Makeup Geek Quickstep, Waltz, Flamenco Showstopper Crème Stains Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Quickstep
Makeup Geek Quickstep Showstopper Creme Stain ($12.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is a muted, light-medium rosy beige with neutral-to-warm undertones and a matte finish. It had medium color coverage, which was slightly buildable to semi-opaque coverage, but I found that layering tended to amplify how patchy/uneven it looked. It did take three pulls of product to get enough product to yield a single layer as the packaging seemed to wipe away a lot of product from the applicator. It gathered in my lip lines and looked more pronounced as I smiled. It applied unevenly but only had a couple of visible streaks. This shade lasted for three hours and was just slightly drying.
The Showstopper Creme Stain formula is supposed to be “long-lasting” and “highly pigmented and offers effortless, buildable coverage.” Highly pigmented and buildable make it confusing what the coverage actually is, since something that is buildable means that it is less pigmented but can be layered for greater coverage. The majority of shades were medium to semi-opaque in coverage, hard to build as they often pulled up the first layer and shifted color around. The formula rarely applied well; it was streaky, dried so fast that there was no time for corrections (and attempts to correct just made it worse), and clingy. I found the applicator rougher, and the packaging made it seem that sometimes it was more like I wasn’t getting enough product on the wand to even coverage half of a lip (it seemed like the opening was wiping away too much product from the doefoot applicator). For every single swatch, I had to dip and pull the wand two to three times just to get enough product to cover my lips (it was impossible to stretch out the product very far as it dried as I was spreading it). It did dry to a transfer-resistant finish, but it did not survive eating well (most liquid lipstick formulas have survived better for me). Though transfer-resistant, it remained slightly tacky for one to two hours–and if you use more than one to one and a half layers, it often lifted and separated the color.
The brand’s swatches and lip swatches showcase a seemingly opaque product, but I could not achieve opaque coverage with several shades, even trying four or five layers, and the result after five layers of product was uneven, patchy, and cakey. The wear was average–four to six hours with significant fading from the center, which is more what I’d experience with a typical lipstick and a liquid lipstick–and surprisingly, little staining, even with deeper shades. So far, they have been slightly drying to somewhat drying. There are so many high-performing liquid lipsticks on the marketplace already, so I was caught off guard by the poor application and performance of this formula.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Pour Toujours (P, $26.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Shiseido Rose Syrup (BR721) (DC, $28.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Bronx (P, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Tarte Bestie (LE, $20.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- MAC Love Me Lots (LE, $19.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Ludwig (P, $20.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Bow 'n' Arrow (P, $19.00) is warmer, glossier (85% similar).
- ColourPop Beeper (P, $6.50) (85% similar).
- Anastasia Coconut (LE, $18.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Rowdy (LE, $27.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$12.00/0.19 oz. - $63.16 Per Ounce
The Showstopper Creme Stain formula is supposed to be “long-lasting” and “highly pigmented and offers effortless, buildable coverage.” Highly pigmented and buildable make it confusing what the coverage actually is, since something that is buildable means that it is less pigmented but can be layered for greater coverage. The majority of shades were medium to semi-opaque in coverage, hard to build as they often pulled up the first layer and shifted color around. The formula rarely applied well; it was streaky, dried so fast that there was no time for corrections (and attempts to correct just made it worse), and clingy.
I found the applicator rougher, and the packaging made it seem that sometimes it was more like I wasn’t getting enough product on the wand to even coverage half of a lip (it seemed like the opening was wiping away too much product from the doefoot applicator). For every single swatch, I had to dip and pull the wand two to three times just to get enough product to cover my lips (it was impossible to stretch out the product very far as it dried as I was spreading it).
It did dry to a transfer-resistant finish, but it did not survive eating well (most liquid lipstick formulas have survived better for me). Though transfer-resistant, it remained slightly tacky for one to two hours–and if you use more than one to one and a half layers, it often lifted and separated the color.
The brand’s swatches and lip swatches showcase a seemingly opaque product, but I could not achieve opaque coverage with several shades, even trying four or five layers, and the result after five layers of product was uneven, patchy, and cakey. The wear was average–four to six hours with significant fading from the center, which is more what I’d experience with a typical lipstick and a liquid lipstick–and surprisingly, little staining, even with deeper shades. So far, they have been slightly drying to somewhat drying. There are so many high-performing liquid lipsticks on the marketplace already, so I was caught off guard by the poor application and performance of this formula.
Browse all of our Makeup Geek Showstopper Crème Stain swatches.
Ingredients
Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyethylene, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Microcrystalline WaxCera MicrocristallinaCire Microcristalline, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Octyldodecanol, Dicalcium Phosphate, WaterAquaEau, Alumina, Tin Oxide, Silica, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Carmine (Ci 75470), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Orange 5 (Ci 45370), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 (Ci 15850), Red 21 (Ci 45380), Red 27 (Ci 45410), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 33 Lake (Ci 17200), 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.
