Let’s just get this out of the way. I was in love with this shade the moment I swatched it, the idea of a glossy, glass-like lip made me want it even more. But the moment I brought it home, I hated it. If only NYX had Sephora’s return policy, then I could leave this bad memory behind me but unfortunately, I’m stuck with it forever. And no, I’m not going to throw out the product just because I hate it. I don’t know why but I just can’t do that.
The Specifics:
Lip condition: A little dry but not chapped.
Lip prep: Laneige’s lip sleeping mask while I did my makeup and then wiped off completely before using this product.
What is it?: “While our super-fluid, sweetly scented lip glosses your kisser in full-coverage colour, the radiant finish doesn’t feel dry and delivers a luscious look that’s all glowy goodness. Drenches your pout in glow-inducing, full-coverage colour.”–NYX
Ingredients: Here.
Packaging: A shiny opaque orange tube that corresponds to the bright orange shade (Sweet Stash) and a gold candy swirl design on the wand tube. The packaging isn’t noteworthy but I wasn’t expecting to be blown away for $8 CDN, especially when it’s a lipgloss.
Affordability: I paid $8 CDN (7.5 ml). I find NYX to be a very affordable brand and this lipgloss is definitely affordable, compared to other brands (both drugstore and luxury brands). Even though I don’t like this product, it is worth the $8 CDN.
Smell: The first time I used the product, it had a subtle fruity and light chemical scent but after a month, the fruit scent is barely noticeable. What is overpowering when you smell the product on the wand is the alcohol/chemical scent but on the lips, the scent goes away.
Texture: It’s supposed to feel moisturizing but I found the texture and feel on my lips to be heavy and greasy. It does shift and settle in your lip lines or any cracks or dryness you may have. If you aren’t careful, it will smear on your teeth (even after doing the Q-tip/tissue trick) and past your lip line.
Top to bottom: outside (sun) lighting, natural lighting and inside lighting.
Finish: This isn’t a sticky lipgloss, it’s more of a liquid glossy and high shine lipstick. With a heavy hand, the product is opaque and extremely glossy and glass-like. With a lighter and sheerer amount, the coral is more “subtle” and the finish is less glossy.
Colour intensity/pigmentation: Goodbye retinas, Sweet Stash is bright! It’s an (almost neon) orange coral; if you put on a thick layer, it’s opaque and leans more orange. If you put on a thinner layer, it leans more coral and isn’t as glossy and is more wearable.
If you are worried if this is too orange, won’t flatter your skin tone or will make your teeth yellow, Sweet Stash is a great orange coral to try out! It is very flattering on my yellow undertone, light-medium skin tone, it doesn’t make my teeth look orange and you can sheer out the colour to make it look more coral that leans towards pink.
Wear test: I couldn’t bear to wear this for more than ten minutes, I hated it that much. It has a plumping/numbing effect which I hate. What bothers me the most is that the website doesn’t even warn you of the plumping effect! If your lips aren’t in the best shape, cracked or you have sensitive lips, you won’t like the numbing effect at all.
I tested this twice. Once when my lips were dehydrated and the other time, at the end of the day (after testing out other lip products). The first time, the numbing effect was subtle but I still noticed it. The second time, however, it burned my sensitive and slightly raw lips.
This is a high maintenance product (more high maintenance than a tube lipstick, tint, lipgloss):
- you can feel the heaviness and greasiness on your lips
- it will settle into any imperfections you have and as the longer the wear, the more it will settle
- it shifts past your lip line
- and it will potentially smear on your teeth if you aren’t careful
Longevity: No idea since I had to wipe off the product after a few minutes. Even though I only wore it for ten minutes each time, it still sunk into any imperfections I had, smeared on my teeth and past my lip line and the numbing became more noticeable.
What I love: I love the colour, it’s the only reason I bought the product. I was excited to try a bright coral orange shiny lipgloss but aside from the colour, I can’t find any redeeming qualities to this product. I knew this would be an opaque lipgloss and I like that idea, I love glass-like lip looks and the fact that you can sheer out the product to make it more wearable is fantastic. But otherwise, this product is an all-around fail.
What I don’t love: Umm, everything. I don’t like the greasy heaviness of the product, hate how it settles into my lip lines and somehow smears on my teeth (even after the tissue trick). I haaaattteeee the plumping and numbing effect and I’m still quite annoyed at NYX for not advertising that fact so I could have steered away from this product. C’ mon NYX, do better.
Possible dupe: I mean, there are so many brands that have released opaque lip glosses that I won’t even list them. A quick search on Sephora will pop up quite a few options.
Repurchase: Heck. No.
Recommend: No.
Final thoughts: This was such a disappointing product and I wish I could return it and get it out of my life. It smells off, it feels terrible on the lips and it’s such a high maintenance and finicky product to use. I’m over it, NYX, I’m over it.
Rating: .5/5
- the orange coral is a beautiful and flattering colour (the reason for the .5 rating)
- you can use this lipgloss as a sheer wash of colour or build up for an opaque glossy look
- has a numbing effect
- slips and smears everywhere
- needs constant reapplication
- seeps into any dryness or imperfections your lips may have
- smells off
- heavy and greasy
Thanks for checking out my review!
Honeysuckle Haiku 