Lipstick Queen has released two new lip products this month for spring/summer. Jungle Queen Lipstick ($22 at SpaceNK) is a vibrant coral designed to coordinate with bold animal prints. Open Secret ($24 now at Lipstick Queen, launching soon at SpaceNK) is the latest color in the Oxymoron lip/cheek formula, it’s a soft baby peony pink with a pop of color. Lipstick Queen sent these brighter shades for review – they aren’t colors normally what I gravitate towards but they are easy to wear brights. While I’m a huge fan of neutral lips, I get numerous requests to review items that are bolder in color. Here are two that are definitely bold.
Jungle Queen Lipstick is Poppy King’s modern twist on a classic red. Jungle Queen is a bold coral cream. It has a moisturizing feel but semi-matte finish. It’s rich in coverage and pigment which requires precise application (mine photographed below is a bit messy). I found the formula to stay put for several hours without any bleeding, but if you’re like me and don’t always apply lipstick precisely (one reason I like sheers), you may want to add a liner first. This is one of those universally flattering shades I suspect is like Viva Glam Rihanna (if you like bold lips). It’s rich enough to cover the most pigmented lips. I have it shown applied straight from the tube and then blotted to show it will fade.
Open Secret Oxymoron is a lip/cheek stain in a mirrored compact. This is my first time trying their stains. I found it to be fully matte with full coverage. I do think you need to moisturize the lips first. It’s not drying but the texture is matte so it will highlight/emphasize and flakes or creases. Open Secret is a pale pink with a pop. It’s not too pale so it washes me out and has a bit of coral undertone to prevent it from looking blue. I tried this on the cheeks and found it difficult to blend with my fingers – I’m open to suggestions on how to apply if you’ve tried these. It photographs well on the lips. On the cheeks it shows up as well but doesn’t photograph well (at least on me). Lasting power is quite impressive on the lips but the matte finish made it feel a bit dry (it didn’t dry out my lips though, it just felt dry).
Comparisons to show how vibrant these new colors from Lipstick Queen are: NARS Torres del Paine (swatch here), Tom Ford Sweet Spot (swatches here), NARS Lodhi, NARS Anguila Matte Multiple, NARS Laos Matte Multiple, Chanel Magnolia Rouge Coco and Chanel Jersey Rose Rouge Coco (discontinued).
Both are rich full coverage colors. I like both colors but don’t know that I am brave enough to wear Jungle Queen everyday. Open Secret works well for the color but I tend to prefer shades with a bit of a sheen. This can be fixed by adding a bit of gloss on top. I wouldn’t have picked out either shade on my own but it’s nice to explore shades and textures out of my comfort zone and discover new items.
Both Jungle Queen ($22) and Open Secret ($24) launch this month. Jungle Queen is available exclusively at SpaceNK and Lipstick Queen. Open Secret is available at Lipstick Queen now and should launch at SpaceNK soon. (PS Don’t forget, The Beauty Look Book readers still have access to a SpaceNK online promotion through the 25th with code LOOKBOOK20, details here.)
Do you have any Lipstick Queen favorites? I know there are many die-hard fans of her line. I haven’t explored it recently but would love to hear about what you’ve tried.
This post contains press samples sent for review. All opinions my own. For more information please see my disclosures.
