ColourPop Lucky Strike, Mesmerize, Y2K Velvet Blur Lux Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches
Lucky Strike
ColourPop Lucky Strike Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick ($7.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. The color coverage was buildable from medium to opaque in three layers. It had a smooth, velvety feel, which ensured it glided well across my lips but had more of a semi-matte, almost powdery, finish (so it never felt slippery or wet). The color went on evenly, but there was slight product that sat in my deeper lip lines and emphasized them as it made the color look separated, though it wasn’t as noticeable from a normal viewing distance. It lasted nicely for four hours and was non-drying.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Sultriness (P, $22.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Velvet Beauty (LE, $36.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- NARS London Clinic (LE, $27.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Fresh Cut (DC, $6.50) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Soft Core (P, $38.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Fatale (LE, $9.00) is lighter, glossier (90% similar).
- Sephora Rose Wood (85) (P, $14.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Kate (LE, $10.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- ColourPop Flynn (LE, $9.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Paint Me (LE, $5.00) is darker, less pigmented (90% 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.
Lucky Strike
PPermanent. $10.00.
Mesmerize
ColourPop Mesmerize Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick ($7.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a brighter, medium pink-coral with warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had medium, buildable pigmentation that yielded semi-opaque coverage after three layers. The lipstick had a lightweight, thin consistency that felt velvety and glided across my lips without tugging but never felt wet or slippery on. The product emphasize the texture and lines on my lips, unfortunately, though from a normal viewing distance, it had a faded look that made it less noticeable. It stayed on well for four hours on me and was neither drying nor hydrating on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Bobbi Brown Bitten Peach (P, $37.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- ColourPop Soft Spot (LE, $6.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Holly Lolly (LE, $6.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Brickthrough (P, $22.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Prince Edward (LE, $9.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- NARS Walk This Way (P, $26.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- NARS Dolce Vita (P, $27.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Sephora Flamingo (P, $14.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Velvet Blush Lightly (P, $36.00) is darker (90% similar).
- NARS Call Me (P, $26.00) is darker, brighter, cooler (90% 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.
Mesmerize
PPermanent. $10.00.
Y2K
ColourPop Y2K Velvet Blur Lux Lipstick ($7.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark pink-coral with soft, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation to opaque color coverage in two layers. The texture was smooth, velvety, and lightweight with a thinner, more powder-like feel on my lips, though it didn’t feel clingy. The color went on evenly and didn’t emphasize my lip lines, but there was a smidgen of product that gathered in them, which wasn’t noticeable from a normal viewing distance. It wore well for four hours and was neither drying nor hydrating on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Charlotte Tilbury Rose Kiss (LE, $37.00) is glossier (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Medium (P, $37.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Brickthrough (P, $22.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Sephora Flamingo (P, $14.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Annie (P, $24.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Double Dare (DC, $21.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Wonderboy (LE, $9.00) is darker, brighter (85% similar).
- Sephora Honeymoon (80) (P, $14.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Tease Me (P, $34.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- ColourPop Goal Digger (P, $6.00) is brighter, 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.
Y2K instead of YSK in title?
Sorry, so stupid of me not to be able to read competently!!
Thanks for reviewing these so quickly. Y2K is calling my name, and I can live with that score (especially for 7 bucks!)
Lovely lipsticks, but I think the shades are pretty similar to each other.
As much as I and many along with me may remember the fear and dread we lived with 20 years ago, that thankfully was largely unwarranted, I still would love to have a tube of Y2K! I’ll wear it while partying like it’s 1999.?
These were being touted as the replacement for the blotted lip… my favorite which was discontinued. How do you feel these compare in how they feel and look on the lips? I was considering buying Y2K. Drip was my favorite of the blotted line, but I don’t think any of the velvet blur line look similar to it (at least not from the CP videos and swatches, but have to take those with a grain of salt because a lot of things from CP don’t quite look like what they are in person).
They’re more pigmented than Blotted Lips and have more substance, so the Blotted Lips, which weren’t very smoothing for me, were a little more flattering on average to my lip lines but they weren’t as buildable in color.