Wearing Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Muse on my lips
Well, geez — and you thought destroying those Horcruxes was hard. That was a cakewalk compared to this!
Have I ever told you about my quest to find a matte, long-wearing liquid lipstick that doesn’t dry out my lips? If you have a minute, it’s a pretty good story — a story filled with sorcery, science and more flakes than a big bowl of Special K cereal.
It all started with my poor, dry lips…
You see, they’ve always been insatiably thirsty. They crave moisture like a husky cat craves gravy, and almost every liquid matte lipstick I’ve ever tried has left them chapped and flaky.
It got so bad a few times that not even Tabs would kiss me. 🙁 And I came to assume that I’d need supernatural assistance.
What I wanted was a moisturizing liquid lipstick that I could just slip on after breakfast and not have to fuss with for the rest of the day, and then one day, out of the blue, I came across the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks ($28 each, and new for fall 2012).
From top to bottom: Canvas, Raven, Ballet and Muse
These pricey pretties kinda rock, and they weren’t even at the end of a rainbow! 🙂 Unscented and unflavored, they last an impressive 10 hours for me (although Hourglass claims they can last up to 14). They come in nine profoundly pigmented shades with a lightweight liquid formula and a non-sticky texture, and best of all, they don’t leave my lips looking like they’ve been through a cheese grater, score!
So, does it take a degree in the dark arts to conjure up a matte, long-wearing liquid lipstick loaded with moisture? Nope. Hourglass turned to the wonders of science to create advanced polymers, long chains of molecules made up of many smaller molecules strung together.
Just apply Opaque Rouge to clean, bare lips (it’s best not to be wearing any oils or balms; otherwise, the lipstick won’t take). Then, wait about a minute for the product to set.
The polymers bind to create a pigmented elastic film that prevents moisture from escaping, as skin-conditioning emollients, fruit extracts and viamins A, C and E make the moisturizing more effective.
Moisturizing and beautiful? 
I also love the intense colors and velvety matte finish, which doesn’t look flat, harsh or stark to me.
Swatches from the left: Canvas, Ballet, Muse and Raven
Ballet
Canvas
Raven
Err on the side of caution with these when it comes to application, because when I apply too much, after a few hours, I notice a gnarly white line on my lower lip where the product pools. All it takes is a small amount for full coverage that fades evenly and slowly over the course of the day.
The Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks
- A full-coverage liquid lipstick with vibrant color and a velvety matte finish
- Available in nine shades — Ballet (a vibrant pink), Canvas (a dusty rose), Edition (a soft pink), Empress (an eggplant/aubergine), Icon (a cherry red), Muse (a coral), Rose (a medium rose), Raven (an orange red) and Riviera (a tangerine)
- The included doe-foot applicator makes application easy
- The formula feels comfortable and moisturizing on my lips and doesn’t settle into my fine lines
- They’re also paraben-, phthalate-, sulfate and lanolin-free
PRICE: $28 for a 0.10-ounce tube
AVAILABILITY: Available online now at sephora.com and coming to Sephora stores this August
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A (an A+ for $18 instead of $28)
Anything exciting happening on your end of the keyboard today?
Me, not so much. It’s been a quiet day, and truth be told I’m loving it. 🙂 The most exciting part has been the peanut butter and banana sandwich I had for lunch.
Dang, I love those things…
I’ve also been listening to Adele pretty much nonstop today. I think this might be my current favorite of her songs:
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Whoa! Muse is some seriously gorgeous coral!
Btw, i recently rediscovered Viva Glam IV-perfect and beautiful :). Hadn’t worn it in a long time and now I’m wearing it everyday and I also brought out Double Dare again :).
omgomgomg!
10 hours AND it didn’t dry out your lips as well?! My lips have been CRAZY dry lately that I’ve had to kind of give up any lip product aside from lip balm, but I’m missing wearing fabulous shades that you can only get in a non lip balm product. Sounds like I’ll definitely be needing these in my life. The shades are absolutely gorgeous, too!
I’ll definitely be trying these out Muse first to see how my lips like it and if it’s a success, I’ll be getting them ALL. Wow, I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a lip product in ages!
