Review: Benefit Hydra-Smooth Lip Color in "Air Kiss"

Another product I received from Benefit's product launch back in July was something from their new Hydra-Smooth Lip Color line. If I'm not mistaken, it was released locally just this September. I'm a self-proclaimed lipstick fiend, so of course I have to do a review on this too!

The outer packaging alone is to die for. Am I the only one that's getting Great Gatsby vibes from it? Trust Benefit to come up with the best vintage-inspired designs for their products.

Product description:

hydra-smooth lip color is the fun & flattering future of lipstick! It’s enriched with shea, mango butter and vitamin E for lips that look supple & hydrated. It glides on irresistibly smooth with a double-slanted tip that’s custom designed to define AND fill. This collection was specially created to bring you the Top 10 most universally flattering shades…so they’re easy to pick & even easier to wear. Available in three levels of coverage: sheer, medium and medium-full. (1)

The shade I received is 'Air Kiss' which falls under the sheer category and is described as a 'bubblegum pink'.

How cute is this tube? It doesn't have the sleekest design (not a fan of the cap with its hard and sharp ridges especially), but it's unique and I love the Benefit logo sticker, even if it's not aligned properly. Haha.

On the left, it looks like a little bit of the product 'overflowed' from the tube, but that's okay.

I like the double slanted tip on the lipstick itself because it easily allows me to be precise when applying it and you all know how much I need to be precise with my very defined lip shape.

You don't get a whole lot of product, which is a bit disappointing. This is certainly the least amount of product I've ever gotten with any lipstick product. But since the lipstick is sheer and can only be buildable up to a point, meaning that it reaches full opaqueness after a certain number of swipes, this can still last you quite a while.

Swatches: Natural light (left), artificial light (center), with flash (right)

From the swatches alone you can already see it's definitely a sheer type with a glossy finish. I love the shade of it though. It's a true bubblegum pink, as Benefit described, with minute glitter particles so it has also has some subtle shimmer.

Lip swatch

I can describe this as an MLBB (My Lips But Better) color almost. I'm usually not a fan of sheer lipsticks because truthfully I find them pointless. If I wanted a sheer lipstick, I might as well reach for a lipgloss. I can't deny that this is a lovely shade though, perfect for sporting during the day especially, and it applies very smoothly. It's not drying, but it's not particularly moisturizing either. It can also cling to dry spots so I still suggest prepping with a lip balm and/or scrub beforehand just in case.

Wear time isn't great, though you can expect the same thing from most sheer lipsticks really. Don't expect this to last through a meal. You'll need to retouch even after just drinking too. Thankfully, since it's not highly pigmented, then retouching is quick and easy. Another thing I like is that the combination of the shade and the glossy finish almost makes my lips look healthier and fuller, don't you think?

Overall it's a nice lippie, especially if you're the kind that prefers the sheer type since it gives just enough color to liven up both your lips and complexion. I'll definitely be purchasing another Hydra-Smooth Lip Color for myself, but this time I'll take my pick from their medium-full range!


WHAT I LIKE:

• Very cute, unique, and high-quality packaging.
• Available in nine other shades with three levels of coverage.
• It has shimmer, but it's subtle.
• The combined shade and finish almost makes my lips look plumper and healthier.
• Non-drying formula.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE:

• Lipstick doesn't fully retract into the tube until it's been used up significantly, risks damage from the cap.
• Poor wear time (but it is a sheer lipstick, so I can't really deem this as a bad feature).

Price: PHP1,000.00 (received as a gift), Can be purchased from: All Benefit boutiques