Ever so often, you come across a lesser-known makeup brand on social media, endorsed and loved by seemingly hundreds – and yet; you wonder, why haven’t you ever heard of them? Are they reliable? In an age where so many independent makeup brands are taking (solely) to the Internet and coming into their own, it’s normal to find yourself plagued by a bevy of new choices – choices that, unfortunately, you can’t pop into your nearest Sephora to check out in person for yourself. Well, here’s the next best option: a real-life review by real-life Singaporeans who dared to take the plunge and place the order. Today, we review the highly raved about Hydra-Matte Liquid Lipsticks from Gerard Cosmetics.
Who is Gerard Cosmetics?
You’ve probably seen their Instagram handle @gerardcosmetics floating around on social media before – usually accompanied by tempting pictures of luscious lip swatches or liquid lipsticks. They’re an American brand founded by CEO Jennifer Gerard, who created the line to empower women with luxurious yet easy-to-use products. Though the brand first started out with an illuminating BB cream, Gerard Cosmetics today is better known for their Hydra-Matte Liquid Lipsticks, plus their frequent collaborations with YouTubers and beauty influencers – which is probably what sparked their rising popularity.
Popular products
Hydra-Matte Liquid Lipstick: US$20
Lipstick: US$19
Colour Your Smile Lighted Lip Gloss: US$10 on sale (U.P. US$24)
Shipping
Price: Free international shipping with min US$35 order
Time: Under 2 weeks
Swatches
Everything Nice – described as a spicy neutral
Left image from Instagram (@gerardcosmetics)
1995 – a plummy “neutral” hue with brown undertones
Left image from Instagram (@gerardcosmetics)
Review
You’d think that something called “hydra-matte” would be very drying on the lips, but these couldn’t be further from that. In fact, these have a surprisingly similar consistency to Colourpop’s Ultra Satin Liquid Lipsticks, which was the first thing I noticed when I first applied. The product was incredibly creamy, and went on smoothly, so that it was easy to spread and build on where needed.
The doe-foot applicator wasn’t the easiest to manoeuvre, which resulted in me over-lining my lips quite a bit – though nothing too serious. (Everyone loves a good, plump liquid lip anyway, right?) They take a little longer than other liquid lipsticks to dry and set; and to be honest they never fully dry – unless you’ve skipped out on the lip balm that day – which keeps your lips feeling pretty comfortable throughout the day.
One obvious downside to that, though, is that the product does transfer when eating and drinking, which is an ugly hassle during mealtimes if you’re planning to wear it out from day to night. Yet that seems to vary from colour to colour; I found that Everything Nice came off a lot faster, while there wasn’t a scratch on 1995 even after a full meal.
Influencers wearing 1995 | Images from Instagram (@gerardcosmetics)
Another minor gripe I had with the liquid lipstick was the colour discrepancy. Sure they’re beautiful on their own, and very on-trend this season, but contrary to the swatches shown on the brand’s Instagram and website, they come out a lot darker on my skin tone. Also, the two I ordered ended up looking way too similar. I’ll chalk it down to me being too fair to use the average lip swatch as a good gauge; but just take note that they’ll most definitely come out a little different on Asian skin.
Verdict
4/5
I love them! But not at US$20 a piece. And mind you, I paid out of my own pocket for these. A few other reviewers have mentioned that they’d rather pay that price for a MAC lipstick – where quality and brand name are guaranteed. Other than that, they’re a quality alternative to try if you’re a liquid lipstick junkie. The good news, though, is that Gerard Cosmetics frequently offers discount codes on their Instagram, which can bring one Hydra-Matte from US$20 down to around US$12. My tip: don’t bother splashing out on these at full price; but follow their social media for notifications on promo codes and sales, and then go crazy and mass order. The best part is there’s free international shipping for orders of US$35 and above, which really isn’t that hard to hit, ladies.
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