When I bought something from Sephora.com during the recent VIB sale, I chose three samples and the last one I picked was from GrandeLips, their HydraPlump Liquid Lipstick.
If you read my blog, you know that I am not a fan of liquid lipstick. The vast majority of the ones I tried, and I have tried a lot, dry out my already dry lips, so I tend to avoid them. But I needed to pick a third sample, and this was the most intriguing of the lot.
In one of my past Sephora Play bags, I received a travel size GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper Liquid Lipstick. It doesn’t have peppermint or other ingredients that are irritants for me, so I use it from time to time. I can’t say that it makes a noticeable difference in the size of my lips, but it is hydrating. So this generally positive experience led me to try the HydraPlump sample.
GrandeLips describes HydraPlump as a long wear, semi-matte liquid lipstick. Here’s what it is like when I wear HydraPlump. It goes on like a creamy mousse, and then after a few minutes it dries down to a semi-matte. It doesn’t have that desiccated look that most liquid matte lipsticks have on my lips. Nevertheless, it is not drying even for my dry lips. That said, it’s not like wearing a lipgloss that feels juicy and hydrating; instead, it seems “neutral”. It is as light as a feather on my lips.
It is long wearing, like hours and hours, if I don’t eat a meal. If I do eat a meal, it wears off in the center of my lips, but there’s still a lot on the rest of my lips (though the deeper shade definitely needs a touch up). It doesn’t transfer onto a glass.
HydraPlump is supposed to plump. As I mentioned above, GrandeLips – the regular clear gel Hydrating Lip Plumper – doesn’t seem to noticeably plump my lips. HydraPlump is supposed to plump the lips within 3-5 minutes. To be honest, I haven’t timed it. But my lips do look a little bigger when I wear this. Hmmm. And though I do feel a sensation for about 15 seconds after I apply it, it doesn’t sting, and the sensation goes away. Here are HydraPlump’s key ingredients and what GrandeLips says they do (the full ingredient list is at the bottom of the post):
KEY INGREDIENTS:
– Volulip™: an active substance containing a plant extract and natural peptides. Plumps lips with hyaluronic acid synthesis
- Anti-aging effect
- Provides an overall increase in volume, hydration and softness
– Instaplump™– patented blend of vasodilators for instant maximum plumping
- Includes caffeine to stimulate blood flow and niacin as a skin conditioning agent
– Phenyl Trimethicone – skin protectant that locks in moisture and prevents chapping
– Diisostearyl Malate – promotes soft, smooth surface of the lips
These are HydraPlump’s research results (I usually take this stuff with a grain of salt, but I actually agree this time!):
In a consumer perception study of HydraPlump Pumping Liquid Lipstick:
– 97% of subjects noted it was comfortable to wear
– 94% of subjects felt lips look noticeably fuller
– 94% of subjects felt it didn’t sting
– 88% of subjects felt lips were softer.
HydraPlump comes in 12 highly pigmented shades, ranging from neutrals to pinks to reds and vampy dark shades. The three I received were:
- Vintage Rose: dusty pink purple
- Red Delicious: rich classic red, I’d say it’s deep raspberry red
- River Clay: griege nude (light brown-grey)
I applied Vintage Rose and River Clay with my finger, so my lip line doesn’t look great. I used a brush with Red Delicious as well as a lip liner.
On me, Vintage Rose is a medium pink that looks a little purple-y. It’s pretty, but I could do without the purple. Red Delicious is a deep raspberry or blue red. I like this shade of red though it’s not usually the red I choose. River Clay is a light brown-grey neutral that is definitely not a shade for me. I think I look like death wearing it, lol, but I’m sure it would look good on someone with a different skin tone.
To be honest, I was surprised that I have ended up liking this liquid lipstick. For me, it’s a non-drying, long wearing, matte lipstick that doesn’t look or feel dry on my often dry lips. I also like that it’s very pigmented.
Next time I go to a Sephora that carries GrandeLips in the store (my local one doesn’t), I will take a look at the other 9 shades. Of the three options I tried, I liked Red Delicious the best,
but I’d like to see the other shades because I think there are others that I might prefer.
After I started writing my review based on the three samples that I received and have been wearing for the past couple of weeks, I decided to look at the customer reviews on Sephora.com. Very, very interesting. By and large, the reviewers either loved it or hated it. Those who loved it made the same points that I did. Those who hated it mentioned that it had a “horrible chemical smell”. To be fair, I tried samples and there was no smell whatsoever, but I can’t vouch for what it would smell like out of a tube. Other reviewers said that it dried their lips or that they felt an unpleasant tingling. I didn’t experience either of those things. I’m still going to check it out at Sephora and take a whiff of the tester tubes because I am considering buying it at some point, like during the Sephora sale before the holidays.
GrandeLips HydraPlump Lip Plumper Liquid Lipstick is sold at Sephora and on the GrandeLips website. The price is $25 for 2.5 ml. GrandeLips HydraPlump is vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.
Have you tried GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper or this HydraPlump Liquid Lipstick?
Ingredients: Isododecane, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Kaolin, Dimethicone, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Isononanoic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Diisostearyl Malate, Synthetic Beeswax, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Octyldodecanol, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, Flavor/Aroma, Isostearyl Isostearate,
Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Menthoxypropanediol, Methyl Nicotinate, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Saccharin, Caffeine, Niacin, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Sucrose Cocate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 28 Lake
(CI 45410), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985)
These are very pretty, and I feel the same as you do about liquid lipsticks, and I am surprised that you like these! I haven’t tried this brand, but these are so flattering on you that i am tempted to try one!
I love that you got to try it first through a sample. That really gives you a great idea of wear and color.
I never would have even tried Grandelips HydraPlump Liquid Lipstick if I hadn’t gotten this sample with my Sephora purchase. Now I hope that the Boston Sephora has them so I can smell the tube to see about any chemical scent and see the shades in person. I really would like to own a liquid lipstick that is comfortable for me to wear on those occasions when I want a matte-ish look.
I would wear all 3 of those colors
I really like how these look on. I like the stay power, so I’d be okay if they didn’t plump too much. I will definitely sample this next time I’m at Sephora.
Vintage Rose is very pretty. I give up on plumping lipsticks–if they burn they do a good job of plumping, but if not they don’t plump. I don’t like the burning, stinging sensation so I guess I’ll be satisfied with my thin lips.
I haven’t tried this but I did receive one in my last Boxycharm.