Pitch Perfect Pink

As a lip product junkie, when the Maybelline Color Sensational Color Whispers hit our shores, I was immediately intrigued. Attractively slimmer than the regular Color Sensational line, these lipsticks seemed to be Maybelline's answer to the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters. I tried on all of the 8 shades at Priceline (we didn't get all 20 available in the States), but nothing particularly stood out except for Lust for Blush (25). One Size Fits Pearl was basically clear, and the other pink and fuchsia shades weren't all that flattering on me. I wasn't tempted enough to spend $14.95 on one, but with Priceline's half price sale on Maybelline the other week, I couldn't resist snapping up Lust for Blush, along with a Color Tattoo eyeshadow in Barely Branded.

Lust for Blush is one of those finds that I wasn't expecting to like as much as I do. It's an unassuming, everyday pink that doesn't pull too cool on me, which is an extraordinary rarity. Under certain light, it can look slightly purplish on my lips, but for the most part, it stays relatively neutral and subdued. The formula is a bit strange — it's almost too creamy for my tastes and does slip and slide a little. It's not entirely comfortable on the lips, especially the more that you apply. I imagine if you had quite dry lips, this would definitely settle into lip lines. It also has a tendency to separate around any cracks in the lips, so I need to press my lips together to blend the lipstick several times. It has an inoffensive sweet scent and you need only a very small amount with each application (I've used it at least 5-6 times and it looks brand new). Being on the sheer side, you do need a couple of layers to build up the pigmentation, and this isn't a lipstick that will stain or wear for a long time. It's dark enough so that it's not a milky, baby pink, but it's still overall on the light side.

l-r: Maybelline Lust for Blush, MAC Creme Cup, Australis Jive, Revlon Primrose, Maybelline Juicy Bubblegum

I rummaged through my ridiculous pink lipstick collection and picked out several shades that I thought would be close to Lust for Blush: MAC Creme Cup, Australis Color Inject Mineral Lipstick in Jive, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Primrose (668) and Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in Juicy Bubblegum (140).

To my eyes, Lust for Blush resembles a cross between MAC Creme Cup and Australis Jive. It's more a light-to-medium neutral pink, not as bright or cool-toned as the others. MAC Creme Cup is more yellow pink and nude (beige/peach), paler and milkier. Australis Jive is very similar, but more purple and darker, also more opaque and less glossy. Revlon Primrose is a more pigmented blue-based pink with less of an earthy tone, also with less berry/pinky red. Maybelline Juicy Bubblegum has a similar texture (sheer, glossy) but feels more comfortable, lightweight and moisturising on the lips. It's darker, more mauve-pink, with slight grape tones in comparison.

Lust for Blush is a good pick for those looking for something subdued, easy to wear and on the conservative side. It's light in pigment with just a single swipe but certainly buildable, and the colour is enough to add a bit of tint to the lips, but nothing opaque or obvious. It's not hard to see why this is probably one of the most popular colours in the Color Whisper range.