OK here we go. Again, sorry not to have this info sooner for everyone! #1: This formula is NOTHING like Sheen Supreme. It's a gel based lipstick with extra moisturizing in it. I'd say it's a merging of different technology that's been played around with bit by bit over the years, but this time they hit all the main bullet points just right. It's not a silicone based product. We looked on the ingredients list. Mica is the binder, not silicone. There's a polymer in there that we figured is the main thing giving the texture it's spreading and setting ability. So what the heck is it like? Straight from the tube to your lips, it almost feels a bit stiff, but it instantly softens as it touches the lips. This is really nice because it's got the right amount of stiffness that you can get a good line as you edge your lips, but it's very smooth and spreadable and doesn't skip or drag. In fact it glides on and SERIOUSLY hides lip lines. This makes even some of the colors that are very much dupable (Touche is an almost perfect dupe of Luxe Naturale Mineralize lipstick, for example, just a teeny touch darker) much better than what's come before. The other thing the texture does is it sets up really firmly and quickly, so that there's no feathering, even though it's so moist, and no greasiness. Finally, while you're going to get transference on the edge of your glass if you take a drink, there is enough pigment and it sets up firmly enough, that basic eating and drinking doesn't make the color or texture wear off. The wear time compared to Sheen Supreme is dramatically better. In fact, this formula is MUCH more like a cross between the look and application of the Mineralize Lipsticks and the texture, holding power and blotting options of the Mineralize Lip Balm, with much more hydration than either of them. The blotting and staining ability is one thing that really makes these extra handy. You know how with the Mineralize Lip Balms, you can blot them down to remove most of the gloss, just leaving a moist effect, without removing any of the color? You can totally do that here too, which is awesome. Then, if you want to, you can blot down even more and you have a stain that unlike a lot of stains, isn't patchy at all, and stays very true to the original color, even with the deeper shades (rather than turning pink or orange or something). REALLY nice and very youthful and modern. Lastly, the hydration is no joke. I seriously had to use Cleanse Off Oil to get each color off my lips before trying the next one, because they grip on so much, but even when trying to rub off with a tissue (not easy because of the way it sets on the lips), my lips felt soft after. I went in with sort of cracked lips, and by the time I was done trying everything, my lips were nice and smooth and soft. These are definitely more moisturizing on me than even the Mineralize lip balms. The comfort factor was more similar to those lip stains that came in the clicky pens at the end of the summer. I loved those for what they did to my lips and their staying power, but the pH color adjustment thing they did was problematic, since you were never sure what color you were going to wind up with on your lips by the middle of the day. No problem with that here. I haven't tried those Marc Jacobs gel lipsticks, but I wonder if these may be in the same zone? $20 is a good price for the Huggables, for sure, and I wouldn't be sorry if the Mineralize Lip Balms don't come back, if these were made perm instead. the MLBs were my favorites this year for when I wanted a youth giving look and didn't want to tear up my lips, but these are much more controllable, more pigmented, more color variety etc. etc. I'm getting more of them than expected and really hope they decide to bring more out with the sort of bouncy fun colors you get in the Sheen Supremes.