Quickstep
LELimited Edition. $12.00.
Waltz
Makeup Geek Waltz Showstopper Creme Stain ($12.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is a medium, caramel brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had medium coverage that was buildable to semi-opaque pigmentation that was somewhat uneven with slight streakiness. The texture was thin, almost a little oily when I swatched it, but it felt more chalk-like on the lips. The thinner, clingier texture amplified the look of the texture of my lips. This shade lasted for three and a half hours before having significant fading along the center of the lips.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Hourglass Influencer (P, $32.00) is glossier (95% similar).
- Kaleidos North (P, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Chanel Rouge Angelique (174) (P, $45.00) is darker, cooler, glossier (95% similar).
- MAC Whirl (P, $19.00) is darker, glossier (95% similar).
- Tarte Candy (LE, $20.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- ColourPop Parker (P, $7.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Bare Instinct (P, $32.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- ColourPop Muneca (P, $6.50) is cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Nude Cult (P, $32.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Latte (DC, $24.00) is lighter, glossier (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$12.00/0.19 oz. - $63.16 Per Ounce
The Showstopper Creme Stain formula is supposed to be “long-lasting” and “highly pigmented and offers effortless, buildable coverage.” Highly pigmented and buildable make it confusing what the coverage actually is, since something that is buildable means that it is less pigmented but can be layered for greater coverage. The majority of shades were medium to semi-opaque in coverage, hard to build as they often pulled up the first layer and shifted color around. The formula rarely applied well; it was streaky, dried so fast that there was no time for corrections (and attempts to correct just made it worse), and clingy.
I found the applicator rougher, and the packaging made it seem that sometimes it was more like I wasn’t getting enough product on the wand to even coverage half of a lip (it seemed like the opening was wiping away too much product from the doefoot applicator). For every single swatch, I had to dip and pull the wand two to three times just to get enough product to cover my lips (it was impossible to stretch out the product very far as it dried as I was spreading it).
It did dry to a transfer-resistant finish, but it did not survive eating well (most liquid lipstick formulas have survived better for me). Though transfer-resistant, it remained slightly tacky for one to two hours–and if you use more than one to one and a half layers, it often lifted and separated the color.
The brand’s swatches and lip swatches showcase a seemingly opaque product, but I could not achieve opaque coverage with several shades, even trying four or five layers, and the result after five layers of product was uneven, patchy, and cakey. The wear was average–four to six hours with significant fading from the center, which is more what I’d experience with a typical lipstick and a liquid lipstick–and surprisingly, little staining, even with deeper shades. So far, they have been slightly drying to somewhat drying. There are so many high-performing liquid lipsticks on the marketplace already, so I was caught off guard by the poor application and performance of this formula.
Browse all of our Makeup Geek Showstopper Crème Stain swatches.
Ingredients
Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyethylene, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Microcrystalline WaxCera MicrocristallinaCire Microcristalline, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Octyldodecanol, Dicalcium Phosphate, WaterAquaEau, Alumina, Tin Oxide, Silica, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Carmine (Ci 75470), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Orange 5 (Ci 45370), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 (Ci 15850), Red 21 (Ci 45380), Red 27 (Ci 45410), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 33 Lake (Ci 17200), 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.
Waltz
LELimited Edition. $12.00.
Flamenco
Makeup Geek Flamenco Showstopper Creme Stain ($12.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is a bright, medium-dark red with neutral-to-warm undertones and a matte finish. It had medium pigmentation that wasn’t buildable. I tried to add a second layer, and it lifted product from the first layer and made everything look worse–patchier, more uneven, and frankly, an embarrassment to wear. The texture was thin, clingy, and felt drying after two hours of wear. It took four pulls of product to get enough product just for that one layer of product across both my top and bottom lips, and one had to be very, very careful about blending the wet and dry areas together to avoid lifting product or creating patchiness. This shade wore well for four and a half hours, was somewhat drying, and did not leave a stain behind.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Weekender (LE, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Rock Steady (P, $18.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Maybelline Cruel Ruby (P, $7.49) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Primary #3 (Vol. 1) (PiP, ) is brighter (95% similar).
- MAC Chateau M (LE, $21.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Cruella (P, $27.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M401 (DC, $22.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NYX Perfect Red (P, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Mysterious Red (P, $27.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Milani I Am Motivated (P, $6.99) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$12.00/0.19 oz. - $63.16 Per Ounce
The Showstopper Creme Stain formula is supposed to be “long-lasting” and “highly pigmented and offers effortless, buildable coverage.” Highly pigmented and buildable make it confusing what the coverage actually is, since something that is buildable means that it is less pigmented but can be layered for greater coverage. The majority of shades were medium to semi-opaque in coverage, hard to build as they often pulled up the first layer and shifted color around. The formula rarely applied well; it was streaky, dried so fast that there was no time for corrections (and attempts to correct just made it worse), and clingy.
