Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips Review, Photos, Swatches
Impulse
Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips ($60.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a lipstick duo that features a formula that is supposed to have “rich color” and “adherence” with a “velvet matte finish.” The duos are designed to have a lighter shade and a darker shade, and they can be worn alone, mixed, or as an ombre lip look. There was also a dual-ended applicator–a sponge on one end and a brush on the other–but the sponge really did not work well to apply the color, as it yielded sheer coverage and seemed to suck all the emollient qualities out of the formula and left behind a drier, almost powdery texture on the lips. The lip brush worked, but for me, the tiny applicator was harder to control and took me three to four times as long to apply compared to a traditional lip brush (which has a longer handle).
The actual formula felt like there was a powderiness to it that is not present in any of Tom Ford’s other lipstick ranges, though the formula felt lightly creamy, thin but not too thin, and smooth. Once I applied the color and actually wore it for a few minutes, I did not notice the powderiness that was there when I was initially applying the lipstick. The lighter shade in this duo wasn’t quite full coverage and settled into lip lines, while the deeper shade applied more evenly and had better coverage. The finish appeared to be more like a true cream–a noticeable shine–and did not appear “matte” until halfway through their wear.
Impulse
LELimited Edition. $60.00.
Impulse (Left)
Impulse (Left) is a muted, medium peachy-pink with warm undertones and a cream finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that did not apply as evenly as I would expect (or want at this price point!). The texture seemed to have too much slip, so it slid around a bit and settled into my lip lines. This shade lasted for three hours and was lightly hydrating.
Top Dupes
- Pat McGrath Donatella (DC, $40.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Knotty (LE, $6.50) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty La Nudite (P, $60.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Hourglass One Day (P, $34.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Look Both Ways (LE, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Third Eye (P, $7.00) is less glossy (90% similar).
- ColourPop Echo Park (P, $7.00) is warmer, less glossy (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Unicorn (DC, $18.00) is lighter, brighter, warmer (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Ophelia (P, $19.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Sorry Not Sorry (P, $22.00) is warmer, less glossy (90% similar).
Impulse (Left)
LELimited Edition.
Impulse (Right)
Impulse (Right) is a soft, medium-dark rosy plum with warmer undertones and a cream finish. It had nearly opaque color payoff that applied evenly and smoothly on the lips. The consistency seemed a little thicker with less slip and more substance, so the actual lipstick was more flattering on my lips and wasn’t as prone to settling compared to the lighter shade. The color wore well for four and a half hours and was lightly moisturizing.
Top Dupes
- Chanel Rose Violine (P, $37.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Ravenswood (DC, $18.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Hourglass Activist (P, $32.00) is less pigmented (95% similar).
- Tarte Mani (LE, $20.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Burberry Dark Rosewood (P, $34.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Tampered (DC, $18.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Too Faced Girl Code (P, $22.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever Praline (109) (P, $20.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
- Tarte Set Sail (P, $21.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Show Girl (P, $34.00) is brighter (85% similar).
I like some of the colors, but I’m a swipe-and-go type girl. I don’t like fussing around with the tiny applicator, can totally see myself dropping that on the floor, while I’m fumbling around with it, and I imagine the pans can get quite messy after a while. And I think $60 is too much for this kind of product
I hear ya, Katherine! Lip palettes can be a very love it/leave it situation!
Loooove the colors.
Will you try one of the duos?
I only like and would wear the right side. Which SUCKS because boy do I like the right side ahaha.
Awww!
That 2nd shade is definitely my jam! So of course I’m super happy that a lipstick on my immediate wishlist is a close dupe; Hourglass Activist! Might be a sooner rather than later, too.
Woohoo! So glad Activist is close enough!
The right side is quite pretty!
It is!
Is there some advantage to applying lip colors with a sponge? Not sure why they would include that in a lip palette. The darker color looks very nice on you.
The sponge is really weird to me for application!
Pretty shades for pink lovers, but I think the format will prove to be a nuisance on an every day basis. Besides, the first lip shade received an average rating and for the price you could get a decent lipstick.
Totally understand! The format makes it less versatile.
I love the darker one, the right one. It’s so gorgeous. I like the light colour for others than myself, for me it’s too light, I don’t think I’d get much use from it.
I’ll try to get one of the dupes for the dark one, maybe the Hourglass.
I also think these cost by far too much if you don’t absolutely love both colours.
I dont mind lip palettes, I feel I can do the initial application using my “good” lipbrush and use the enclosed applicator to freshen it up when needed.
The darker one seems to be catching everyone’s fancy!
It is so gorgeous. I just wish they had make it a regular lipstick. Even I would have bought it then. (I don’t buy much form TF at all. I find it a bit too expensive for what I get. But I do cave when there’s something really unique or really gorgeous.)
Tom Ford has been so boring the last few collections. Over the top expensive, with mixed results. That’s just my opinion though-so it means nothing, haha. It’s definitely becoming a luxury niche brand, more so than it’s ever been in the past. These fussy items and large compacts with so-so colors. I love TF, but really hope they do something exciting ASAP.
There have been some bigger misses lately!
Got it (for the color on the right, really). Love it (both shades). Expensive, but I know I’ll wear it.
Enjoy it! 🙂