I like a good bold lip, but what I like even better is a solid sheer lipstick that makes my skin peek through [I like that effect in foundations as well]. You probably already know that I became a huge fan of ColourPop over the past several months, and even though they’re known for intensely pigmented formulas, I’ve always hoped they would add some sheer options too.
A few weeks ago ColourPop officially announced that they have expanded the range of their Lippie Stix and added several new colors with Sheer finish! There are eight new shades currently available, and I picked up four of them to try: Crunch, Juice Bar, Kiddo, and Tiger. Other available shades are BYOB, Safari, Peacocky, and Whip.
Note: All lip swatches below are one coat only, applied with light hand. I intended for them to look sheer on the lips, but they get a lot brighter with each consecutive stroke.
Crunch is described as a warm-toned peachy coral, and to me it looks like it also has a hint of mauve, or maybe a little dusty rose to it. The color is not nearly as bright as it looks on the website; it’s more of an everyday neutral that will make your lips look like you’re wearing something without being too “in your face”. i think Crunch is a great choice for work and school environment for that very reason, since it’s flattering but not distracting.
Kiddo is a warm nude taupe, and it looks like a perfect “your lips but better” color that would complement any no-makeup look. It adds a hint of brownish nude color with an innocent rosy flush to the lips which looks very natural. Honestly, if I didn’t repeat three times to myself “They are sheer!”, I would not have picked it up thinking it might look a bit odd with my skin tone, and I would have missed out on this piece of perfection. I think this shade has the potential to look great on literally everyone.
Juice Bar is described as a cool-toned berry pink, but to me it looks like a medium mauvey pink, maybe even a little plummy. I prefer wearing warm-toned makeup, but couldn’t pass on this shade, because it looked so pretty in the promo picture! While on ColourPop website it looks like yet another boring neutral, Juice Bar is actually bolder and brighter than Crunch and Kiddo. If you still wish to classify is as a neutral, then it’s on the very edge of that spectrum. I would say, this is a good color to start with if you’ve never worn a bold lip before, because it makes a statement without overpowering the rest of the makeup.
Tiger is described as a neutral-toned rich plum wine, and I am also seeing some grape hues. It’s a sheer lipstick for those who hate sheer lipsticks, because it’s bright, bold, vampy, yet still stays true to its sheer finish without sacrificing the drama. Absolutely gorgeous shade!
Ingredients: DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE, C10-18 TRIGLYCERIDES, POLYETHYLENE, LAURYL LAURATE, *ALUMINUM CALCIUM SODIUM SILICATE, *SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, *CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, *CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, *SODIUM POTASSIUM ALUMINUM SILICATE, *SILICA, *ALUMINA, *TIN OXIDE, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL, HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, ETHYL VANILLIN, FLAVOR, ZEOLITE, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, TRIBEHENIN, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1, TOCOPHEROL, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) OIL, ALLANTOIN, GLYCERIN, C12-16 ALCOHOL, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, BETAINE, MOMORDICA GROSVENORI FRUIT EXTRACT, *PALMITIC ACID. +/- RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 7 (CI 15850), RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491), IRON OXIDES (CI 77492), IRON OXIDES (CI 77499), RED 6 (CI 15850), RED 28 LAKE (CI 45410), RED 28 (CI 45410), RED 27 LAKE (CI 45410), RED 21 (CI 45380), RED 21 LAKE (CI 45380), MANGANESE VIOLET (CI 77742), YELLOW 10 LAKE (CI 47005), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140), YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985), BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090), MICA (CI 77019), BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE (CI 77163), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), BRONZE POWDER (CI 77400), COPPER POWDER (CI 77400), RED 33 (CI 17200), CARMINE (CI 75470), RED 40 LAKE (CI 16035), RED 36 (CI 12085), ORANGE 5 (CI 45370), RED 6 LAKE (CI 15850), RED 22 (CI 45380). *May be part of the pigment set
Forget all you know about sheer lipsticks, which normally last a couple hours on the lips before gradualy fading away. ColourPop Sheer Lippie Stix lippies have an impressive staying power up to 5 hours, and the color can be easily built up to medium opacity without looking chalky or heavy. So if you’re looking for sheer and medium coverage lipsticks – get a few of these, because they’ll serve both purposes.
Swatch reference: My skin tone is between MAC NC15 and NW15 with yellowish hue and neutral undertones. Sometimes I can wear NW20 in the Summer. I thought this would be useful to know, since all screens show colors differently, and I also don’t have a studio setup with consistent lighting. Hope that helps!
Initially ColourPop Sheer Lippie Stix apply a little dry, but the formula warms up on the lips, helping spread the pigment more evenly and adding a hint of a subtle satiny sheen. Out of four shades I tried, neither one gave me any issues with application or wear time. They all performed equally well, and provided about the same level of pigmentation and a hint of gloss.
Overall, I could not be happier with my purchase! ColourPop Sheer Lippie Stix exceeded all of my expectations and then some, which is a welcome surprise after my recent disappointment with MAC Cremesheen Pearl lipsticks, that left me wishing I had never bought them. The lasting power is incredible, the pigments are bright and sheer in the best way possible, and the formula doesn’t emphasize dryness or lip lines – I couldn’t wish for more. So yes, I know I may sound biased because I’m such a big fan of ColourPop, but at $5 per piece these are an absolute steal and are worth picking up.
WHERE TO BUY: $5 USD each. Available at ColourPop.
Do you like sheer finish on lipsticks? Are you #TeamBold or #TeamNeutral? Which one of these four shades is your favorite? Share in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products purchased by Glamorable and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
