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Tom Ford Exposed & No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Colors Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color ($52.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a slightly muted, medium-dark reddish-berry with subtle, cool undertones and a creamy, high-shine finish. The color payoff was mostly opaque with a translucency to it that gave it that stain-like appearance. The consistency was lightweight, comfortable to wear, but it does have moderate tackiness. This shade was still going strong after eight hours (glossiness lasted about six hours) and was hydrating over time. MAC Suggestive (LE, $20.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (90% similar). MAC Lust for Life (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar). MAC Preserving Passion (P, $24.00) is more muted, cooler (90% similar). Giorgio Armani #601 Plum Vinyl (P, $38.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Exotica (P, $54.00) is more muted (90% similar). Chanel Crushed Cherry (DC, $30.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). MAC Utterly Tart (LE, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). MAC It's Never Ending (P, $24.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). MAC Tease Don't Touch (LE, $20.00) is lighter, brighter (85% similar). Guerlain Rouge Parade (920) (LE, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar). Chanel Distinction (21) (P, $34.00) is lighter (85% similar). Urban Decay Brickhouse (DC, $26.00) is warmer (85% similar). MAC Peer Pressure (LE, $20.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (80% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Molten Orchid (P, $54.00) is more shimmery, more muted, glossier (80% similar). NARS Chez Claude (LE, $26.00) is darker, more muted (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color ($52.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a bright, medium red with warm, orange tones and a creamy, glossy finish. It had rich, nearly opaque pigmentation with even, smooth application that lasted all day. The shine was going strong for five to six hours, but the color remained just as vibrant with more of a natural sheen for hours after. Anastasia Punchy Red (-, $16.00) is cooler (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty True Coral (P, $54.00) is darker, more muted (95% similar). NARS Red District (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar). NARS No. 54 (P, $26.00) is more muted (95% similar). NARS Disruptor (LE, $26.00) is more muted (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Dressed to Kill (P, $54.00) is darker, more muted (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty No Vacancy (P, $54.00) is warmer (95% similar). MAC Last Minute (P, $24.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). YSL Rouge Remix (402) (P, $36.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). Revlon Fire (DC, $7.49) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). MAC Forever Darling (P, $24.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Anastasia Neon Apple (-, $16.00) is lighter (90% similar). Giorgio Armani #402 Red to Go (P, $38.00) is darker (90% similar). MAC Russian Red (P, $21.00) is more muted, glossier (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Stolen Cherry (P, $54.00) is lighter (90% similar). Smashbox Bad Apple (P, $24.00) is darker, more muted (90% similar). Illamasqua Touch (P, $22.00) is more shimmery, lighter, brighter (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Erotic (P, $54.00) is cooler (90% similar). Chanel Rouge Carmin (824) (LE, $30.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Laura Mercier Poppy (P, $25.00) is lighter, brighter (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

FORMULA OVERVIEW | Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color ($52.00 for 0.07 fl. oz.) is supposed to be a “lip stain with an ultra-glossy finish” that has “intense, vibrant color” and “long-lasting high shine.” The formula feels lightweight, almost watery, when initially applied but thickens and feels more like a moderately tacky gel after thirty to forty seconds. It had great staying power with the glossiness lasting for six hours and the color itself still going strong eight to ten hours later (after two meals and coffee)–by the end of the day, it has more of a natural sheen to it (like a lip stain) but looked even. I would forget that I was wearing it, which is a testament to how comfortable and hydrating it was throughout the day. The coverage is nearly opaque but has that slight translucency that you would expect to see in a lip stain. I didn’t experience feathering or bleeding on these two shades. It has a strong, vanilla cake scent–not your typical vanilla but something sweeter–and noticeably stronger than other Tom Ford lip products. The formula reminds me of products like YSL Glossy Stains, Giorgio Armani Ecstasy Lacquer but with a slightly thicker consistency. It’s a click-style product with a flocked, slanted applicator where the liquid color flows from. I’m not particularly fond of the applicator, though it is not rough or hard to use, but the flocking makes it harder to get really precise, clean edges (sometimes I felt like it gave a more jagged edge).

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford Exposed Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color
Tom Ford No Vacancy Patent Finish Lip Color

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Tom Ford Traceless Stick Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes
  • Looxi Beauty Venom Highlighter
On eyes:
  • Tom Ford Sphinx Cream Color for Eyes
  • Tom Ford Midnight Violet Cream Color for Eyes
  • Tom Ford Caviar Cream Color for Eyes
  • Sephora Eccentric Diva Eyeliner

38 Comments

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Stacey Avatar

I don’t own a lot of Mac. But these lip products look like their lip glosses- the cheapest priced ones of MAC. I can remember the name off hand. I swatched the TF new eyeshadows. Dry and difficult to swatch. Just like MAC shadows. Not really pigmented. Even Honeymoon was not smooth like a Nude Dip.

I actually stopped buying a lot of makeup from all brands. I have some here and there. But I have a lot of makeup. I am not trying to sound so crabby and picky.

TF has come out with a lot of products in the past year. I am trying to be more choosey. Nars which didn’t have season collections 20 years ago now come out just as often as MAC now and the selection is not that great. So I just wait for your reviews, swatches and such. Plus, the lipsticks, shadows, blushes all start to look the same on the face when there is not too much difference in that color tone.

Ginny Avatar

I like these two. Very tempting since I’ve been wanting to try YSL and Armani gloss/lacquer stain formulas but haven’t taken the plunge yet. They’re so pricey though, 2 of these and you’re breaking $100.

Fran Avatar

Ooh, I really like both of these! Orange-reds are really hard for me to wear, but this one looks like it has a lot of pink in it, so it might work for me! It’s going to be really tough, choosing which of these to try…

kellly Avatar

Me, too. I’ll probably have to be waiting for the trickle-down of this formula into less expensive products. I love how these look but really can’t even think about affording them!

Erin Avatar

Exposed is painfully beautiful. I love No Vacancy too. It’s an orange red but if you look at the edges of your swatch it seems to have some cool toned pink in it too. Unless that’s left overs from Exposed. Even if it is, it’s 90% opaque. I’d be interested to see how it would meld with my lip color. I have two orangey shades that work for me and one orange red from hourglass that if I’ve seen some sun looks alright but it’s 100% opaque and matte so my makeup has to be on point too. I find if the orange red is sheer and not too warm I can pull it off and it actually looks really great and makes my skin and eyes seem more vibrant. It’s like one in every 100 oranges though.

Cory Avatar

Wow these are right down my alley! $54 (or $52) for .07oz.’s though..? Man that’s some pricey beauty! Omg I absolutely love this eye look, Christine! Please oh please tell me what shadows you’re wearing!!! Plzzzzz?

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

I like these with Exposed being my first choice based on color. Again, they are out of my price range and I have way too many lipsticks anyway.

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