And yes people we have a winner!

Like I have mentioned in some of my previous reviews that most lip glosses are just lip glosses and that it takes that something special to make you stop and think "Dammm you good I need some more" Well this was it for me!

I've totally by accident bought the shade "Nude Eclipse" and the pigmentation on that was like Bammmm!!! I almost want to say that unlike other glosses that gives you a nice see-through shine this baby dominates like a lipstick!

It works perfect with the "Popsicle" look lips , you just do an inner cherry stain on your lips and then the outer part you cover with a nude lip-gloss/stick like this.

So this is definatly NOT just-another-lipgloss!!!

Winx

I love this lip colour because it is more on the matte side, I have used the blush pink version and absolutely loved it! It's non-greasy and lasts long on the lips!

I picked up two of these on sale the other day and I am so glad. The lip lacquers are gorgeous, last for ages, apply easily and are not horribly sticky and are incredibly moisturising. They have a little bit of a smell that I am not too fond of, but not so bad it puts me off (and it seems to go away quite quickly). I am a big fan of these, and I will definitely be buying more of them.

The ombre effect on the tubes are quite pretty and eye catching.. love the use of black since its not a typical lip gloss package colour.
It does work well as a lipstick and a gloss in one. I however find it a bit "heavy" on my lips as I usually wear only one or the other and never both.
The gloss isnt oily or greasy though which is nice.. no one wants frying pan lips!
I woudn't say its long lasting but even when the gloss rubs off the colour does stay.
I have the Phenomenon shade and the Apocaliptic shade in these.
I find the Apocaliptic shade far too bright and too much though.. I prefer more natural and softer looking colours.

Rimmel’s Apocalips Lip Lacquer is opaque, glides on smoothly and looks quite perfect. Lacquer sounds like lekker which is how I feel about this product.
Apocalips comes in a slim container with a funky black geometric top and the black fades to the actual colour of the product. I used Celestial which is perfect for me because it’s almost the same colour as my lips, just pinker and prettier. I’m quite fair and the shade is ideal because it doesn’t wash me out but it isn’t too bold either. You don’t need to re-dip the applicator as it has a nifty little scooper that holds all the product you need.
The lip lacquer has an artificial watermelon smell which reminds me of summer sweeties but it could be a bit overpowering if you don’t like a fragranced lippy. It’s not gunky or super shiny, which is great. Rimmel’s Apocalips is a bit like a lip stain with some moisture. And although it lasts long it will definitely leave marks on your wine glass (or coffee cup depending on the time of day!) So kiss carefully.

So I made use of the Rubybox sale and after reading all the great reviews on this product, decided to go for it @ R79.95. I chose the Big Bang (right on the pic above and supposedly red).

I always battle to find lipsticks and even stains that can keep up with my lifestyle. I drink plenty of water through out the day, especially in Durban's humid summer weather. Usually most of it disappears from my lips after the first sip of water and leaves a rather unappealing stain on the rim of the glass. HATE THAT! So bottom line is that I really put every lip product, properly through its paces.

Here are my thoughts on this product:
1) I was surprised to find an applicator wand as with a lip gloss. (I did not really know what to expect from this product.) The applicator makes the product glide smoothly onto the lips.
2) There was a faint metallic odour and taste after application that I am not that crazy about, but it is not so overpowering that it would keep me from using the product. It does seem to disappear after a minute or so.
3) The colour is not red, but rather a deep fuchsia pink. NOTE TO BEAUTY HOUSES: Please do not misrepresent the colours on the outside of the tube or in your ads. It is really annoying when you want a red lip product and you end up with a pink! Luckily I love deep pink, so I was not too much perturbed.
4) After application the appearance were more that of a lip gloss than anything else. Very shiny and moist on the lips. Herewith a problem: Leaving it like that will ensure that I leave that nice stain on the glass, so solution: clad lips with tissue.
5) After cladding, most of the glossiness disappeared and left a deep pink colour...still fine enough looking. Lips appeared dry and I thought no transfer will take place. WRONG! I left a smudge on my glass after taking my first sip of water about half an hour after application. PRO: Enough lip colour was left behind to still appear bright and even.

FINAL VERDICT: This product stayed on for about 2 hours before I had to re-apply. A good effort in my books, but not good enough to call it revolutionary! I will recommend it, but be careful when choosing colours, as I heard that the pink is also much lighter than indicated on the tube. Also keep it in your handbag as you will have to re-apply throughout the day and clad if you are going to lunch or having coffee with the girls. Overall an interesting product and experience.

Over the weekend I went on a bit of a beauty spending spree. One of the items I picked up was two shades of Rimmel’s Apocalips Lip Lacquer.

I got Big Bang and Apocaliptic.

Big Bang is an intense true red that suits my pale skin tone incredibly well. I’m blonde and fair with a blue undertone to my skin. My friend, who is also blonde and fair with a pink undertone to her skin, also tried it out and it looked amazing on her too so this is one of those reds that looks good across a variety of skins. I think it will look fabulous on someone with fair skin and dark hair too.

Apocaliptic is what I would call bright Barbie pink. It’s almost a fuchia but comes across a little blue to me. It looks good on my skin and is a really fun colour, but I think I like the red more…

The applicator was a surprise the first time I used it. It has a sort of well in it that hordes colour and makes application really intense. It felt a little weird the first time, but you get used to it. Beware, because the colours are so bright there’s not much room for error when you put it on; also make sure your lips are in good condition!

The gloss feels slick and comfortable. Not too tacky. While reapplication is needed the colour stays for a good while and there is a bit of stain so when it wears off there’s the appearance on product left behind for a while. That said this is not a 12 hour lip product that will stay put. You will need to reapply, especially after eating and drinking. Also it can get on your teeth.

It retails for about R90 and is quite a nice product. Not the best formula, or longest lasting, but definitely one of the most intense I’ve come across and non-drying which is nice.

Overall I enjoy these and think they’re tons of fun.