I found the applicator rougher, and the packaging made it seem that sometimes it was more like I wasn’t getting enough product on the wand to even coverage half of a lip (it seemed like the opening was wiping away too much product from the doefoot applicator). For every single swatch, I had to dip and pull the wand two to three times just to get enough product to cover my lips (it was impossible to stretch out the product very far as it dried as I was spreading it).
It did dry to a transfer-resistant finish, but it did not survive eating well (most liquid lipstick formulas have survived better for me). Though transfer-resistant, it remained slightly tacky for one to two hours–and if you use more than one to one and a half layers, it often lifted and separated the color.
The brand’s swatches and lip swatches showcase a seemingly opaque product, but I could not achieve opaque coverage with several shades, even trying four or five layers, and the result after five layers of product was uneven, patchy, and cakey. The wear was average–four to six hours with significant fading from the center, which is more what I’d experience with a typical lipstick and a liquid lipstick–and surprisingly, little staining, even with deeper shades. So far, they have been slightly drying to somewhat drying. There are so many high-performing liquid lipsticks on the marketplace already, so I was caught off guard by the poor application and performance of this formula.
Browse all of our Makeup Geek Showstopper Crème Stain swatches.
Ingredients
Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyethylene, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Microcrystalline WaxCera MicrocristallinaCire Microcristalline, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Octyldodecanol, Dicalcium Phosphate, WaterAquaEau, Alumina, Tin Oxide, Silica, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Carmine (Ci 75470), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Orange 5 (Ci 45370), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 (Ci 15850), Red 21 (Ci 45380), Red 27 (Ci 45410), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Red 22 Lake (Ci 45380), Red 28 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 30 Lake (Ci 73360), Red 33 Lake (Ci 17200), 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.
Love this eye look- what products did you use Christine? Thank you.
I’m glad you caught the breakdown, Ann! 🙂 Thank you!
reviews as painful as the swatches on your lips
LOL! You know, they weren’t too bad to swatch through, so at least there was that!
What a disaster! Not even sure why some of these colors were even released
I wish I knew!
The formula overall seems so dry and slightly sheer. 🙁
Definitely not highly pigmented in a single layer at all!
With these being so consistently bad, I don’t understand how they were approved for release. What as MUG thinking?
I don’t know! 🙁 I watched the announcement video, and they were really excited/proud of these.
But this isn’t the first time they’ve made an excited announcement vid about a sub-par product… dare I mention the Sparklers?!?
Oh, no, definitely – just that they really seemed excited/proud of these in particular!
I saw the youtube announcement video, and they don’t even look like the same product. I’m suspecting a heavy dose of photoshop. 😉
I finally went and watched the video and I guess they’re excited because they spent two years developing them… You’d think in that time, with so many similar products on the market, they could have come up with a better formula!
I thought it was interesting that in the vid she says that Twerk and the dark purple need two coats because they’re highly pigmented… Isn’t that contradictory? If it’s highly pigmented, it should be opaque in one pass.
But I think the most telling thing is that these are “Limited Edition”… so MUG knows they are crap, they’re super hyping them so people will order a bunch without waiting for more reviews, and then once they’ve sold off that stock they can dump the product.
I did catch that and found it as confusing as the description for the formula itself (highly pigmented + buildable).
I caught that, but since she said “Trust her that twerk and electric slide are beautiful colors and after 2-3 layers it will be beautiful” I bought electric slide and its extremely streaky and it is not buidlable, because as you go to build it up, the initial layer applied wipes away immediately.
Also, Christine, when you tested the lip product, did you try rubbing your lips together? If so, did yours crumble off? I rubbed my lips together after trying it on and nearly the entire lip crumbled off of my lips 🙁
I had some shades where product flaked off over time, though not immediately!
These are so disappointing. 🙁 Why would MUG put out products this bad?
The launch has left me pretty confused 🙁 If they had been drying or even more “cracked,” it would have been within the realm of what happens with liquid lipstick, but the lack of pigmentation/poor application are the areas where I don’t understand what went wrong.
It’s weird, for sure.
This is a poorly executed product which is a total shame! The colours look really nice but I wouldn’t think this formula would be anywhere close to being comfortable if it’s super-tacky even hours after application!
The formula has just been so hard to apply!
Yikes! When you can’t make a good red . .
I know! 🙁
Oh no! I wanted Flamenco to perform better so badly. 🙁 Very disappointing.
Me too 🙁