Sephora just released a new lip set for spring 2018 in their popular Favorites collection. The Give Me Some New Lip kit contains five different lipsticks and glosses from trendy brands: Huda Beauty, Smashbox, Marc Jacobs, Fenty Beauty and trèStique. Is this set worth grabbing before it sells out? Let's find out!

Here's a closer look at what the cute lunch box packaging contains, with swatches:







HUDA BEAUTY LIP STROBE IN SNOBBY

Huda Lip Strobe is a translucent lip gloss that you can use as a topper to add shimmer and dimension to any lipstick, but I've worn it on its own as well for a luminous glittery look. Snobby is packed with bold, reflective pink and gold shimmer. The texture is on the thicker side, but it doesn't feel tacky or gritty. I also found that it lasts quite well for a shimmer gloss, with sparkles still visible on the lips after the glossiness is gone. Those sparkles can travel outside the lip line though, so I need to be mindful of what I eat (big sandwich = sparkles all over my chin).

Now I need to mention something strange [insert X-Files music here]. I already own a deluxe size of Snobby from Huda's Trendsetter Contour & Strobe Lip Set, and the two are quite different! The new Snobby is quite cool, while the Snobby from the previous set was considerably warmer. I think it's quite striking on the photos and swatches below. Where it gets really odd is that although they both bear the name Snobby on the label, they have a different number: M16 for the old one and M11 for the new. I don't have the full-size version so I don't know which one is closest or which number is the right one. The truth is out there...


MARC JACOBS LE MARC LIQUID LIP CRAYON IN NIGHT MAUVES


This is the lippie I was most excited to try in this set, unfortunately I found it to be the most disappointing, especially since it's one of the two full sizes. It's not a terrible product and I can see why some people like it, but my experience was so different from what the brand claims that I was left confused.

Here's what Marc Jacobs Beauty has to say about Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon: "It melts into lips with a lightweight liquid sensation, providing powerful one-swipe color with bold impact. A dose of innovative "ghost pearl" gives the matte look a dimensional sheen, which becomes more visible at certain angles to give lips a modern, never-before-seen finish."

It is very creamy when you first apply it, however I don't think it gives a "liquid sensation" or "powerful one-swipe color" payoff. If that's what you're looking for in a lip crayon, I'd suggest Chanel Le Crayon de Couleur, which would fit this description perfectly (see my review). I found Le Marc Liquid Lip to be uneven and I had to build the color for a smooth look.

And then the "ghost pearl" adding dimension to the "matte look"? What? This lipstick is straight frosty. There's nothing matte about it, and nothing ghostly about the shimmer. Night Mauves is a frosty warm rosy nude that looks almost coral on my lips, with a hint of blue in the shimmer. The longer you wear it, the more frosty it looks. The color is quite unflattering and I find it very dated. Kind of like something you'd see in an 80s movie.

On top of that it's very unforgiving on my dry lips, as it makes them look terribly wrinkly. Once it dries down it takes on a sort of powdery feel that is uncomfortable throughout the wear and causes my lips to flake. Oh and no, it doesn't stay on for 16 hours like Marc Jacobs pretends. While it doesn't transfer on cups once dry, it doesn't survive a meal. Big fail for me!


SMASHBOX ALWAYS ON METALLIC MATTE IN XO, VLADA


The Smashbox Always On liquid matte lipstick is the second full-size product in this kit. XO, Vlada is a copper with rosy undertones, a sort of dark rose gold, with a soft metallic matte finish. This is not an everyday shade for me, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the formula, and I definitely want to wear it regularly (paired with a subtle smokey eye maybe?).

First I found the pointy applicator to be the perfect shape for precise application. I often have issues getting a clean edge with my lipstick (I have acne scars along my lips that make the area "bumpy"), but achieving a crisp line with this one was a breeze. The color is not fully opaque in one swipe but it's easy to even out. The texture felt very thin and light on the lips, rather than creamy and thick like many similar products. However it was very comfortable to wear on my chronically dry lips. It didn't emphasize my dry areas, nor did it feel like it was sucking the moisture out like some other liquid lipsticks do. Once dry there was only very minor transfer and it lasted until I ate a full meal.

The only liquid matte metallic lipstick I've tried before was NYX Liquid Suede Metallic, and the Smashbox Always On is so much nicer. It's thinner, more comfortable, and doesn't start flaking after a few hours of wear. In fact I'm enjoying this formula so much that I'm considering trying some of the regular, non-metallic shades.


TRESTIQUE MINI PLUMPING LIP BALM IN BARBADOS BERRY


The packaging of this Mini Plumping Lip Balm by TresTique is cute, but it's a little misleading. The twist-on cap suggests that it should be pointed like a crayon, but the balm inside is a half sphere. Considering that this balm is visibly tinted it's not the most convenient shape to apply it with precision. I found it hard not to get past the edges of my lips, especially in the corners where they're quite narrow.
Besides the questionable packaging, I do enjoy this balm. It feels good on the lips, not too heavy or sticky, and it gives them a nice hint of red. I don't see any plumping effect, but it looks pretty and feels comfortable.


FENTY BEAUTY MATTEMOISELLE PLUSH MATTE LIPSTICK IN CANDY VENOM


The Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Lipstick is opaque in a couple swipes, and the color is very vibrant with a soft matte finish. I found the texture relatively comfortable for a matte lipstick, it didn't emphasize my existing dryness much, nor did it make my lips feel any dryer.

One thing I noticed is that it didn't fully set on the lips (after all it's a classic lipstick, not a liquid one) so it transferred quite a bit to my cups and bottles, and had a tendency to become patchy as it faded. I think it looks beautiful, but it's the kind of lipstick you need to keep an eye on throughout the day to make sure you still have even lips with a clean edge.

I was a little worried that this hot pink lippie would be too loud for my taste, but while it's bright, it remains wearable if paired with more neutral eyes.


VALUE

Believe it or not this is my very first Sephora Favorites lip set. I never bought one before because they often contained shades I wasn't attracted to, but the main reason I jumped on this one as fast as I could was it fantastic value. For $28 you get TWO full-size lippies, the Marc Jacobs and the Smashbox ones, plus three generous deluxe sizes.

Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon alone retails for $26, and Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick for $24! With the Fenty Beauty lipstick you get more than half the amount of the full size ($10.60 value), the treStique balm is a giant 6g (Sephora doesn't sell the individual balm, but it's $12 at other retailers for the same size), and the Lip Strobe is a little under half a full size ($7.20 value). In total you get almost $80 worth of lip products for your 28 bucks!



Sephora's new lip set is totally worth buying, with an excellent value ($28 for $80 worth of lippies) and a great selection of newly launched lip products. I was disappointed by the Marc Jacobs Crayon, but with this set I was able to try it basically for free. I also discovered a fantastic formula that I may never have tested otherwise with the Smashbox Always On lipstick, and got to experiment with the very hyped new matte lipstick from Fenty Beauty.

If the shade selection suits you and if you like to try new makeup, I definitely recommend grabbing this set!





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