Tom Ford has some new lip products launching this fall and I picked up a few items as soon as I saw them pop up online. Right now the latest includes 20 shades of Lip Sculptor ($46), a Lip Lock Priming Balm ($46) and a Lip Exfoliator ($46). I bought four of the lip sculptor twist-up pencils and the priming balm to try. I also swatched all the shades of the pencils for reference in case you can’t get to a counter.
The Tom Ford Lip Lock Priming Balm is almost identical to the MAC Prep+Prime Lip. I do feel the Tom Ford has a slightly more emollient feel and it also has the signature vanilla Tom Ford lipstick scent. The MAC has been a long-time staple. Anytime someone asks for a lip primer recommendation for something to help smooth the lip without the slip of a lip balm, I recommend the MAC. The Tom Ford Lip Lock Priming Balm is similar in the sense it’s a creamy lip product you apply to bare lips before lipstick to help prevent feathering. I don’t use a primer all the time, but I find it particularly nice with opaque cream lipsticks or mattes. It helps prevent color from sinking into fine lines and also helps smooth the surface. I find with mattes I need a smooth surface without any dry patches or flakes. This balm helps smooth the surface. According to the description, this is paraben-free; sulfate-free; phthalate-free; silicone-free; glycerin-free; sulfite-free; talc-free; PEG-free; peroxide-free; mineral oil-free; BHA-free; BHT-free; alcohol-free; propylene glycol-free; petrolatum-free; formaldehyde-free; ethanolamine-free.
I think the Tom Ford priming balm is excellent and I’m glad I bought it. I think it was worth the splurge but once I use it up I think I’ll stick with my MAC.
The Tom Ford Lip Sculptors are essentially a fancy lip pencil with a brush on one end and a twist up portion on the other. They are packaged with a beveled tip so you can sculpt the lips. Pigment is medium and texture is creamy, smooth, doesn’t tug and has a velvety soft finish. The colors are so good I really wish they were just lipsticks instead of pencils. There is a new Satin Matte Lip Color Lipstick launching later this fall (available for pre-order) which I’m intrigued about. I’m assuming the Lip Sculptors are designed to be coordinated with the new mattes. For now I can wear the Lip Sculptors alone or like a lip liner. I like that when I apply all over the lip it’s almost like a soft matte lipstick.
I picked four colors and they are pretty similar. I must admit I was overwhelmed at the counter. There are 20 shades! I don’t think there’s a single bad color, every option looked beautiful. The reds to me look nearly identical but most reds with any brand of lipstick, pencil or gloss do. The difference is in the undertone. I would have picked up one of the plums, but the price point is steep and I wanted to wait for later launches. Bottom line these are excellent formula and color-wise. I still think they are really overpriced, but I’m happy with my picks.
Colors I bought:
- 03 Deviate is a perfect nude
- 05 Slash is a pale pink nude
- 06 Bait is a warm pink, can be patchy if you have dry spots
- 14 Crave is a mauve
I like that Slash is pale but not too pale like Spiced Honey Lip Color was on me.
Swatched on bare lips, coverage is buildable to full with layering. Finish has a velvety look, but it’s not dry:
Swatches of all the colors. There is also a clear version which I did not swatch, colors are: 01 Divulge, 02 Invite, 03 Deviate, 04 Extort, 05 Slash, 06 Bait, 07 Conspire, 08 Elicit, 09 Crush, 10 Ensnare, 11 Charge, 12 Exploit, 13 Dominate, 14 Crave, 15 Devour, 16 Succumb, 17 Subvert, 18 Instigate, 19 Manipulate, 20 Electrify
Labeled with names instead of the numbers:
On the nails is Chanel Resplendissant
Swatch comparisons below to a few other neutrals including Laura Mercier Velour Extreme in Vibe, Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip in Bare Rose, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude, Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Beige, Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Buff, Burberry Lip Contour in Medium, MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl and MAC Boldly Bare
At $46 each these are really expensive loves. I’m happy with my picks. I wish the lip pencils were lipsticks and then I could justify buying more of the colors. Color-wise I know red and bold pinks are popular classics but I would have liked to see a few more plum options. Maybe a couple chestnut colors or one peach. Still I think the color lineup is beautiful and I do believe there is something for everyone.
You can find the Tom Ford Lip Sculptor and Lip Lock Priming Balm out now. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Tom Ford Beauty is also available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and Beautylish.
