Lips: Maybelline's Color Whisper by Color Sensational in "Mad for Magenta"

*** Curious to see more shades? Check out my post on Color Whispers "Lust for Blush" and "Pin Up Peach" here! ***

Here is yet another new lip product I was excited for, especially since its design seems to imply a direct response to the ever-so-popular Revlon Lip Butters (I still have to review these, haha): Maybelline's Color Whispers by Color Sensational. I will be referring to them simply as Color Whispers for the rest of this review, since the full title is a mouthful.

I did buy one of these Color Whispers because of their resemblance to the Lip Butters. I was curious how they would compare, though I'll do a separate post directly comparing these balm-lipstick-gloss-master products once I'm done reviewing them all individually. For the Color Whispers, I will be reviewing the color "Mad for Magenta."




The following claims for this product are listed on the Maybelline website:

"Pure color pigments suspended in weightless gel.
No heavy waxes or oils.
Soft, sexy gel-color."

I couldn't help but laugh at the last line. Gel-color? Okay then.


THE BASICS

Name: Mad for Magenta (95)
Net Wt.: 0.11 oz./3 g.
Price: ~$8
Finish: Glossy

Maybelline's Color Whisper comes in a typical lipstick tube though, unlike the typical teardrop tip of a lipstick, it has a circular, rounded tip. [[ EDIT: I originally said that the covers for the Color Whisper collection have the same coloring system as the Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick line - that the covers were coded based on the color family of the specific color. This is not the case; the covers are actually tinted to match the specific color in the tube, much like the Revlon Lip Butters. Sorry for the mistake. ]] "Mad for Magenta" has a dark pink-colored cover.

The covers are transparent, but because they are tinted based on color family rather than each product's individual color, it's impossible to determine the true color of the product before purchasing (unless, of course, you break the seal and open it at the store <_<). That's the only drawback I found in the packaging.

The sticker at the base of the product contains the product name and number, though on my particular color the sticker is a silver color, so it is no help at all at giving hints on what the color being purchased really looks like, either.

The only assistance you get - for now at least - is from the product display, which is how I went about choosing my color, "Mad for Magenta." 

As for scents, this product, to me, honestly smells like Fruit Loops. It's a sugary, fruity smell that is definitely apparent during application but wears off rather fast afterwards. It's a nostalgic scent for me, but may be annoying for others.


COLOR/SWATCHES

"Mad for Magenta" (95) is, well, a magenta color: a deep, vibrant pink with hints of violet.

On my hand, the product swatches sheer but still has decent pigmentation. The color on my hand is pretty close to the color in the tube (perhaps a bit pinker), which I appreciate.

Additionally, I was surprised to find that when I wiped the swatch off my hand, it actually left a slight stain behind. There are no claims made on this color being long-wearing or a stain, so I found that little discovery to be interesting and wondered what it would potentially mean in terms of how the formula felt on my lips during wear.

You can somewhat make out the rosey tint in the center of my hand.

There are glitter particles in this color that are fairly apparent when it's swatched (see the first swatch above). They don't seem to add much to the finish of the product, whose formula is already glossy, and I personally don't care much for glitter so I wish they had just left it out. Others might like the effect, though.


WEAR (WITH LIP SWATCHES)

The color is a fresh pink on my lips. I've been loving pinks on my lips (the brighter the better, in fact) so I was very pleased with the final look of "Mad for Magenta." The finish is glossy, though you can see some sparkle from the glitter.

At first I didn't care too much for the "weightless gel" formula of this product. There was a lightness to it that was comfortable, but it went on somewhat slick and did not feel substantial on my lips. However, this was the first time I tried it. Since then it has felt as light, but creamier and more moisturizing - perhaps because I've been using a heavier hand? I'm not too sure. Either way, this product does live up to its focal claim of color in a light, gel formula.

The product feels moisturizing and creamy on my lips for the first two hours, though the color's intensity does fade a bit. By the third, it begins to take on that dry, rough feeling - most likely due to the light formula. By the fourth, it's annoying to wear. I round down the total wear-time to three hours because of that.

It does leave behind a pinkish tint on my lips regardless, even when I lick my lips (yeah, yeah, I know it's bad, haha). So this really does leave a hint of a stain for me! It's not completely concentrated at the outline of my lips either, which I'm grateful for. I do hate the leftover glitter, though.

Bottom line is, this product lasts a while and wears off fairly evenly, even with its weightless formula. Yay!


OVERALL

I have to admit that I prefer thicker formulas in general, but I am still happily satisfied with this product. I love my color choice and find the formula to be both light on the lips and moisturizing. Most light formulas seem to 'evaporate' on the lips within little to no time, but this one sticks around. And the smell is a nice bonus!

I would definitely recommend this product to those who prefer moisturizing color with a light feel. I would not recommend this product to those who prefer thicker formulas, more opaque pigmentation, and especially those who are sensitive to scents, or simply hate sweeter scents.

I can't say I'll purchase more colors from this collection, because there are so many new products coming out that I rather try one color of each than buy all the shades in a single collection. But you never know. ;) I haven't really looked into all the shades yet so if another catches my eye, I just might.

Anyway, hope this review was helpful, and thanks always for stopping by! 'Til next time. ('<>')>

~nikki

Have you tried any Maybelline Color Whispers? Would you recommend any other colors?! Haha!