Tom Ford for Lipstick — Test #1

Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lip Color ($45.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a subtle, toned-down pink with a little fleshy nude to it. I wouldn’t describe it so much as a nude as I would a pale pink. I’d say it’s a rather neutral pink, too — in some light, it looks almost cool-toned, but if you turn your head, it turns warmer. It is a well-pigmented lipstick that looks opaque on lips without very little layering required.

Tom Ford’s Private Blend Lip Color collection are all vanilla scented and come in a white and gold square tube. It’s a very clean and elegant look, and the tube itself is weighty, so it feels more luxurious when you hold it in your hand. I like that the usage of the white paneling means no fingerprints, since that is a common problem when brands use more metallic/metal kind of packaging. The top and bottom are both “gold,” with the top having “Tom Ford” imprinted on it. It does click shut and stay closed well.

The formula itself is creamy and lightweight–it doesn’t feel slippery or nearly as creamy as YSL Rouge Voluptes, nor does it glide on as smoothly and effortlessly as Guerlain Rouge Gs. Tom Ford’s color range is full with twelve different shades ranging from nudes to deep plums. The textures of Tom Ford’s lipsticks are semi-matte–they’re not shimmery at all–and so they have a smidgen of sheen/glisten but overall, a much flatter finish.

Where Tom Ford excels is in the wear of his lipstick. These last for hours and hours, and depending on what you’re eating/drinking, may last through those as well. Without eating/drinking, I can easily get four to five hours of wear. I made it through a meal with the majority of the color intact, though the color looked nearly matte after the meal. It doesn’t cling and feel drying from the get-go nor when you go to remove it at the end of the day. These wear very well, and the darker shades do stain, which will give them even more wear. For a light shade such as Pink Dusk to last for five hours, it’s definitely a feat.

I love the rich, opaque color Tom Ford’s lipstick delivers, and I like that they’re comfortable to wear without being drying. Pink Dusk seems like a nice, universal shade that’s neither bold nor barely there that can be worn by all skin tones.

I will say that $45 is rather steep, and even for a designer brand like Tom Ford, it’s not where I would have pegged the price to come in at. I wish that, despite the high price tag, they would beef up the quantity — maybe 0.12 or 0.14 oz. — rather than a mere 0.10 oz. One tube should last you awhile, since you don’t need much for a single application and reapplication should be less frequent than your average lipstick, but the slightly below average quantity for a slightly above average price tag is worth noting.

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• Product: 29/30
• Value: 7/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you’re in the mood for a decadent luxury and prefer your lip color on the more matte side, Tom Ford’s range of twelve might interest you.

AVAILABILITY: Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus

See more photos & swatches!

Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lipstick

Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lipstick

Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lipstick

Tom Ford Pink Dusk Lipstick

Tom Ford Lipstick

Tom Ford Lipstick