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ColourPop Are & Be & Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick ($6.00 for 0.11 fl. oz.) is described as a “rich mauve plum.” It’s a soft, medium-dark plum with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had rich color payoff with a thin, spreadable texture that went on evenly. It dried down to a flat, matte finish that did emphasize the texture of my lips somewhat. It lasted for seven hours and faded more noticeably from the center of the mouth for me. The formula was lightly drying. Makeup Geek Tomboy (P, $12.00) is lighter, glossier (95% similar). Marc Jacobs Beauty Vinyl Dream (P, $30.00) is glossier (90% similar). Smashbox Spoiler Alert (P, $24.00) is darker, cooler, glossier (90% similar). NARS London Calling (P, $26.00) is darker (95% similar). ColourPop Viper (DC, $6.50) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). Kaleidos Mercury Wave (P, $12.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). ColourPop Lumiere 2 (DC, $6.50) is lighter (90% similar). ColourPop Back Up (P, $6.00) is lighter (85% similar). MAC Winifred (LE, $19.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar). ColourPop Bijou (LE, $7.00) is cooler (85% similar). Makeup Geek Urbanista (P, $12.00) is darker, glossier (85% similar). NARS Dirty Mind (P, $27.00) is darker (85% similar). ColourPop Panda (P, $7.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (80% similar). Anastasia Dusty Mauve (P, $18.00) is lighter (80% similar). Anastasia Vintage (P, $20.00) is brighter, cooler (80% similar). NARS Pussy Control (P, $27.00) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). KVD Beauty Susperia (P, $20.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler (80% similar). Urban Decay Double Crossed (P, $18.00) is darker (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick ($6.00 for 0.11 fl. oz.) is described as a “dusty lilac.” It’s a muted, medium-dark mauvey lavender with neutral-to-warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It looks a lot darker and cooler in tone when it dries down than it looks in the tube (I did a few double takes there). The texture was thin, almost watery, but applied smoothly and evenly with full color coverage. It dried down to a a transfer-free finish, but it had a slight sheen to it–it wasn’t quite matte and had a very, very subtle tackiness to it for about an hour. The color lasted for six hours with a bit of color flaking more from the center of the lip. It was lightly drying over time. ColourPop Lumiere 2 (DC, $6.50) is darker (90% similar). NARS Pussy Control (P, $27.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar). NARS Dominique (P, $34.00) is lighter, warmer, glossier (85% similar). Bite Beauty Thistle (DC, $26.00) is lighter, warmer, glossier (90% similar). Sephora Off-Limits (38) (P, $8.00) is cooler (85% similar). Anastasia Dusty Mauve (P, $18.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar). ColourPop Femme (P, $7.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar). MAC Rossy (LE, $19.00) is darker (90% similar). Sephora Taffy (P, $14.00) is brighter, warmer (80% similar). NARS London Calling (P, $26.00) is darker (80% similar). Makeup Geek Savvy (P, $15.00) is darker (80% similar). Maybelline Concrete Jungle (P, $7.49) is darker, cooler (80% similar). KVD Beauty Ayesha (P, $20.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (80% similar). KVD Beauty Requiem (P, $20.00) is lighter, less glossy (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

FORMULA OVERVIEW | ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick ($6.00 for 0.11 fl. oz.) is a long-wearing, pigmented lipstick that starts off glossy and dries down quickly to that super flat matte finish. They have minimal transfer with some of the lighter shades having almost none for the first few hours of wear, but any time you’ve had a meal, they lose that transfer-resistant quality to a noticeable degree. They tend to wear anywhere from six to ten hours with darker shades maintaining better color coverage and wear over a longer period of time. Some shades get a little drying about two-thirds to three-fourths through the wear, while a few shades have been fairly non-drying even many hours into wear. They fade away evenly with most color loss occurring from the center of the lips if eating a more oil-based meal but the majority of color survives a meal. Reapplication has been hit or miss and tends to depend on how well it wore away and how easily the shade applies normally, but reapplication tends to emphasize the lip’s natural texture significantly compared to initial application and gives lips a very wrinkled, dried-up look. I’ve layered gloss on top of some shades with moderate success, though it will obviously lose the matte finish and will transfer and I’ll get tiny flakes where the matte lip color has lifted by mixing with gloss but has been pretty minimal. The formula had no discernible taste or scent.

Are & Be

DCDiscontinued. $6.50.
A-
A-
8
Product
10
Pigmentation
8
Texture
9.5
Longevity
5
Application
90%
Total

Cheap Thrills

DCDiscontinued. $6.50.
A-
A-
8.5
Product
10
Pigmentation
8.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
91%
Total

See more photos & swatches!

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Are & Be Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick
ColourPop Cheap Thrills Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes Loose Setting Powder
  • Tom Ford Bicoastal Blush
On eyes:
  • bareMinerals Nature of Nudes Palette
  • Sephora Surfer Babe Eyeliner

39 Comments

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Katherine T. Avatar

Wow, Are & Be is so pretty and unique in color! I looked under the dupe section, but no close dupes in traditional lipstick formula

Hex Avatar

As soon as I saw Cheap Thrills I thought Nars Dominique and lo and behold you have it as a dupe! i’ve been coveting the Nars one but at the moment I really prefer to stay under like $26 for a lipstick. so the Nars will have to wait especially with its price here in Canada. And they don’t even have it at Sephora BOOOO! haha
Anyway, so happy to see this affordable dupe.

Ginny Avatar

I remember when the Audacious lipsticks came out (as if it were so long ago, lol) and thinking Dominique was an unusual color, too grayish, too out-there for me. Now it looks positively normal and I’m putting it on my short list.

Jenny Callahan Avatar

I love the look of both of these. Both are pretty unique shades and I’m so glad i went ahead and snatched them up! I’m glad they got good reviews, since i hardly ever purchase without first checking your reviews.

Nicole Avatar

These are gorgeous on you! I gave up on CP ultra mattes after the fall line. But, each time they bring new shades out, I wish I could do it! I feel like it’s shrink wrap on my lips! It’s just not pretty when your getting older and doing everything to make your lips look bigger and smoother!

sue v Avatar

ahhh i wish they stuck to the original formula which I LOVE! i just got donut in my last haul (i pretty much order something or the other every other week it seems lol) n realized how much i love the first formula…it’s so lightweight n transfer proof i dont even realize im wearing a lip color! im definitely not found of this tacky not as transfer proof new formula at all 🙁 well at least they are better than the satin ones which im not found of as they feel heavy on the lips (im seriously being spoiled by these liquid lips thats are so lightweight ha!) n also when my hair gets stuck the color spreads around my face (for the satins) unlike their original ultra mattes…i really loved the CP liquid formula best even better than KVD i found those to be a bit drying but CP i could keep them on all day n not even think about it…was going to pass on these by damn had no idea cheap thrills was going to be so close to dominique have to get it as that has been on my list for 4 months now ha! do u think are & be is closer to their original very lightweight formula?

Jess T Avatar

I couldn’t handle this formula at first but now I put a couple layers of lip balm on first and then apply it. It makes it much more comfortable and MUCH easier to remove! They certainly have some gorgeous colors.

Eva Avatar

Hi Christine, Are & Be is similar to ColourPop Ultra Matte in Lumière 2 when I put it on my lips. I want to compare the swatch side by side when I notice that you haven’t reviewed Lumière 2. Are you planning to review and swatch it? It would be nice to compare and see Lumière 2 and Are & Be side by side.. Thanks

Melissa Avatar

Just ordered Are&Be and I’m hoping it looks as awesome as it is on you. CP lippies always appear darker on me (maybe because I’m pale). Thanks for the post! 🙂

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