Sephora Purple Red (99) & Red Desert (97) Cream Lip Stains Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Purple Red (99)
Sephora Purple Red (99) Cream Lip Stain ($14.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a deep plum with subtle, cool undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that covered my lips fairly evenly, but it wasn’t as pigmented nor did it go on as well as many other shades I’ve tried in the range. From afar, it’s not as noticeable, and a second layer would help improve coverage and evenness. The texture was slightly thin but still creamy and very fluid, so the color spread well. It lasted for seven hours but faded a bit more heavily from the center of my mouth than ideal. The formula was slightly drying.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Moondancer (LE, $6.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Griselda (P, $18.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Velvet Midnight (LE, $36.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Prince Noir (LE, $19.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Self Portrait (LE, $21.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Sashay (P, $7.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- ColourPop Mamacita (P, $6.50) is warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Beatrix (LE, $19.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Homegirl (P, $19.00) is darker, glossier (90% similar).
- NARS Rock with You (P, $26.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$14.00/0.169 oz. - $82.84 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "high-coverage" that goes on "smooth" and yields a "silky, lightweight stain" that is "long-lasting" and "never sticky" and "won't dry out lips." One of the signature traits for the formula is that it is a thinner (and yet somehow creamy) texture that does spread well but feels thin and very lightweight on the lips. It dries down quickly, but I never felt like it was troublesome to apply, even if I needed an extra moment to get around the edges of my lips, so it was a more forgiving formula despite setting more quickly. Once it set, the color did stay locked on for hours--I tested shades for around eight hours and many were still going strong. The formula was non-drying to slightly drying to me. They had a moderately strong, sweet scent (almost like burnt sugar) that also smelled just slightly "perfume-y" to me, but it seemed to dissipate after an hour of wear.
The pigmentation varied from shade to shade, but it did seem that the more shimmery and metallic shades often were less pigmented and did not always apply as evenly and sometimes seemed to sit in my lip lines. The cream/matte shades applied more evenly and had more opaque coverage on average.
Browse all of our Sephora Cream Lip Stain swatches.
Ingredients
Isododecane, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Polybutene, Petrolatum, Cyclohexasiloxane, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Aroma (Flavor), Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Propylene Carbonate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Benzyl Alcohol. May or may not contain (+/-): Mica, CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15850 (Red 6), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 75470 (Carmine).
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.
Purple Red (99)
PPermanent. $14.00.
Red Desert (97)
Sephora Red Desert (97) Cream Lip Stain ($14.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a rich, deep red with cool undertones and a matte finish. The consistency was more watery and almost runny, which I think contributed to the less-opaque coverage–it was almost a bit stain-like, but I could see some preferring the end result. It would have been easier to apply if it wasn’t quite as thin, and it seemed to take a little longer to dry down than other shades. It wore well for seven hours, left a stain behind, and was non-drying.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Coloured Raine Cherry Blossom (P, $17.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- Dior Splendor (950) (LE, $38.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- NARS Rouge Improbable (LE, $28.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Perfect Score (LE, $19.00) is glossier (90% similar).
- Jouer Cabernet (P, $18.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Smashbox Unzipped (P, $21.00) is lighter, glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Dance With Me (P, $21.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Goldie (P, $6.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Tannin (P, $28.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Chateau M (LE, $21.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$14.00/0.169 oz. - $82.84 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "high-coverage" that goes on "smooth" and yields a "silky, lightweight stain" that is "long-lasting" and "never sticky" and "won't dry out lips." One of the signature traits for the formula is that it is a thinner (and yet somehow creamy) texture that does spread well but feels thin and very lightweight on the lips. It dries down quickly, but I never felt like it was troublesome to apply, even if I needed an extra moment to get around the edges of my lips, so it was a more forgiving formula despite setting more quickly. Once it set, the color did stay locked on for hours--I tested shades for around eight hours and many were still going strong. The formula was non-drying to slightly drying to me. They had a moderately strong, sweet scent (almost like burnt sugar) that also smelled just slightly "perfume-y" to me, but it seemed to dissipate after an hour of wear.
The pigmentation varied from shade to shade, but it did seem that the more shimmery and metallic shades often were less pigmented and did not always apply as evenly and sometimes seemed to sit in my lip lines. The cream/matte shades applied more evenly and had more opaque coverage on average.
Browse all of our Sephora Cream Lip Stain swatches.
Ingredients
Isododecane, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Polybutene, Petrolatum, Cyclohexasiloxane, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Aroma (Flavor), Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Propylene Carbonate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Benzyl Alcohol. May or may not contain (+/-): Mica, CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 15850 (Red 6), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 75470 (Carmine).
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.
Purple Red is pretty much a matte as heck version of what I intend to do with 3 MAC x Aaliyah lip products, therefore I’m good. I *hope*.
And I need a red desert….so many reds in my stash that it’s scary! LOL!
Stunning shades, really vibrant but they do look a little too matte in the finish for me.
Hi Christine & Everyone!
The Red desert color looks so good in you. This is a Random question, but I thought it could go along with this post. What would be your top recommendations for a Long wearing(well wearing) reds for a child’s dance show? Also, just top liquid lipsticks in general? Thank you very much.
Red Desert is my favorite shade. Love me a good cool toned red. It does look drying but since I put a balm on any liquid lipsticks I could make it work. However, my red lipstick tower is full!!