L’Oreal HIP is a line that’s been out for awhile, and if you’re an avid MAC fan, you might have heard them being compared to the popular brand. HIP stands for High Intensity Pigments. I have to confirm that the similarities between some of HIP’s products and MAC’s. Pictured above are three new additions to the HIP line: Eyeshadow duos in Sculpted (purples) and Magnetic (blues), as well as Jelly Balm in Luscious.

See swatches, and find out whether HIP is a worthy comparison to MAC…

The first two swatches are of the Magnetic duo, the next two are of the Sculpted duo, and the last swatch is of Luscious Jelly Balm. Of the three products I tried, Luscious Jelly Balm ($9.00) is my favorite, just because it does feel quite nice on the lips. It reminds me a lot of MAC’s Tendertones. It’s very thick, definitely deserving of the “Jelly” title. Luscious gives a nice tint to the lips, because it’s pretty dark – but don’t let the “in the pot” color scare you, because the color itself is sheerer and much more like a tinted gloss.  It didn’t feel sticky to me when I tried it either.

The duos didn’t win me over entirely. Magnetic could have been prettier; I was hoping for more blue rather than more silver in the lighter shade. Instead, it is more of a silvery color with a hint of icy blue in it. The darker blue swatches much more like a blackened blue–almost muddied. Sculpted was prettier when swatched, because the lighter color turns out a mauvey rose shade, brighter than a plain mauve. The darker color is very black, but it has noticeable purple shimmer to it, which kicks it up a notch.

HIP Eyeshadow duos are only $7 a pop, and since L’Oreal does go on sale regularly, you might get them for even less (B1G1 free/half off). The pigmentation is decent, though the colors aren’t not always spot-on from what they look like to the naked eye. None of these had over-the-top shimmer, which is something I find common in drugstore brands (and if not too glittery/shimmery, then chalky).

Find yours at Drugstore.com.