Milani I Am Fabulous, I Am Awesome, I Am Smart Bold Matte Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches
I Am Fabulous
Milani I Am Fabulous Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick ($6.99 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, warm undertones and a mostly matte finish. The color coverage was opaque in one layer, while the lipstick had a smooth, lightly creamy texture–almost more velvety, as there was glide but no wetness. The color went on evenly and didn’t sink into my lip lines noticeably (far less than most shades in the range, too). It wore nicely for five hours and was neither drying nor hydrating over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Echo (P, $22.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Anna (P, $34.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Fig (P, $28.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Nouvelle Vogue (LE, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Chaser (LE, $26.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Pastille (DC, $24.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more muted (85% similar).
- NYX Natural (P, $6.00) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
- ColourPop Brain Freeze (DC, $5.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Money Side Up (P, $10.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Brave (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.99/0.14 oz. - $49.93 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "bold, hydrating color" with "intense color in just one swipe." The finish is more of a "soft matte" to true satin (a little more sheen than "soft matte" to my eye), and the finish will wear down to a more matte finish within an hour or two of wear (or faster if one blots).
The texture felt lightweight, thinner on my lips but felt lightly creamy with more of a velvety slip as I glided the product across my lips. It didn't tug, but the product had good hold and wore between four and seven hours on me, depending on the shade.
In my experience, the more velvety slip seems to result in the color pulling away a bit more along my lip lines and can be more prone to accentuating any imperfections of my lips (texture, flakiness, and so forth). A few shades were on the drying side, while most were non-drying. The majority of the range was pigmented with payoff typically ranging between semi-opaque and opaque. The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent but no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our Milani Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polydecene, Octyldodecanol, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polyethylene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax (Candelilla Cera), Silica, Mica, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (Cocos Nucifera Oil), Ethyl Vanillin, Lauroyl Lysine, Gardenia Taitensis Flower, Tocopherol. (+/-) MAY CONTAIN/…: Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
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.
I Am Fabulous
PPermanent. $6.99.
I Am Awesome
Milani I Am Awesome Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick ($6.99 for 0.14 oz.) is a light-medium, pink-coral with warm undertones and a satin finish. It had nearly opaque pigmentation with a smooth, velvety consistency that was comfortable to apply as it glided easily across my lips, but it separated along my deeper lip lines slightly. Due to it being a lighter shade, it seemed more noticeable and worsened somewhat over time as the color wore on. This shade lasted 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
- ColourPop With the Band (P, $7.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Foxtrot (LE, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- NARS Mathilde (LE, $34.00) is darker, warmer, less glossy (90% similar).
- NARS Maria Carla (LE, $27.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Jaclyn Cosmetics That Girl (DC, $18.00) is lighter, glossier (85% similar).
- MAC Good Moaninnnn (LE, $19.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Bolero (P, $27.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Reverence (P, $22.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- Bite Beauty Leche (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker, glossier (85% similar).
- NARS Skin Tight (LE, $27.00) is darker, more muted, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.99/0.14 oz. - $49.93 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "bold, hydrating color" with "intense color in just one swipe." The finish is more of a "soft matte" to true satin (a little more sheen than "soft matte" to my eye), and the finish will wear down to a more matte finish within an hour or two of wear (or faster if one blots).
The texture felt lightweight, thinner on my lips but felt lightly creamy with more of a velvety slip as I glided the product across my lips. It didn't tug, but the product had good hold and wore between four and seven hours on me, depending on the shade.
In my experience, the more velvety slip seems to result in the color pulling away a bit more along my lip lines and can be more prone to accentuating any imperfections of my lips (texture, flakiness, and so forth). A few shades were on the drying side, while most were non-drying. The majority of the range was pigmented with payoff typically ranging between semi-opaque and opaque. The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent but no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our Milani Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polydecene, Octyldodecanol, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polyethylene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax (Candelilla Cera), Silica, Mica, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (Cocos Nucifera Oil), Ethyl Vanillin, Lauroyl Lysine, Gardenia Taitensis Flower, Tocopherol. (+/-) MAY CONTAIN/…: Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
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.
