click here. To purchase online (free shipping on orders $25+ to the US) click here.

Were you a fan of Styli-Style back in the day? Are you excited to try their new products? Have you already spotted them in stores?

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.