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OCC Strange & Unusual and Working Girl RTW Lip Tars Reviews, Photos, Swatches

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW ($16.00 for 0.14 fl. oz.) is a muted, rosy plum with subtle, warmer undertones and a fine, metallic shimmer. It had mostly opaque color payoff with a smooth, lightweight consistency that spread across the lips evenly. I’ve found that a lot of the Metallic shades have more slip and aren’t always as pigmented as the Cream Lip Tars, but this one was just right and went on nicely. It lasted for five and a half hours on me and was neither drying nor hydrating. Urban Decay Backfire (DC, $18.00) is less shimmery, less pigmented (95% similar). Sephora Cosmic Purple (105) (P, $14.00) is cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Theo (DC, $36.00) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar). NARS La Paz (LE, $28.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (85% similar). MAC Inez (LE, $22.00) is lighter, warmer (80% similar). Too Faced Metallic Jelly (P, $21.00) is warmer (80% similar). Makeup Geek Drumroll (P, $15.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar). MAC Model Behavior (P, $19.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar). Milk Makeup Willow (P, $24.00) is darker (85% similar). Urban Decay Delusional (P, $18.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (80% similar). Urban Decay Mad (DC, $18.00) is darker, cooler (80% similar). Too Faced Mermaid Tears (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW ($16.00 for 0.14 fl. oz.) is a bright, almost neon pink with subtle, cool undertones and warmer gold shimmer. It had good pigmentation, though not fully opaque, with a moderately emollient consistency that spread well across the lips but had a tendency to highlight lip lines. The brighter color made it less noticeable from a normal viewing distance at least! This shade wore well for five hours, left behind a stain, and was neither drying nor hydrating. Chanel Extatique (P, $45.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (90% similar). Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Yaoi (DC, $18.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Too Faced Metallic Dream House (P, $21.00) is darker, brighter, glossier (85% similar). MAC Raspberry Pavlova (LE, $17.50) is more shimmery, darker, more muted (85% similar). Illamasqua Welt (P, $24.00) is darker, less glossy (80% similar). Fenty Beauty Gravity (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, more muted (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Strange & Unusual

DCDiscontinued. $17.00.
A
A
9
Product
9.5
Pigmentation
9
Texture
10
Longevity
5
Application
94%
Total

Working Girl

DCDiscontinued. $17.00.
B+
B+
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
8
Texture
9
Longevity
4.5
Application
87%
Total

See more photos & swatches!

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Strange & Unusual Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW
OCC Working Girl Lip Tar/RTW

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Foundation
  • Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
  • NARS Dual Intensity Blush I and II
On eyes:
  • YSL Scandal Eyeshadow Palette
  • Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner

36 Comments

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Fran Avatar

Both of these are beautiful, but I especially love Strange & Unusual. I’ve been surprisingly drawn to metallic/frosted lipsticks lately, as long as they’re bright enough or dark enough to not wash me out. I love Theo but it looks darker and more purple on my lips, Strange & Unusual looks pinker and more metallic… justifying purchasing a dupe! 😉

Katherine T. Avatar

I like the color for Strange & Unusual, and love the shimmers, but it looks a tad frosty, bringing back some memories of the ’80s. Maybe if I put a lip balm over it, will tone down the frost and make it more glossy

Trish Avatar

Whoa! Both of these are beautiful on you Christine. I would have never looked at these on my own. I simply never tried any of OCC’s products because nothing has interested me in their past collections. I have to check these out. Thanks for the review Christine!

Cat Avatar

These are so pretty! I love Strange & Unusual!! It’s something I used to say (laughingly) about myself when questioned why I was doing something in a different way than someone else. 🙂

Christine, you mentioned some differences in the way these felt (lightweight consistency; more slip). If someone wasn’t thrilled by the way the cream Lip Tars felt, do you think there’s a chance they might like these?

Christine Avatar

The Metallics have always had a slightly different feel than the Lip Tars, as they have had more slip in general than the cream Lip Tars. You’d have to tell me what it was about the cream Lip Tars you didn’t like for me to be able to provide any useful insight (and even them, I am doubtful I’ll be that useful!), though! Let me know 🙂

Cat Avatar

First off, let me say that, on me, the Melted Metallic Jelly looks REALLY similar to the way Strange & Unusual looks on you. My natural lip color is between UD’s Backtalk and Rapture, and my closest MAC color is NW13/NW15 (but both are still too yellow for me). Therefore, with the love and support of my family, I’ve come to accept the fact that Strange & Unusual would not be the same, beautiful plum color on me as it is on you. :'(

When I tried a Lip Tar a few years back (in Strumpet), I could not leave it on my lips, even applied in a thin layer, because it felt like I had a mask on my lips (if that makes sense). I can comfortably wear the TF Melteds, the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish, and a few lacquers/glosses from other brands. However, I cannot tolerate the Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss and definitely not the Stila Lip Glaze.

The OCC website calls the Lip Tar “the original liquid lipstick” that has a “natural matte finish.” Looking at your various swatches, some of the shades (even the creams) look more matte and/or of a thinner consistency than others. (Perhaps that has more to do with application?)

So, for future reference, do the consistencies vary between shades enough that a person might like some Lip Tars but not others? Or… should I just stick with the Melteds?

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!