I Am Awesome
PPermanent. $6.99.
I Am Smart
Milani I Am Smart Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick ($6.99 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium pink with strong, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. The pigmentation was opaque in a single stroke, while the color went on evenly and smoothly, though it separated along my deeper lip lines and emphasized some imperfection in texture (despite exfoliating prior). The lipstick had a lightweight, more velvety feel–creamy but drier than a true “cream” finish, which often feels wet–that was comfortable to apply and to wear. It stayed on well for four hours with the color not sinking too much more into my lip lines over time. The formula felt non-drying while worn.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Guerlain Warm Almond (159) (P, $36.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Maybelline Honey Pink (P, $7.99) is warmer (95% similar).
- Jaclyn Cosmetics Sofia (DC, $18.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Velvet Muse (LE, $36.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Princess Incognito (LE, $20.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Rising Star (P, $34.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Rare Beauty Humble (P, $20.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Shag (LE, $26.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Kaleidos Pink Himalayan (P, $12.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia #1 (Vol. 1) (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.99/0.14 oz. - $49.93 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "bold, hydrating color" with "intense color in just one swipe." The finish is more of a "soft matte" to true satin (a little more sheen than "soft matte" to my eye), and the finish will wear down to a more matte finish within an hour or two of wear (or faster if one blots).
The texture felt lightweight, thinner on my lips but felt lightly creamy with more of a velvety slip as I glided the product across my lips. It didn't tug, but the product had good hold and wore between four and seven hours on me, depending on the shade.
In my experience, the more velvety slip seems to result in the color pulling away a bit more along my lip lines and can be more prone to accentuating any imperfections of my lips (texture, flakiness, and so forth). A few shades were on the drying side, while most were non-drying. The majority of the range was pigmented with payoff typically ranging between semi-opaque and opaque. The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent but no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our Milani Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polydecene, Octyldodecanol, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Polyethylene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax (Candelilla Cera), Silica, Mica, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (Cocos Nucifera Oil), Ethyl Vanillin, Lauroyl Lysine, Gardenia Taitensis Flower, Tocopherol. (+/-) MAY CONTAIN/…: Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 22 Lake (CI 45380), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
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.
I Am Smart
PPermanent. $6.99.
The formula is supposed to be “bold, hydrating color” with “intense color in just one swipe.” The finish is more of a “soft matte” to true satin (a little more sheen than “soft matte” to my eye), and the finish will wear down to a more matte finish within an hour or two of wear (or faster if one blots). The texture felt lightweight, thinner on my lips but felt lightly creamy with more of a velvety slip as I glided the product across my lips. It didn’t tug, but the product had good hold and wore between four and seven hours on me, depending on the shade.
In my experience, the more velvety slip seems to result in the color pulling away a bit more along my lip lines and can be more prone to accentuating any imperfections of my lips (texture, flakiness, and so forth). A few shades were on the drying side, while most were non-drying. The majority of the range was pigmented with payoff typically ranging between semi-opaque and opaque. The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent but no discernible taste to me.
I Am Fabulous is indeed fabulous, which is why I already have at least three dupes of this shade!
M’mm, love a good wearable lipstick range – these look pretty good!
Duped again! In the case of these, that’s probably a very good thing. Anything that catches on a dry patch or separates over lip lines is no bueno for me.
These look like a nicer formula compared to their original Creamy Matte shades which felt dry to me wearing them.
I am a fan of Milani’s Statement lipsticks, but not the matte ones – I don’t wear matte lippies at all. These look pretty good as matte lipsticks go and the shades are on trend. I will be interested to see the rest of the shades too.
Do these still have that watermelon scent? I love everything about their lipsticks except the scent- I cannot stand watermelon!
Make sure to check “formula overview,” which will give a high-level overview of the formula – so anything that would apply to all shades, like scent, taste, etc. along with a summary of performance across the range. Here’s the part that answers your question 🙂 “The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent but no discernible taste to me.”