Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy lipstick Impulsive

Nude lips. Not my cup of tea. Not at all. Nude is a little too nude on me and very quickly makes me look like I was raised from the dead. Still, since I like to wear quite bold eyeshadow looks from time to time, finding a good every day neutral lip color that goes with anything and everything, would make life a little bit easier. I already found a few drugstore options that are good candidates, but then I spotted this great color by Estee Lauder and I was sold.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy lipstick Impulsive

See, the drugstore ones I have: one by L’Oreal, one by Rimmel and one by Catrice are all fine or ok. But no more than that. The colors are a pretty good match, but nothing screams ‘my-lips-but-better’! The textures and lasting power are also okay. And then I saw this beauty. There isn’t much wrong with this lipstick. Apart from the price tag that is. This baby costs a whooping €32 a pop. I did get a 10% discount and had a coupon so I ended up paying 2/3 of that price, but still… It’s a lot of money for a neutral pink lipstick. And so the real question is: is it worth the money?

First of all, there’s packaging. This lipstick comes in a very luxurious feeling wrapper. The little box it comes in is nothing too special, but then you get to the bullit itself and that’s where the magic happens. The first thing I noticed is how heavy this is. The reason? It has a magnetic closure to keep it shut. The magnet is strong and gives that satisfaying SNAP when you close this lipstick. Then there is the deep indigo color with the gold details which is just stunning. Yes, this is quite possibly the best packaging I have ever seen.

What Estee Lauder says:

Color with the power to transform your lips, your look, your attitude.
Intensifies: Saturates lips with high-intensity color—in one stroke. Lip-sculpting statement shades for all skintones.
Sculpts: Multi-faceted pigments create definition. Lips look beautifully shaped, sculpted, curvaceous.
Hydrates: Time-released Moisture Complex helps capture and seal-in hydration. Lips feel continuously moisturized throughout the day.
Super creamy, glides on effortlessly, covers evenly. Sensually soft and smooth, luxuriously comfortable. 6-hour wear.
The lipstick bullet is shaped to sculpt the curves of your lips. The case feels like luxury in your hands. And with one click, case closed.

So this lipstick should hydrate your lips while providing you with full on color. The color range should tie in with different skintones, so there is a shade for everyone. The texture is a cream which should restul in soft and smooth lips that last for at least half a day. It should be easy and effortless to apply. Looking at the ingredient list the promise of hydration can be seen to be fulfilled: the first ingredient on the list is castor oil and when you first try this on you will notice that immediately. This lipstick glides on smoothly without any problems and is very moisturizing.

The prettiness doesn’t end with the packaging. Oh no. When you open the bullit, you first see a gold cilinder with the brand name in dark blue stanced on it. Again, this makes the lipstick seem extra luxurious. The lipstick itself is void of any sparkle or shimmer. It is a fully matte looking color and there is a decent amount of product in the tube. Let’s see this from up close.

The color is a very neutral pink. I detect a little bit of blue, but mostly this is a full on pretty pink. It’s not so much a nude color, as a neutral color. It is on me anyway. For me, it is the perfect ‘my-lips-but-better shade’ and goes with anything and everything. Lately, I’ve been finding myself gravitating to this lipstick whenever I think: I’m wearing bold lips, now what would be a good lip option? I always go for this one because it is fool proof.

The swatch is amazing and that’s what grabbed me in the store. This swatch is one swipe. As you can see that saturated, full on color that is promised, is most certainly delivered. And that’s a really good thing. My problem with lighter shades is that my natural lip color shines through most of time. This means I am required to layer MAC’s Lip Erase underneath and that one extra step is usually the reason why I forego using neutral lipsticks. But with this lipstick there is no problem with pigmentation as you can see.

Finally, we should talk texture. Because oh my, I already mentioned how moisturizing this lipstick is, but the overall texture is just great. It wears nicely on your lips: it feels natural, as if you’ve applied a colored lip balm rather than a lipstick. It’s not drying at all and the creamy finish means it’s not too shiny either. It’s more of a soft almost satin like finish. It lasts a fairly long time. On very long days I notice that by the end of it the lipstick has completely disappeared, but it can last through a snack and a drink if you’re careful. What I like though is how this lipstick fades as you wear it. Because the color is so natural looking you barely see it wearing off. It also doesn’t get that nasty looking ring around your lips, as if you’ve applied too much lip liner. And for a creamy lipstick that is a first for me.

Lip swatch

As you can see, this lipstick is very natural looking. My own lips are definitely a tad darker than this though. I have a lot of natural pigment in my lips already, which is why pulling of darker shades is quite easy for me. This shade has a brighter finish and instantly perks up my overall look. When I wear this, I find I instantly look more awake and refreshed. As you can see in the picture below.

Full face

Overall, I am totally loving this lipstick. I would spend another €32 euros on this particular lipstick in a heartbeat. To me, it is worth every penny. I love the formula, the pigmentation and the lasting power of this lipstick. The color blew me away at first wear and I have been finding myself reaching for this at least a few times every week. I have been swatching and trying different shades from this line, but nothing grabs my attention as much as this color. If you’re looking for a good neutral lipstick to add to your collection, I can highly recommend this one.

What is your favorite nude lipstick?