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 (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.

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.

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse Shade & Illuminate Lips

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Left) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color

Tom Ford Beauty Impulse (Right) Shade & Illuminate Lip Color