Oh my gosh–PRETTY! I didn’t realize these were going to be so opaque and matte! Muse looks freaking awesome on you!
OMG! Those are beautiful! I love all four of them!
Muse is beautiful on you!
Ballet and Raven are beautiful wow!
Oh wow! I am so taken in by Muse and Raven! I think Muse looks beautiful on you – the right sort of skin brightening coral that makes you look so alive! Beautiful, Karen! 😀
Agreed – you are rocking ALL of these. Muse looks amazing! I’ve got the cheek tint in flush an it’s lovely.
Ooo promising! I think the new Guerlain liquid lipsticks might be along the same line. Can’t wait for these to hit the webshop! Muse is a great color on you!
I am so excited about the staying power! I don’t think I can pull off four shades here but they look lovely on you!
Pricey, but not ridiculously so (lookin’ at you Guerlain!)
I normally wear sheer colors, but these are GAWGEOUS. I like the finish!
These look amazing! So dreamy. I need to have one of these. But which? Hahaha.
Wow! Nothing like a red that doesn’t budge. I may be giving Raven a try.
Love the finish!
They all look beautiful, especially Muse!
Wow – do you have to line your lips? Does the colour bleed?
I am really happy to hear that these deliver, I was hoping them to! Thanks for the post.
I played Adele at work yesterday too — I was so busy, I needed something to just ground me a little bit!
I love the colors, and I love this sort of formula. Im a matte lip kinda girl and I have a feeling these would really get a lot of use! Im loving Canvas and Muse!!!
These sound promising! I was worried about them being drying so I’m glad you didn’t find that. I won’t be thinking about lipstick for a couple of days, though. Child’s head meets Mommy’s mouth with extreme force equals puffy, bloody lip and very sore teeth! 🙂
I love Take It All, too. I was just listening to it during my treadmill cool down on Monday. My current faves are all in a row (Take it All, Waiting for You, One and Only). Have you heard Overwhelmed by Tim McMorris? I’ve only heard the excerpt they use for the Sam Adams commercial but I catch myself humming it. Guess I’ll have to check out the whole song. 🙂
Ballet is so pretty! And with such long staying moisture!!! I want!!
Oh all things that are holy you have shown me the light! I’m on a perpetual hunt for the perfect shade of red that doesn’t turn my lips into cherry stained things on my face by the end of the day.
Have you tried Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars yet? (http://www.occmakeup.com/lips.html) They cost a little less than Hourglass and have something of an occult following. Same reputed claims at Hourglass. Lasts forever, a little goes a long way, needs like a minute or so to set. (Being a vegan brand totally helps too.) I have yet to try this brand but OCC fans are a bit like Apple fans, passionate but just a little bit too devoted sometimes.
Nice, beautiful bold colors. I may have to try these but I’ll have a hard time picking one. They are all so pretty!
Oooh, I seriously can’t choose. These are all great colors!
Muse and Canvas are just wow. *keeps on dreaming*
W.O.W…these are gorgeous on you!! i’m going to have to check these babies out!! i’m really digging muse and raven…beautiful colors!! i *love* adele’s ‘one and only’….it’s on my work playlist. =)
I hate to sound like a wimp, but those might be too much for me! 😉 Those are crazy bright and pigmented. And they should be, given the price point!
These look AMAZING!! I want them all!
Wow. These look incredible. I love the matte finish. I want them all!
Wow! They’re beautiful! But crazy expensive! 🙁 How would you compare them with the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream? They kinda have the same concept, no?
These are hott!! Ballet looks great on you, Karen!
Gorgeous shades!!
Another winning post! Muse looks so beautiful on you, therefore, it might look alright on me.
I know what I’m doing with my Sephora gift card and what look I’ll be rocking on my birthday in two weeks!
Ugh I wish this gorgeous lippie was another brand/formula. I tried this liquid lipstick in Rose and had to return it. It zapped the moisture right out of my lips and looked awful – it’s very similar to the paint-on long lasting lipsticks like Maybelline 24/7 but without the glossy topcoat.