Sephora Primal Instinct & Polar Lights #Lipstories Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches
Primal Instinct (77)
Sephora Primal Instict (77) Lipstories Lipstick ($8.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep yellow with strong, warm orange undertones with a hint of brown paired with a cream finish that had a moderate shine to it. The color was between orange and yellow, but it was lighter and yellower than most oranges… and there aren’t that many yellow lipsticks out there to compare it to.
The texture was creamy, smooth, and lightweight without being too slippery, so the color applied comfortably but didn’t slide around while worn. The color applied fairly evenly and didn’t emphasize my lip lines, though there was a smidgen of product that sank into my deeper lip lines that I could see in the close-up photo. It wore nicely for four and a half hours and felt lightly moisturizing while worn.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Bite Beauty Porcini (LE, $26.00) is darker, more muted (85% similar).
- MAC Gold Xixi (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- MAC Burnished Beige (LE, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Pumpkin Rose (P, $18.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (80% similar).
- MAC Nifty Neon (P, $19.00) is lighter, brighter, less glossy (80% similar).
- Kaleidos Golden Rosin (P, $12.00) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
- Dose of Colors More Creamer Please (LE, $16.00) is lighter, more muted (80% similar).
- Too Faced Nip Slip (P, $22.00).
- MAC Primordial (P, $21.00).
Formula Overview
$8.00/0.14 oz. - $57.14 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "lightweight" with "full-coverage color in one swipe." The majority of shades were pigmented with semi-opaque to full color payoff in a single layer, as described. The more shimmery shades tended to be a bit sheerer overall, while the mattes and creams were usually closer to opaque in coverage.
The textures were typically creamy, lightweight, and not too thin or too thick on the lips, so they were comfortable to apply and to wear. There were some shades where the color pulled into my deeper lip lines upon application, and it was more or less noticeable just depending on the color and finish of the particular.
Some shades seemed hydrating and others were non-drying. They lasted anywhere from three to over six hours on me. There was a subtle, sweet, fruity scent (I couldn't detect it on, just in the tube), and I haven't noticed any taste after wearing them.
Browse all of our Sephora Lipstories Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Octyldodecanol, CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), Polyethylene, Diisostearyl Malate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polybutene, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Disteardimonium Hectorite, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Parfum (Fragrance), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 15850 (Red 6), BHT.
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.
Primal Instinct (77)
LELimited Edition. $8.00.
Polar Lights (78)
Sephora Polar Lights (78) Lipstories Lipstick ($8.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep purple with subtle, warm undertones and a satin finish. It had good pigmentation in a single layer, but it would need a lip pencil underneath to get to full, even coverage.
The texture was smooth, dense without being so firm that it became stiff to apply, and covered my lips fairly evenly. There was some slip, which resulted in the product separating a bit along my lip lines, but the higher coverage helped to camouflage imperfections in the application. It applied better than some other shades in this shade family, but it’s definitely the kind of product that benefits greatly from a lip primer or lip liner. It stayed on well for six and a half hours, left a pinkish stain behind, and was lightly hydrating over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Bite Beauty Damson (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Black Truffle (DC, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Midnight Breeze (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Hutch (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Deep Void (LE, $38.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Spellbound (LE, $18.00) is lighter, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Black Truffle (DC, $24.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Nancy (LE, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Tonight We Fly (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Feminist (LE, $7.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$8.00/0.14 oz. - $57.14 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "lightweight" with "full-coverage color in one swipe." The majority of shades were pigmented with semi-opaque to full color payoff in a single layer, as described. The more shimmery shades tended to be a bit sheerer overall, while the mattes and creams were usually closer to opaque in coverage.
The textures were typically creamy, lightweight, and not too thin or too thick on the lips, so they were comfortable to apply and to wear. There were some shades where the color pulled into my deeper lip lines upon application, and it was more or less noticeable just depending on the color and finish of the particular.
Some shades seemed hydrating and others were non-drying. They lasted anywhere from three to over six hours on me. There was a subtle, sweet, fruity scent (I couldn't detect it on, just in the tube), and I haven't noticed any taste after wearing them.
Browse all of our Sephora Lipstories Lipstick swatches.
Ingredients
Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polyethylene, CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera (Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax), CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Synthetic Beeswax, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 45410 (Red 28 Lake), Disteardimonium Hectorite, Parfum (Fragrance), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate.
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.
Primal Instinct is strangely wonderful.
Because I have Nars Nancy, I don’t really need Polar Lights. But what nice job Sephora did with such a difficult to formulate shade of deep purple!
As for Primal Instinct, I think we already know how I feel about that one. Just nope.
Polar Lights is way too dark for me. It would make my lips look skinny. And Nancy, I agree with you on Primal Instinct!
Primal Instinct won’t do anyone’s teeth any favors. A perfect highlighter of all coffee and tea stains.
I was hoping you were talking about Polar Lights and then when I went up to check I got sad because you sure are right about that! Christine has really nice teeth, so imagining if it was on me makes me want to cry and cringe LOL
Was gonna get it but at least this saved money for me, thanks Mindy!
You’re welcome, I guess. The funny thing is that the teeth remark wasn’t my first reaction. I think anyone who has breast fed their babies, would say, “That looks like breast milk poops.” Sorry, it’s a gross reference, but it totally does. ?
Oh my gosh I’ve never heard or seen that reference, but I appreciate it LOL
I’m going to get Primal Instinct! Since it’s so reasonable I get to try out this color on me. I wanted to try some of the dupes but never took the plunge. In my cart it’s going!
Primal Instinct is quite an unusual shade, which doesn’t appeal to me. Sephora has done a really good job with Polar Lights – it’s a hard one to get right.
Although I could not wear these colors the tubes are both gorgeous. I am a bit of a sucker for lipstories for that reason. I try not to look.
Primal Instinct would be completely unflattering and not suitable for most occasions, but it’s so weird and I love that. Not enough to delude myself into buying it, ha ha, but it’s nice to see a well-performing oddball shade!
Polar Nights is lovely, I do have a dupe that I have hardly used so now I have to try it to see why. Is it uncomfortable or maybe I don’t like the colour applied on my lips. If it’s uncomfortable I might get this one.
Primal Instinct would not look good on me, Christine looks good in all kinds of colours, in this as well. While I don’t like it for me, I like it, if that makes any sense at all.
I bet Primal Instinct would look awesome with a 60s mod eye!