How many times have you purchased a lippie that promised to be long wearing, only to wind up so disappointed that it quickly found its way to the bottom of your makeup stash or nearest trash can? It’s happened to me more times than I care to remember. True long wearing lip colors are out there, but they’re far and few in-between, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to let you in on one that I could not get to budge — pinkie swear. LipSense by SeneGence isn’t a brand I’ve spied in any retail stores, so had I not been contacted by one of their representatives — I definitely would have missed out on it altogether.
The formula itself is part liquid lipstick, part lip stain, and can be turned into a very long-wearing lip gloss by finishing with a coat of one of their LipSense glosses (which are available in several different finishes). I tried out the basic clear Moisturizing Gloss formula over my LipSense colors, but you can purchase them in matte, pearl, glitter, and diamond finishes as well. When you consider the number of shades available in LipSense Long Wearing Lip Color and the amount of glosses you can apply as a “top coat”, the combinations for your customized lip colors are pretty much endless. But does it work?
Totally! It’s the closest thing to a bulletproof lip color that I’ve ever worn so far and blows any other long-wear lip gloss, lipstick, or lip stain I’ve tried in the past out of the water — in terms of length of wear. I found it almost unbelievable that the color was not budging at all after eating, drinking, and chatting all day. The color did not transfer on any cups or glasses (but the clear gloss will), it didn’t rub off when I touched it, and it didn’t start that dreaded unattractive “disappearing in the middle of my lips” act. By the time it was all said and done, I had it on for 7 hours before I took it off the first time. It’s recommended that you use their Ooops! Remover if you make a mistake or it’s time to remove it, and I’m completely a believer! I didn’t have it handy one night and I resorted to using waterproof eye makeup remover on a cotton pad to wipe it away, and even that didn’t remove it entirely.
There is a little trick to applying it, and it will make a difference! For best results, you’ll need to apply it in three thin coats (drying a few seconds in between) from one corner of the lip to the other without rubbing the applicator back and forth. It’s simple enough, but if you try to apply it like a regular lippie you’ll probably wind up disappointed. Upon applying the liquid to my lips, I felt a temporary stinging sensation. It was tolerable but it did catch me completely off guard because it’s something I normally would associate with a lip plumper — although stinging did lessen after use. The formula uses SD Alcohol 40 to aid in its staying power, so I definitely recommend wearing the gloss over it to keep your lips moist. In a pinch I slapped a clear lip balm over it because I feel naked without feeling something on my lips and it was completely okay for me, but of course it’s formulated to perform best when layered with a LipSense gloss.
There are over 50 shades of LipSense to choose from in a wide selection of blue, yellow, and neutral undertones that retail for about $22 each. (Edited to add: Prices seem to have increased since this post was originally written.) The LipSense glosses are sold separately, as well as the Ooops! Remover — unless you purchase a bundle. So the first shot might seem a little expensive, but I couldn’t imagine ever having to replace all three products at once which might help lessen the blow — it just depends how you look at it! For me personally on a day-to-day basis, I prefer not to be married to my lip color all day. I do love a great long-wear lip product, but I swap colors out as often as I change my mind! Let’s say you’re someone who works in the hospitality or food service industry and you’re constantly interacting with people, you’re a public speaker or teacher, a performer, attending a special event, or someone who just doesn’t want to think about it again for the rest of the day — this is a GREAT alternative to constantly reapplying. It’s also fab for date nights because it doesn’t kiss off! LipSense is available for purchase on amazon.com.