Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 99 Purple Red

The products: Sephora Collection Holiday 2018 — Sephora Cream Lip Stain Collection Set, Sephora Mix & Mingle Lip Collection, and Sephora Moon Phases Face Palette

There’s a shift that happens every year as the calendar approaches December. It’s like a key turning in a lock: one moment you’re fine and all of your cylinders are turning. The next, something’s jammed in the tumblers, and you’re stuck with the lock half-closed, unable to open the door. You have 6000 words due, no extra time, and all three of the Sephora Cream Lip Stain tubes in your purse are leaking oil onto the lining of your leather bag.

The Sephora Collection Holiday Collection always feels a little overwhelming to me, because it shows up en masse. It’s always unrelentingly huge. There are always gift sets and limited edition products vying for your attention, alongside minis that can’t be passed up.

Wearing: Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in 23 Copper Blush, Holographic Effect Stick in Wonderful Stars, and False Eyelashes in 33 Swanky.

Why I love the Sephora Cream Lip Stain Collection Set ($34 CAD/$28 USD)

This year’s Sephora Cream Lip Stain Collection Set ($34 CAD/$28 USD) contains six shades of one of Sephora’s flagship products. The Sephora Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick ($18 CAD/$14 USD) launched in 2011, just a couple of years before I picked up my first tube. They haven’t been updated since, but… Honestly? I think it might be time.

The opacity and texture: These lip creams have a smooth, powdery matte finish. They have an almost whipped texture that gives them a medium opacity, but they layer to full coverage if you let the product dry between layers. (My photos here wearing 99 Purple Red show four layers; the lighter 23 Copper Blush shows just one.) They wash off with cleanser or makeup remover and (ironically) do not stain the lips or skin afterwards.

Unlike other liquid lipsticks that I love, these aren’t kiss-proof, but they are transfer-proof. The softer finish can be really lovely: because these lipsticks aren’t fully sealed, they don’t make your lips feel like they’ve been plastic-wrapped.

Swatched L-R in studio lighting: Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains in 73 Glowing Beige, 79 Soft Coral, 23 Copper Blush, 01 Always Red, and 99 Purple Red.

And what I hate about them (even though I love them anyways)

The packaging and quality control: Sephora Cream Lip Stains start feeling a little dry on my lips at about an hour, and wear gradually from the inside out. But each is a little different.

Take the standout 01 Always Red, for instance. It’s opaque in two layers, with no bleeding. But if you compare its swatch to the others here, you’ll see that others a little oily; the product has separated in the tube to form a cream that’s somewhat extruding oils. They bleed significantly around the edges (you can really see this in 99 Purple Red) and vary in opacity.

Wearing Sephora Collection False Eyelashes in 33 Swanky from the #MOOD False Lash Vault with Purple Red. Mink lashes have spoiled me — these are some of the fullest from the set, but I still couldn’t get that big-wide-eyed effect from them that I wanted.

Always Red is a standout that I wouldn’t be opposed to everyone owning, but the others are hit or miss. I think the spread in this set is just perfect: there’s one red, one vampy shade, and four office-appropriate nudes, pinks, and corals.

My verdict on the Sephora Cream Lip Stain Collection: These are a really lovely matte liquid lip that I love—but they leak oils even in the tubes. I think they’re great for the price and make a great gift for a young recipient: many of these will bleed into lip lines. Make sure to put them in a little baggie for storage and transport.

Sephora Mix & Mingle Lip Collection ($34 CAD/$28 USD)

While I’m fully behind buying the Sephora Cream Lip Stain Collection Set for your loved ones this holiday season, I’m a little more on the fence about the Sephora Mix & Mingle Lip Collection ($34 CAD/$28 USD). It’s a very young set—in a time where even young people wearing makeup seem to be pros about it.

The Sephora Mix & Mingle Lip Collection contains a combination of colour-coordinated jumbo lip pencils and shimmery lip glosses. Neither is a part of the permanent Sephora Collection line, and… I kind of see why. The glosses are fruit-scented and are packed full of glitter, while the pencils have medium opacity and a short base.

Sephora Collection Mix & Mingle Lip Collection swatched in studio lighting.

The lid of this lipstick pops off a lot—and so did the lipstick itself on the first use.

I actually really like the beige lip pencil in this set, but the rest of the products vary. Not all of the pencils apply evenly, and the quality control on the set is wacky. The lids pop off frequently in my purse, and the lipstick bullets themselves are prone to popping off at the base when wound fully down. The glosses fare better: they’re very sheer and a little heavy, but aren’t too sticky and seal well. I’m not a gloss person, but if you are, these glosses

My verdict on the Sephora Mix & Mingle Lip Collection: Skip it. $28 USD is a great price for ten products, but the quality of the pencils is disappointing. Opt for the brand’s cream lip stains instead, or purchase this only if you really love a sparkly lipgloss! (The purple one is gorgeous on. It gives the lips a light, super-juicy, just-kissed tint.)

Sephora Moon Phases Face Palette ($34 CAD/$28 USD)

I’ve been using my Sephora Moon Phases Face Palette ($34 CAD/$28 USD) in conjunction with the brand’s Sephora Collection Holographic Effect Stick ($13 CAD/$10 USD). Each is fun for the astronomically-inclined, but they’re scaled back for the price.

Sephora’s Holographic Effect Stick in 01 Wonderful Stars has an interesting, holographic violet shift, and is a similar rendition of Milk Makeup’s Holographic Powder in Supernova—but is both a fraction of the price and a fraction of the same intensity. (I’ll be reviewing Supernova soon!) It’s a better choice if you want a stick, as Milk’s are a little tacky, but not as intense as either.

Sephora Collection Moon Phases Face Palette swatched in studio lighting.

Similarly, the Moon Phases Face Palette is a little powdery, as one would expect from the price. It’s really cute for an astronomy nut, but I’ve never been a fan of large face palettes, so I’m biased. I do love the moon phases within the palette itself, though—it’s a great way to include pairings of blush and highlighter while still staying on-theme.

My verdict on the Sephora Moon Phases Face Palette: I’m not a fan of cheek palettes, and I think there are better products in the Sephora holiday collection. But for an astronomy lover? Go for it!

Stay tuned for more Sephora Holiday coverage soon!