Kat Von D has done it again, releasing new shades of the Studded Kiss Lipstick. I decided to try this in Plan 9, an opaque, deep, sea foam green. These lipsticks are formulated with “Color Cushion Technology,” which is supposed to provide lots of pigmentation and comfortable, lasting wear, all while staying true to color and leaving lips supple.
First off, I own six or seven of these, and I have never been impressed with the formula. I was hoping that the new shades would be better, but alas, this one was not. These lipsticks drag like no other, and they do not leave lips supple as promised. As a matter of fact, they do just the opposite, and dry my lips out something fierce! Another downfall is the tubes, the lids do not stay on. If you put these in your travel bag or purse, the lids fall off. This is not just a fluke, because it has happened with every single one I have.
Despite the difficult, rough application and harshly drying formula, I will most likely continue to use these. Why, you ask? Because despite the negatives, there are some positives. Not only do they smell like creme brulee, but the colors are to die for and the pigmentation payoff is stellar. However, I cannot wear one of these for more than a day, and I have to exfoliate and use a lip mask the day before, and for a couple days after. That being said, the shade “Thin Lizzy” drags less when applied, and it is less drying, so I’m sure there are some others as well.
I don’t think the formula itself is worth the price, these feel more like a drugstore formula. But, it’s hard to get such great pigmentation and gorgeous colors in a cheaper formula. On another note, it seems so many people are unaware, but Kat Von D does not actually make these products, they are made by Sephora. Well, technically Kendo… which is actually Sephora. So, the same company who makes the Sephora brand products makes Kat Von D (and Marc Jacobs beauty products). This is one reason I will probably keep using these- Sephora tends to do a good job of listening to its customers. Much of what they make is very high quality, so I’m confident that the Kat Von D products will evolve and get better over time.
Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick retails for $21.00 for 0.10 oz.
Now, on to the fun stuff- how did I get this look?
For my lips, I exfoliated with Bite Beauty Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub, and applied the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask. After about thirty minutes, I applied Too Faced Perfect Spice lip liner. I was going to use the Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Slayer, but it was somewhere out in my car, so I grabbed my NARS Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliner in Via Veneto (black), and lined my lips with that on top of the Too Faced.
Next I started smudging the black liner with a Make Up For Ever 10P brush. This is actually a mini eyeshadow brush, but it has made lipstick application SO easy. I added a bit more eyeliner as needed to get a good smudged look, working from outside in. Next, I applied the Studded Kiss Lipstick in Plan 9 to the center of my lips, and smudged outward, so the black and the green would meet and blend together. Since I used eyeliner and a lipstick that doesn’t apply very smoothly, blending took a bit longer than it would with creamier products. To finish off my lips, I dabbed a bit of Urban Decay eyeshadow in Shell Shock (metallic silver) onto the center of my lips.
My foundation was Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in 6.0, followed by Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium Dark Warm, and Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder. I contoured and highlighted with the Kat Von D Shade Light palette, and used NARS Orgasm blush, followed by NARS Orgasm Illuminator on my cheekbones.
For my eyebrows, I used Anastasia’s Brow Powder in Medium Brown, and Anastasia Clear Brow Gel. I primed my eyelids with Smashbox Photo Finish 24 Hour Shadow Primer. For my eyes, I used the pearly color from the Kat Von D Innerstellar palette, along with Shell Shock (metallic silver), Damaged (metallic green), and Poison (charcoal) from the Urban Decay Vice 2 palette. I lined my top lash line and wing with Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (black), and the bottom lash line and waterline with MAC Technakohl liner in black. I didn’t want to take away from the shadows, so I used just one coat of Benefit Roller Lash mascara.
I know many people are creating more daring and edgier looks, and that makes the world a much more colorful place. I’m not quite so bold- would I wear this look every day to do my regular activities? Nope. But it was SO much fun! And Halloween is coming up… 😉
A bit more blended than in the first picture
