May 25, 2013

Black Radiance Perfect Tone Lipstick in Reggae Red and Purple Passion

Black Radiance is a drugstore brand that I've only recently discovered! In my area, Black Radiance makeup is always out of stock, so I hardly get to try anything. After seeing the beautiful Perfect Tone Lipsticks on display, I had to give them a try! 


As you can see the packaging is very cheap. The lipstick bullet doesn't retract into the tube all the way (I HATE that). My other gripe is that the name of the shade isn't labelled on the bottom of the lipstick, is only on the shrinkwrap. Oh, and when you twist the lipstick up/down it scratches the actual bullet. There are definitely packaging issues! 



I chose the brightest shades that I saw in the display Purple Passion (left) and Reggae Red (right). 




Purple Passion (top) and Reggae Red (bottom)

Only one swipe was needed to get full opacity. Both colors are extremely bright and vivid! Purple Passion is a cool toned pink-purple. Reggae Red is a cool toned blue-red. I absolutely love both of these shades, and I think they would look great on anyone.

Claims:"Provides full coverage and sufficient shine in one. This beautiful collection of lip colors is designed to complement a vast array of skin tones. Plus, Its deep moisturizing color lasts for hours."
Pigmentation: The pigmentation is amazing, only one swipe is needed for full color!
Finish/Texture:The finish is creamy with a subtle bit of shine. The texture is smooth and silky.
Lasting Power: These lasted about five hours on my lips, which is amazing considering how hydrating these lipsticks are. I'm definitely impressed! 
Scent: These are unscented.
Packaging: The packaging is very cheap. The bullets don't retract all the way, the shade names aren't labelled on the bottom, and the tube scratches the lipstick bullets.
Price/Availability: I paid $2 each at Rite Aid

Likes:
  • Great pigmentation
  • Beautiful finish
  • Smooth texture
  • Inexpensive, $2
  • Hydrates lips
  • Long lasting
  • Lives up to claims
Dislikes:
  • Lipstick bullet doesn't retract all the way in
  • Color isn't labelled on the bottom
  • The tube digs into the lipstick when twisting up and down
Overall:
I would've loved these lipsticks even more if it weren't for the major packaging issues. They are super pigmented, the formula is smooth, and they are only two dollars! I just can't get past the fact that the lipstick bullets are getting scratched every time I use them. Overtime, this causes the lipstick bullet to fall off, I've experienced this before. The other thing I don't like is that the bullet doesn't retract all of the way, and I'm that person who will ding it up so many times if I'm not careful. All in all, this formula is wonderful-looks and feels high end.

I'm going to repurchase these and see if the scratching problem was just a defect with the tubes I bought. Hopefully it was, these lipsticks are great and I really want to be able to use them with ease!

Update:
So I've repurchased a few shades, and the packaging wasn't as bad this time around. The bullets didn't dig into the sticks as bad, but I think that over time, it will. Either way, this lipstick is still worth it! The formula is amazing.

10 comments:

  1. Wow the swatches are so lovely.. so pigmented, and look really smooth. Such a shame about the packaging, I really hate it when the lipstick doesn't retract completely and I end up catching it with the lid constantly! $2 is pretty amazing though xx

    Gemma | ♥ MissMakeupMagpie.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are so pretty, I'm going to buy new tubes to see if they work any better.
      :)

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  2. You've sold me on this lipstick! $2 and great pigmentation? I can overlook the packaging issues. Now to figure out which shade will look great on me! Thanks for the tip. ;)

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    Replies
    1. I tried to overlook packaging issues, but these lipsticks will fall off completely if I keep twisting them! No problem.

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  3. The pigmentation is amazing for the price! Xx

    Honeyashleigh.com

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  4. It's a shame the packaging is so terrible because those swatches are gorgeous! And for $2? Incredible. Thank you for sharing! I've never heard of Black Radiance, but I've very curious now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, hopefully the new ones I have will be better. Black Radiance is such a great bargain brand, made by Markwins, the same company that makes Wet N Wild :)

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  5. Why don't you all just 'depot' the lipstick into a small little travel jar? I don't care for actual lipsticks (gloss lover), but have one Dior that broke from the base, so I put into a little jar that they put samples in at the counters, and melted it down using a candle warmer. Remember to scoop whats IN the very bottom of the bullet, there's about as much in there as the top part that you see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I'm not a fan of depotting, I'm just not a lip brush person. I only use them when I have to, and it's also takes time. I've depotted lipsticks before, but I rarely use them. Stick form is just more usable for me.

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