Birchbox launched their own makeup line called LOC (Love of Color) and today I have a review of their new summer colors from the Dream Team Collection. I was able to play with the items at the Birchbox Soho Store while in New York and they were kind enough to ship a set out for me to try out. For those new to the LOC makeup line, the products launched so far are in pencil format sized at the right size to ensure you can easily use up the color by the end of the season. It’s perfect for those who like to stay on trend. There are a number of ways to try these – individually or in multiple curated sets. Price point wise, I find them reasonably priced and the quality is on point.
I have the LOC Dream Team Ultimate Collection ($52, a $95 value) swatched to review for you today which has 5 Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencils and 3 One and Done Shadow Sticks. In the set you also get a large pencil sharpener. If you’re the kind of person who really likes value sets, I think this one will be a winner in your book.
The Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencils come in two kinds of formulas. One is a sheer glossy shades and others are full coverage creams. All the ones I tried are non-shimmers and apply flawlessly with smooth coverage. Colors are as follows:
Birthday Suit is a pale nude, on me it’s a bit pinkish in color and very pale. The formula is pretty flawless though which I found surprising for such a light color. Most pale lip colors end up looking chalky on me or require a lot of blending or added liner. This one is an easier-to-pull-off nude compared to the Charlotte Tilbury Kim KW Hot Lips (at least on me).
Cupid’s Bow is an ultra-cool blue-based fuchsia. This one is full coverage with a glossy sheen. The formula is really good, color is not my cup of tea. I usually find colors this cool-toned to be very hard for me to pull off.
Cherry Bomb is a perfect cherry red. It’s warm toned but not orangey. Coverage is full.
Punch Line is a sheer bright pink which I’m obsessed with. It gives a healthy pink glow to the lips that looks natural because of the transparency.
Purple Reign is a sheer cool-toned purple which I also really like.
As far as I can tell, there is no detectable scent or taste. Texture is medium to thick but doesn’t feel heavy. They hug the lips well so they stay put and don’t bleed. Lasting power is better than a glossy or sheer lipstick but not quite as long as a matte lipstick.
Next up are the One and Done Shadow Sticks. These are creamy shadow sticks that set quickly so once you apply I recommend blending fast because once they set, they do not budge. For those who find eyeshadow fades quickly, I highly recommend you check these out because I found the lasting power quite impressive. I would have preferred it if these were in a twist-up format, but I suspect being packaged that way might cause them to dry out.
Heavy Petal is a shimmering champagne color. Peachy Sheen is a soft golden peach. Haute Cocoa is a chocolate brown shimmer. The shimmer in these blends out to a nice sheen. I found they layered well together. Given the fact that they dry and set quickly though I found that layering powder shadows on top needs to be done quickly if you like blending.
I give all of these a thumbs up for quality, price and lasting power. They all perform really well. Had I been able to pick out individual colors versus the set, I would have skipped Cupid’s Bow just because I don’t usually wear colors that bright or cool-toned. All others get a thumbs up from me and I especially appreciate that the Birchbox stock photos on their website of this collection are very accurate.
LOC Love of Color Dream Team Ultimate Collection can be found exclusively online at Birchbox.com and also in their stores. This particular set retails at $52 – but you can also pick and choose individual shades or other sets as well.
Have you tried LOC from Birchbox yet? If yes, what did you think?
LOC items provided courtesy of Birchbox for review consideration.
