Brazen

Estee Lauder Brazen Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a muted, dark reddish-berry with subtle cool undertones and a light sheen. It had semi-opaque coverage that applied unevenly and tended to look patchy in places, while some color migrated into lip lines over time. This type of shade seems problematic across brands, and it's rare to see a good formulation when there is any glossiness to it (and even still, some matte options don't apply well). On me, it lasted for five hours and left a stain behind, but the color really settled into lip lines. The formula was moisturizing, though! ColourPop Paramour (LE, $5.00) is darker, matte. Marc Jacobs Beauty Blow (210) (P, $30.00) is warmer, matte. Tom Ford Beauty Wes (LE, $32.00) is lighter. MAC Runner (LE, $16.00) is matte. Bite Beauty Truffle (P, $24.00) is darker. Tom Ford Beauty Black Dahlia (10) (LE, $50.00) is matte. MAC Living Legend (LE, $16.00) is darker, more matte. NARS Liv (P, $32.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Lingering Kiss (LE, $16.00) is more matte. Kat Von D Motorhead (P, $21.00) is more matte. Bite Beauty Bordeaux (P, $28.00) is lighter. Maybelline Espresso Exposed (955) (P, $7.49) is warmer. MAC Talk That Talk (LE, $16.00) is matte. Urban Decay Shame (P, $22.00) is redder. MAC Heart Hangover (LE, $18.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Tribalist (LE, $16.00) is warmer. MAC Sin (P, $16.00) is more matte. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Black Dahlia (P, $18.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview, which is a detailed review of the range as a whole.

• Brand Description