There’s nothing like the combination of a comfy feel and a wide color range that sets a lipstick lover in a frenzy. More economical beauty options are making quite the entrance, a trend that must be keeping the bougie brands on their toes as the newcomers of the beauty scene replicate luxurious formulations that don’t cost a fortune.
Local fashion retail giant Penshoppe recently launched its own beauty line with an 18-shade lipstick collection. I know, you probably have a lot of lippies to go through in your personal collection, but with its price tag of P219, it doesn’t hurt to add a handful to your MLBB rotation. Beauty Pop’s matte component featuring this pastel gradient is definitely a big eye-catcher, bound to add some points to your flatlay gaming. But the packaging design ultimately helps set it apart—and I welcome this sort of creativity. Plus, it’s so easy to spot inside your bags.
It comes in two formulas that were developed in Japan: The Litematte and Hydramatte. Penshoppe covers the bases when it comes to preferences, so whether you want that true-matte feel or one that glides with a little sheen, you’ll find your match in this beauty collection. Here comes the tricky part: The shades actually look way different on your lips than how you see it on the bullet lipsticks. There are a ton of options that look intimidating as these seemingly lean toward bolder looks, but its buildable formula allows it to create subtle to statement lips.
What’s more frustrating is that Penshoppe’s own digital campaigns don’t give justice to the gorgeous colors of the collection. It seems like it only has a range dominated by chocolatey nudes, but it has notable undertones of corals, wines, and pinks that aren’t highlighted. It also seems patchy on arm swatches, but I guarantee you’ll definitely appreciate the colors more once you actually swipe it on your lips. Once you crack your lippie’s powder coating, swatching and application will eventually be a breeze, too.
The Litematte is a fighter. It doesn’t transfer a lot, so you can drink all you want and have light snacks without worrying about your makeup. What makes it a clear winner is it doesn’t make you worry about the state of your lips—all you gotta do is swipe it on. If you have a chapped pair, it’ll blur out imperfections to make your lips look magically soft.
It’s incredibly lightweight and the comfortable powder finish will make you forget you have anything on. The shades I fell in love with in the Litematte lineup have to be Retro, All Dolled Up, and Prim & Proper for the basic neutral lips. For a look that’s got more personality we have Wild Child, Slay, and Smack to turn to.
Retro is the type of red you can rock everyday, mixed with peachy tones you’ll fall in love with. Prim & Proper gives you a beautiful warm and brown nude, while All Dolled Up is the classic, easy-to-wear toasty rose.
Wild Child looks amazing on any skin tone, and this hot coral hue is probably the most vibrant shade in the collection. The cool-toned Smack is another classic that can easily replace your go-to red lipstick, while Slay has a soft wine color looks like a watery stain on the first swipe, but build it up to see just how much of a bold lippie it can be.
The Litematte gives you a lot in a single swipe—perfect for those who love taking MOTD videos. A good thing to note about this lippie is that blotting its pigmented formula replicates a creamy lip stain. The powder finish makes it look so natural, like second skin!
It also colors your cheeks for a good 12 hours, painting it a sheer and natural flush. Retro is our current favorite blush, while Slay makes for a good eyeshadow replacement.
Like most creamy mattes, Penshoppe’s Hydramatte requires a little more work. Swiping the lippie on oftentimes gives you streaky colors, and it takes a lot of effort to get that opaque finish. I discovered that dabbing is the best way to apply it. It is positioned to be the hydrating line of the collection, but ironically it makes your lips look dry. The more lipstick you have on you’ll find that it emphasizes the lines of your lips over time. You definitely have to do the trusty lip balm and exfoliation routine before you can turn to this lippie on the daily.
Hydramatte’s Legally Nude is an easy standout. The toasty carnation is perfect as an everyday lip and I can attest it’s great on the cheeks, too! They also have a fun and youthful shade in Daydream, which perfectly encapsulates the “Barbie pink” hue. Hydramatte also has a close counterpart to Prim & Proper, which is Girl Next Door.
Unfortunately for this lineup, Fearless is the odd man out. It is a lot more sheer than it looks, probably the only dark shade in the collection that isn’t as pigmented and buildable as the rest of the colors.
The subcollection also got a bit of sheen to it. Since it’s infused with vitamin E which makes it easier to blend all over the face. If you like your cheeks to look a bit more dewy and don that healthy glow, this lippie does a fantastic job as a multistick. Hydramatte’s shade range also carries the bolder colors like Heiress, Naughty & Nice and Mauve It.
While the Beauty Pop lippies are far more accessible through online shopping, I strongly suggest you drop by a Penshoppe counter first before deciding between which of the Litemattes and Hydramattes are worthy of bringing home.
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