The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #940 (Blue)

A couple of times I've mentioned about lipsticks looking "too coral" / "too yellow" / etc. Though they've now mostly discontinued it, many manufacturers used to make what are known as "color adjusters". Search eBay for "color adjuster", or check the wholesale lots for lipsticks, as they're easier to find. (Mine came in a box of 300 other discontinued Sephora lipsticks.) Mary Kay makes color adjusters as well, and makeup companies that sell primarily to stage and theatrical troups usually carry at least black and white color correctors. If you're a clever shopper, you might be able to find inexpensive lipsticks that can be used for color correction. Most lip color correctors are relatively sheer lipsticks in a set of colors:

-- Blue/purple, which mutes yellows and turns a "too yellow"/"too orange" lipstick into a plum/brown color, depending on the depth of application;
-- Yellow/orange, which does the same thing to a lipstick that's "too blue/too purple" lipstick, pushing them to the rust/brick shade--both of these first two correctors are designed to change the cold or warm tones of the red pigments in a lipstick;
-- Green, which offsets the red in a lipstick and slightly darkens it--depending on the darkness or lightness of the shade of green, the overall tones in a green-corrected lipstick tends toward hot pink/fuschia/magenta/raspberry;
-- Black, the ultimate shade darkener;
-- White, the ultimate shade whitener.

This review describes Sephora's blue color adjuster in satin finish (#940).

The short review: These are hard to find, but if you're having trouble finding a good lipstick to match your skin tones, seek them out.

Longer review follows the jump-cut...


Candidate: Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #940 (Blue)

Purchased: Back Street Trader eBay Store

Cost: Box of 380 discontinued Sephora lipsticks was $79.95, making each tube about $0.21

Brand Info: http://www.sephora.com/
Born in France in 1969, Sephora has become one of the largest cosmetics retail outlets in the world. Since its first store opening in America in Manhattan in 1998, Sephora has filled a niche for the fashionistas who just have to have the latest lipstick/perfume/hair product/etc., which only seems appropriate, as Sephora's parent company is luxury standards corporation LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet, Hennessy). Sephora has their own house brand of cosmetics, including a massive selection of lipsticks in four coverages: Cream, Shimmer, Metallic, and Gloss. The Satin finish lipstick was discontinued several years ago and is often found on the secondary markets like eBay.

The Tube: Black lacquer tube with a clear acrylic bottom that ostensibly contains a bit of product that resembles the actual product in the tube. Modern Sephora lipsticks have the name "Sephora" in capitals applied in silver ink around the bottom of the lid at the join, and a long, stylized "S" on the bottom of the clear acrylic; earlier versions had neither of these features. On the barrel of the tube is the name "Sephora", the product's code number, and a batch number, written in white on a small black sticker applied to the barrel.

The Product: It's blue. And I do mean, blue, like that faux color they put in kids' raspberry drinks these days. Typical bullet shape with a fingernail-shaped delivery point.

The Application: Sephora lipsticks are incredibly moist and go on extremely smoothly. The lack of a pointed top prevents some sculpting of the corners and Cupid's bow, but, hey, this is not a lipstick you'll wear solo. In fact, you'll either put it on first in a very thin layer, or you'll apply it last the same way. Either way, not much product is used. Some makeup artists who use color adjusters recommend you mix the two (or more) colors you want to use on the back of your hand and then use a lip brush to apply the finished color.

The Taste: Early Sephora lipsticks had a berry taste (strawberry, raspberry). Current Sephora lipsticks taste like Concord Grape Jam. (Swear to {insert deity here}.) It's very pleasant.

The Blot: Depending on whether or not you use the color adjuster as a lip primer, you'll either get a blot of blue or a blot of the mixed color that you created by layering blue on top. The blue blot does take some getting used to.

The Wear: One of the biggest gripes I have with Sephora's lipsticks, although I absolutely love them, is that they tend to fade out rapidly--they're either 100% bright or they're 100% gone. Fortunately, at only $10 a tube retail or $0.21 a tube on eBay, reapplying is cheap.

The Verdict: I adore Sephora's current makeup line, and their current cream lipstick #50 (really dark purple, almost midnight violet) is still my go-to color when I want something I know I can trust. I've found a few likes in the Satin collection I bought on eBay, and this tube of color adjuster is one of them. I wish Sephora would bring them back full-time.