Top 10 of 2012: Lipsticks

There were actually a lot of fantastic lipsticks released this year! I already pulled up twenty that to consider for the top ten, and I had only reached August (I go backwards). There were 52 pages of lip product reviews to sift through (that’s 312 posts!), and these were the ones that made the cut:

• OCC Metallurgy Lip Tars — Triptych pictured above
• Cle de Peau Comtesse de Cayla — light coral
• Guerlain Orgueil — berry-red
• NARS Dragon Girl — matte, blue-based red
• Laura Mercier Raspberry Sorbet — muted rosy pink
• Maybelline Very Cherry — cherry red
• Shiseido RD 320 — creamy magenta
• Tom Ford Violet Fatale — iridescent berry purple
• Burberry Pink Amber — matte perfection
• Giorgio Armani #400 — rich red

What was your favorite lipstick from 2012?

A Beautiful, Deep Red

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro ($32.00 for 0.22 fl. oz.) is a subtly blue-based, deep red. This is darker, less pink, compared to Giorgio Armani #503 Red Fuchsia Lip Maestro, which I reviewed previously. Dior Diorling is a bit bluer-based. MAC Charmed, I’m Sure is bluer-based, a bit brighter. Guerlain Luxure is a bit browner. MAC Runaway Red has a pink-y edge to it. Chanel Dragon is very similar, but it has noticeable shimmer. It is the closest I’ve come to duping Dragon, and at a stretch, #400 is slightly less blue-based and doesn’t have the same shimmer, but it’s hard to tell if you aren’t looking close-up.

The formula is fully opaque in a single pass–a little goes a long way–and it is a very long-wearing shade that’s comfortable to wear from start to finish.  The Red lasted seven and a half hours on me with extraordinary color, and it lingered into the ninth and tenth hours with 70% or so color remaining–it had a slightly faded, almost stained-like look.  It has a velvety texture and if you’re familiar with silicone-based primers, it also has that feel, too.  Very smooth, and the consistency is thin and glides on, yet it adheres well without being clingy or drying.  It seems glossy close-up, but from a normal distance, it has a modern matte finish–not flat but not glossy.  The best part about this long-wearing formula is that it wears (and feels) like a lipstick; so it doesn’t flake or peel off at all and fades naturally and evenly over time.

The Glossover

P	The Red (400) Temptalia Recommends A+
	It's incredible pigmented, long-wearing, and comfortable to wear--more comfortable than a lot of comparable products. The texture is definitely one to try, if only to know how it feels like!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
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Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro

Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque (left half) / Giorgio Armani #400 (The Red) Lip Maestro (right half)