ColourPop Band T & Call Waiting Velvet Blur Lux Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches
Band T
ColourPop Band T Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick ($7.50 for 0.12 oz.) is a light-medium, rosy brown with subtle, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had medium, buildable pigmentation, which was as marketed, that applied evenly and smoothly across my lips with a velvety glide. There was a bit of product that settled into my deeper lip lines but wasn’t enough to be noticeable. It wore well for three hours and felt lightly hydrating over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Tom Ford Beauty Joan (LE, $36.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- NARS Rosecliff (P, $26.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- MAC Hug Me (P, $22.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Augustine (LE, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Strip (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Becca Truffle (DC, $24.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Spiked Cocoa (LE, $26.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Dior Ultra Tender (325) (P, $37.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Rare Beauty Thankful (P, $16.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Mauve Glow (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, darker, glossier (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$10.00/0.12 oz. - $83.33 Per Ounce
It's supposed to have a "soft focus, blurring effect" with "buildable" color that can deliver "high impact colour" with a "silky, velvet soft texture" that "smooths over fine lines and imperfections" without "drying out your lips." They have a velvety slip to them, as they're packed with silicone, and so they have that smooth feel as they go over the lips but have a lightweight, almost powder-like finish that makes me think of a "soft matte." From a normal viewing distance, like at a glance in a mirror or another person viewing you while having a face-to-face conversation, as opposed to checking one's lips close-up in the mirror, I saw the "blur" effect--soft, slightly understated color with a matte finish. The lack of opacity in some of them gave them a "softer" appearance to my eye.
That being said, I didn't experience any smoothing, and I haven't personally found that the more silicone-heavy lipstick formulas go that far in smoothing my lip lines; I'd actually feel like they're more likely to emphasize imperfections as the lipstick caught on flakes and settled into lip lines. There were some shades that applied more unevenly and were more prone to settling noticeably in my lip lines than others, and there were a few that applied evenly and were flattering with respect to texture on me as well. As always, I do my best to ensure that I exfoliate my lips regularly and keep my lips hydrated when not testing lip products (at night and the like) to try and have a "good" canvas for lip colors.
The coverage varied from shade to shade with most shades offering medium, buildable coverage, though some of the deeper and more vivid shades were more semi-opaque to nearly opaque in a single layer. The color faded a bit more readily from the center of my lips compared to the outer edges but was fairly even in how they wore down. Only the very deepest/more red-toned shades stained my lips (and only slightly) after wearing them. They seemed mostly non-drying but a few felt a little more drying to me. The formula has a sweet, burnt sugar scent but no discernible taste.
Browse all of our ColourPop Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyethylene, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Zeolite, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrated Silica, Flavor, Saccharin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract; MAY CONTAIN: Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Band T
LELimited Edition. $10.00.
Call Waiting
ColourPop Call Waiting Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick ($7.50 for 0.12 oz.) is a deep red with cooler undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had medium color coverage in one layer, which built up to mostly opaque coverage with a second layer. The consistency was lightweight, thin, and velvety with a smoother glide without less traditional emollience.
There was a bit of product that accumulated in the deeper lip lines visible in the close-up photo but wasn’t noticeable in person. This shade lasted well for five hours, left a stain behind, and felt lightly moisturizing over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Burning Love (P, $22.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Amanda (P, $24.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- YSL Peculiar Pink (05) (P, $39.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Guerlain Black Red (910) (P, $36.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Under My Thumb (P, $26.00) is lighter, warmer, less glossy (90% similar).
- ColourPop Main Character (LE, $9.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Mulberry (P, $28.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Elle Belle (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Media (P, $19.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (85% similar).
- ColourPop LBD (LE, $10.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$10.00/0.12 oz. - $83.33 Per Ounce
It's supposed to have a "soft focus, blurring effect" with "buildable" color that can deliver "high impact colour" with a "silky, velvet soft texture" that "smooths over fine lines and imperfections" without "drying out your lips." They have a velvety slip to them, as they're packed with silicone, and so they have that smooth feel as they go over the lips but have a lightweight, almost powder-like finish that makes me think of a "soft matte." From a normal viewing distance, like at a glance in a mirror or another person viewing you while having a face-to-face conversation, as opposed to checking one's lips close-up in the mirror, I saw the "blur" effect--soft, slightly understated color with a matte finish. The lack of opacity in some of them gave them a "softer" appearance to my eye.
That being said, I didn't experience any smoothing, and I haven't personally found that the more silicone-heavy lipstick formulas go that far in smoothing my lip lines; I'd actually feel like they're more likely to emphasize imperfections as the lipstick caught on flakes and settled into lip lines. There were some shades that applied more unevenly and were more prone to settling noticeably in my lip lines than others, and there were a few that applied evenly and were flattering with respect to texture on me as well. As always, I do my best to ensure that I exfoliate my lips regularly and keep my lips hydrated when not testing lip products (at night and the like) to try and have a "good" canvas for lip colors.
The coverage varied from shade to shade with most shades offering medium, buildable coverage, though some of the deeper and more vivid shades were more semi-opaque to nearly opaque in a single layer. The color faded a bit more readily from the center of my lips compared to the outer edges but was fairly even in how they wore down. Only the very deepest/more red-toned shades stained my lips (and only slightly) after wearing them. They seemed mostly non-drying but a few felt a little more drying to me. The formula has a sweet, burnt sugar scent but no discernible taste.
Browse all of our ColourPop Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyethylene, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Zeolite, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrated Silica, Flavor, Saccharin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract; MAY CONTAIN: Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Well, I’ll be, I don’t need Call Waiting. I still have my MAC Elle Belle and Media. Oh well. I loved it for the name!
Band T would be an excellent replacement for my MAC Spirit that has begun to smell like crayons. Spirit on me looks so different than it does on you. On me, it’s practically a concealer lips nude!
Call Waiting is gorgeous and I am happy to see the brand doing more lipsticks too.
I like both. I have a dupe for the lovely Call Waiting, but it’s quite far down the list. It does make me wonder why I don’t have MAC Media though.
I don’t think I should like Band T, but I do. I think after years hanging around here my taste is a lot less narrow and I try new, for me, colours and find I like them.
So much fun, colours!
Call Waiting has become my new favorite. It wears so well. And I love this formula. I hope they release more of them. Bonus, it’s a pretty close dupe for my very much missed Bite Mulberry.