REVIEW: Hope Girl Milky Balm Lipstick in Chicago Red
On the heels of yesterday's review on the Hope Girl 140 Super Lash Mascara, I bring you another Hope Girl product - one that I'm a hell of a lot less on the fence about, I assure you. This lipstick was included in the Memebox 10 Minute Box, which was by far the most random Memebox I've ever received. The box actually contained two Hope Girl products and was my first exposure to this particular brand.
If you're not familiar with Memebox, it's a beauty box service out of South Korea. There is a huge selection of different boxes and they are constantly adding more. They sell out quick, so it's definitely worth buying the ones that catch your eye as soon as you see them. That's enough about Memebox, I'd say. I'm starting to sound like an obsessed broken record.
LET'S TALK ABOUT LIPSTICK!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am not generally an animal print fan. I'm also not a fan of things that are gold, if we're being honest... but even I can't resist saying that I think this packaging is gorgeous. And, really, it could have so easily gone to the place of being garish (red lipstick + animal print usually = HIDEOUS!) but they managed to keep it looking sleek, a little bit unique, and just downright lovely. The tube itself is made of brushed metal and plastic, with black printing on the outside. It feels substantial and sturdy, the way a higher end product should. The colour that you see on the bottom of the tube is completely true to the colour of the actual product, which is a very nice addition.
As with the Hope Girl mascara, the packaging on this product is a huge win for me. It feels luxe.
The difference between this product and the mascara is that this product is absolutely, 100% a win for me. The colour is a beautiful true red shade that I think would flatter literally the lightest to the darkest skintones and everything in between. Also, I feel like it's a very wearable red that can easily be worn during the day as well as at night if it's paired with the right makeup look. The texture is smooth and creamy and it applies like a dream. There's no dragging or patchiness and you get full opacity in one easy swipe over your lips. The formula is very creamy and moisturizing, which makes it feel incredibly comfortable on the lips. I will say that it definitely, like most bright or deep shades, looks better if you start with a lip liner to keep it very groomed.
This lipstick also wears very well. I wouldn't call it a long wearing lipstick, but it definitely stays put longer than a lot of other lipsticks that are this creamy and moisturizing. It doesn't leave a stain on the lips, but it does wear down evenly so that even after the original shine and opacity has faded there's still a nice colour to the lips that remains for a good long time.
I apologize, this swatch isn't as true to colour as it probably should be. In person, it doesn't run as warm as in this swatch. It's a very neutral red that doesn't skew too orange or too blue.
Overall, I think this is my favorite red lipstick that I've tried in a long time. From top to bottom, packaging to performance, this hits all the notes for me.
VERDICT: Win. By far one of my absolute favorite products that I've ever received in a Memebox.
This product is available on the Memebox website for $22 in a wide selection of shades.
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