Lipstick Review: Lipstick Queen Lipsticks in Red Sinner and Scarlet Sinner

Yesterday, I met my sister and niece for a day of shopping at Tyson's Corner Center, located in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. Tyson's is part of the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area.

During our fun day out, I went to MAC Cosmetics for a few basics and we browsed the stores and had a lovely lunch at La Sandia (a new, upscale take on classic Tex-Mex cuisine). We ordered table-side guacamole and dined on enchiladas, black beans, and tortilla soup.

After lunch, we made our way to the makeup counters in Bloomingdale's. I saw a few things that peaked my interest but I decided I didn't need anything. As we were leaving, I spotted something that caught my eye and lo and behold, there it was! Lipstick Queen!!!!

I have wanted to try Lipstick Queen lipsticks for a long time but no store carried them in the DC area. I have read countless online reviews that detail the quality, pigment, and color. One review said Lipstick Queen "Sinner" lipsticks are "not for the faint of heart" or the "shy." Well, you got my attention!

Nevertheless, you can imagine my joy and excitement when I saw the pretty colors just packed with pigment. According to the sales associate and Lipstick Queen packaging, these lipsticks boast 90% pigment and after trying on "Red Sinner," they were not foolin' around! These lipsticks mean business!

After swatching a few colors, I decided to buy "Red Sinner" and "Scarlet Red Sinner." (Lipsticks retail for 20.00 USD each).

Red Sinner is on the left and Scarlet Red Sinner is on the right. Red Sinner is a neutral bright red that leans slightly cool. The color is similar to Besame Cosmetics, "Besame Red" lipstick. The lipstick goes on opaque with one swipe. The texture is very smooth and rich. These are touted as matte but they have a little creaminess and feel very soft. Moreover, despite the matte description, they are not drying at all. Not one iota.

Here is me wearing Red Sinner:

The other color I purchased, Scarlet Red Sinner, is a berry red. It has a little bit of a claret undertone. The shade reminds me of a lighter, brighter version of Besame lipstick in "Cherry." MAC lip pencil in "Beet" pairs well. Beet is a touch darker than Scarlet Red Sinner.

Me wearing Scarlet Red Sinner:

Another thing I want to mention is how Lipstick Queen classifies their lipsticks. The full pigmented version is called "Sinner" and the more sheer, less pigmented formula is called "Saint." Many of the shades have a light and full-bodied version of each other.

So, how do these lipsticks compare with Julie Hewett? Besame? MAC? I think these lipsticks have more pigment than both Besame and Julie Hewett but only slightly more. The texture is heavier than Julie Hewett and Besame and as a result, the lipstick lasts much longer throughout the day and survives eating and drinking better.

However, when I compare Lipstick Queen to MAC, Lipstick Queen wins out hands down. I am usually a MAC girl but in the last few years, small companies like Julie Hewett, Besame, and Lipstick Queen are out-pacing MAC in spades. For example, I recently purchased RiRi Woo (a retro matte) from the "Rihanna loves MAC" Collection and as much as I love the color, the formula is so dry. It literally tugs at my lips when I apply it. In addition, the texture dries my lips out. I find that I can only wear MAC's Retro Matte lipsticks (ie Ruby Woo and RiRi Woo) for a few hours at a time (ie date night).

Overall, I am pleased as punch with my two Lipstick Queen purchases! If I didn't already have a huge cache of lipsticks on my vanity, I would go out right now and buy more shades. I cannot rave enough about them!

Julie Hewett Lipstick "Rouge Noir" Review!

In early February, I visited my hometown of Richmond, Virginia for a few days. During my visit, I went to Carytown on a chilly afternoon. After buying a few vintage goodies at Bygones Vintage Clothing, I spotted Le Visage Makeup Studio and decided to check it out.
As some of you may know, I am a sucker for all things makeup, especially lipstick! Le Visage is a cosmetic boutique that specializes in small, niche brands like Julie Hewett Los Angeles. Julie Hewett was the head makeup artist for the film "Pearl Harbor." During production, Julie realized the modern lipstick shades in her kit were unable to adequately recreate the vibrant lipstick colors of the 1940s.  So, Julie created her own shades and thus, the Noir Collection was born! The Noir Collection ($22.50 USD each) contains five shades of highly-pigmented red tones ranging from burgundy, crimson, pink-red, warm red, coral red to frosty nude.

While browsing in the shop, I spotted the Julie Hewett display and I instantly fell in LOVE with Femme Noir (a pink-based red) and Rouge Noir (a warm-based red).  The vivid colors and the elegant gold tubes just screamed "vintage!" I tried on each and wanted to buy both of them! However, only the Femme Noir was available and the Rouge Noir was out of stock. I bought Femme Noir and was put on the wait list for the Rouge lipstick.

If you want to read my Femme Noir review, click here:

http://bettysvintagemusings.blogspot.com/2011/02/julie-hewett-lipstick-in-femme-noir.html

So, after waiting for over a month, Le Visage Makeup Studio called me last week to notify me that Rouge Noir was finally in stock! They mailed lipstick to me (and did not charge me addition for shipping) and it arrived yesterday! Rouge Noir is a beautiful warm, vibrant red. All you need is one swipe on each lip for fully opaque, saturated color.

 I think the color is very similar to Besame Cosmetics' Classic Color Lipstick in "Red Hot Red." The tone is tomato-based and Jordana's lip pencil in "Sedona Red" matches perfectly!

Here is a swatch on the back of my right hand:

Here are side-by-side swatches of Rouge Noir and Femme Noir:

Notice how warm Rouge Noir (the left) looks compared to Femme Noir on the right?

Here I am, in my bathroom, wearing Rouge Noir. (Sorry for the tired look! My allergies are in full swing and making my life miserable! Darn you, spring!)

So, if you want a full-stop, vintage red that is bright and warm-toned, then give Julie Hewett's Rouge Noir a try!