The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Rimmel London #074, "Red Hot"

Hoppy Easter!

Off to Easter Brunch, but not before another lipstick review. This one's for Rimmel London's Lasting Finish #074, "Red Hot".

The short review: It's not really "red", or "hot", and it doesn't last as long as I'd like.

Longer review follows the jump-cut...


Candidate: Rimmel London Lasting Finish #074, "Red Hot" (Coty, Inc.)

Purchased: Wegman's (high-end grocery store, Dulles, VA)

Cost: $5.99 per tube

Brand Info: http://www.rimmellondon.com/
Founded in 1834 by Eugene Rimmel, the House of Rimmel invented the first non-toxic mascara product; to this day, the word for "mascara" in many non-English-speaking countries is "rimmel". The cosmetics division of the House of Rimmel is now owned by Coty, who distributes their product worldwide. Rimmel's cosmetic line targets the young cosmetic buyer who wants something "exotic" and "trendy" instead of the traditional drug store/grocery store/discount store cosmetics.

The Tube: Deep purple, almost black, lacquer-finished plastic. Split between top and bottom of tube is at the mid-point and both sides of the tube bevel inward at that point. The top of the tube is spherically curved. The bottom of the tube is beveled to a flat surface, upon which rests a sticker that is supposedly colored the same as the lipstick inside, with a code number and a color name in white print.

The Product: Red, red, red, almost what is sometimes called "true red", which is a color very hard to achieve in cosmetics. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted teardrop-shaped flat edge delivery point.

The Application: Nice lip feel. The pointed teardrop tip allows for some sculpting at the Cupid's bow and in the corners of the mouth. Glides on smoothly and covers very evenly. The disappointment here is that it's not really red; it's a really bright rubelite pink. Unfortunately, it also has a slight coral look, especially after blotting, meaning it's got more yellow that it first appeared. Satiny cream finish.

The Taste: Bubble gum. I'm not kidding; the taste is super sweet.

The Blot: The first blot removes some of the satiny finish, making the final product slightly more matte, but also unveils the coral undertones. Blah. The second blot also produces a strong bit of color.

The Wear: Comes off on the rim of a cup, eating utensils, and even fingers. Fortunately, it's not staining. The good thing about this color is that if you don't like it, it'll be completely gone in a few hours.

The Verdict: Ironically, I like it as a quick-change lipstick (for some occasion where you only need to wear makeup for a short time). I wish it was more red/blue. I'll have to find a blue color adjuster and see if I can make it a little less coral-like. And of course, at $6/tube, if you don't like it, all is not lost; just pitch it and get another one.