My spring lip testing continues with a look at the newest launches from Hourglass Cosmetics. They launched a new Unlocked Soft Matte Lipstick ($38 each), Shape and Sculpt Lip Liners ($29 each) and four new shades of their Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm ($36). I hauled these from Sephora but they’re also available at Hourglass, Nordstrom, Bluemercury, Neiman Marcus and all Hourglass retailers.
Unlocked Soft Matte Lipstick
The Unlocked Soft Matte Lipstick is a soft blurred matte lipstick with full coverage. They’re very opaque with full coverage and according to Hourglass they’re infused with a primer for smooth application. I found they did indeed apply smoothly but there was some tugging and looked dry on my lips. Granted a matte finish can look dry, but these felt like they sucked all the moisture from my lips making them feel a little tight.
Most of the colors I tried pulled very warm on me. The matte finish made these look a little muted/faded on me, but it could just be the colors I picked out. They swatch beautifully on the hand. On my darker pigmented lips I did not really like any of these shades. Poppy is pretty and right along the lines of a shade I would wear, but in real life it emphasizes my lip lines and looks very dry.
I do think they are long-wearing but they felt so dry & uncomfortable on my lips I couldn’t leave them on long enough to see how long they would last.
- Magnolia is a pale warm nude pink
- Tulip is a cool-toned pink
- Tigerlily is a burnt orange
- Peony is a warm brown beige
- Foxglove is a very warm berry
- Poppy is a muted coral (not shown above because I dropped it and the entire tube was smashed)
Swatches:
For skin tone reference I am a match to the Veil Hydrating Skin Tint in Shade 9 right now (reviewed in this post here). I think the original/regular Unlocked Lipsticks are far superior in terms of formula, comfort and color selection.
Shape and Sculpt Lip Liners
There are seven new Shape and Sculpt Lip Liners. As a neutral lip lover I picked up the four lightest colors. Formula is very long-wearing. Application is relatively smooth. Shades pull very warm and I’m not sure the colors aren’t unique enough to justify if you already own a lot of neutrals.
- Shade 1 Expose does not show up on my lips, but these days I feel like most of the new lighter neutral pencils do not
- Shade 2 Flaunt is a warm pink rose beige
- Shade 3 Tempt is a deeper brown pink
- Shade 4 Undercover is a darker terracotta brown rose
Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm
Last we have a look at the new shades of Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. I love this formula although in the hot summer months they can get a little melty in the tube. They’re soft, glossy, hydrating and have a slight cooling sensation. Hourglass added the 2 shades from their Holiday 2024 Duo Set and I’m thrilled they’re permanent! These are very balmy so the lasting power isn’t super long, but this is a formula I don’t mind reapplying. Just an FYI price for what you get is pretty high. A number of you have told me to me these were not worth it for you because you used them up in a matter of a few weeks with daily use and re-application. I kinda agree, but I like these enough to splurge on. New Shades include:
- Crave – warm pink
- Rouse – plum brown
- Reveal – bluer-toned pink (cooler version of Crave)
- Wish a pretty coral color
I swatched these next to some of the other Phantom Glossy Balms I own:
Overall the matte lipsticks are a miss for me. I think there are better matte lip formulas out there like from brands like Pat McGrath, Lisa Eldridge, Charlotte Tilbury and Armani to name a few. That being said I usually do not like or wear matte lips and I have seen a lot of positive reviews on these – I might be the only one who does not love these.
Lip liners aren’t bad. The colors don’t really jump out to me, but formula is long-wearing and I think they could be neutral staples if you don’t have a lot of lip pencils.
I love the new shades of Phantom Glossy Balm. I think they’re fresh, flattering and perfect for year round – they have me looking forward to warm weather months.
Available now at Sephora, Hourglass, Nordstrom, Bluemercury, Neiman Marcus and all Hourglass retailers.
That wraps up my Hourglass lip launch review! If you tried these let me know what you thought!
