The beauty industry is as big as it has ever been, meaning that we’re subjected to a nonstop roll-out of new products, which makes it easier to leave some of our favourites behind. The classic liquid lipstick landed on our doorstep a few years ago but are we ready to let go of it as easily?
Liquid lipsticks were first introduced into the beauty market as early as the 1990s, but popularised in 2015 when Cosmopolitan defined them as a form of lipstick with the consistency of a lip gloss. It applies like a lip gloss too but sets as a matte lipstick as it dries.
Many have said that beauty brand Stila launched the first popular liquid lipstick in 2015, which was closely followed by Kylie Jenners liquid lip sets release in November of the same year. Regardless, it’s certain that the latter’s release had a huge impact on the sale and rapid growth in popularity of these types of lipsticks.
Kylie Cosmetics continued to formulate different shades, names and packaging as the reality star and beauty mogul continued to grow her cosmetic empire, all of which kept the ball rolling with this rise in lipstick purchasing.
Soon after the initial release from Kylie Cosmetics, other huge beauty names began to jump on the bandwagon and gain from this major profit opportunity. Drug-store brands such as Revlon, MaxFactor and Rimmel all created their own liquid lipsticks and targeted their products at those of us who wouldn’t be able to afford or sacrifice the expenses that high-brand companies sell their pieces for.
However, it wasn’t just drug-store brands that took this chance. High fashion names in the makeup world such as Charlotte Tilbury joined in and created their own formula, but continued to aim to their target market by appealing it as a luxury product, which for the price point of €32, you would hope it is.
While the sudden growth in liquid lipsticks occurred from 2015 to 2017, the real question to ask is are they still as popular as they were almost four years ago?
Many of us have moved on and are no longer interested in a lipstick trend that appeared years ago. But some still find them the best form of a lipstick to wear and keep up with the shade ranges and formula changes.
Nicole Walshe, 20, still uses liquid lipsticks but not daily, as they tend to dry out her lips leaving them cracked and chapped for days after.
“I wear them all the time, I love them,” she said.
She said that her main reason for still using them was for their long-lasting wearability but warned that “you should put lip balm on beforehand,” to stop your lips from drying out.
Molly Hyndman, also 20, agreed that they were still quite popular despite promotion of liquid lipsticks becoming rather minor.
“I still wear them, but only occasionally because they do dry out your mouth and it takes a while to get them back to normal after they’re chapped,” she stated.
Although liquid lippy’s have a tendency to damage our lips, their long-lasting wear and pigment seems to have overpowered our ability to dump them and replace them.
Needless to say while the common sight of seeing women whip out a lipstick in the shape of a lip gloss but end up with a matte perfect pout has settled to nearly unnoticeable, it’s undeniable that liquid lipsticks are a true beauty success because of their continuous but subtle popularity.