Lips Go Au Naturel With New Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs Lipsticks

This summer, minimalist makeup looks are taking over, edging out their bolder counterparts. Sure, we’ll still see plenty of metallic touches on eyelids and punchy fuchsia and red pouts, but these will likely be less ubiquitous than glistening complexions with just-pinched, daintily pink cheeks attained by using lightweight, practically air whipped, cream blushes, and sumptuous pouts coated with glistening nude and sheer pink color. Always in step with the latest cosmetics trends, Maybelline recently released a new range of “barely there” lip colors so every woman can find the nude shade that best suits her.

The  Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs Lipsticks, then, incorporates 10 creamy shades that range from a pale, French vanilla-esque nude to an earthy, raisin-like shade – all with a delightful creamy texture and a glossy, lustrous finish.

I had the chance to try seven shades: 910 Bare All, 915 Blushing Beige, 920 Nude Lust, 930 Truffle Tease, 935 Sin-A-Mon, 950 Unwanted Spice, and 960 Barely Bronze. Overall, I found that the collection included a nice spectrum of nude hues, but many of the shades felt a bit too yellowish for my particular taste. Also, my favorite hues — 915 Blushing Beige, 920 Nude Lust and 960 Barely Bronze — didn’t offer full coverage, which was a huge let-down, since I expected the lipsticks to be as richly pigmented as those in any other Color Sensational range (such as The Vivids, which I adore). Perhaps my biggest gripe with The Buffs, however, is that they are far from long-lasting. Unlike some of the brighter Color Sensational lipsticks, which feature pigments that adhere to the pout and stay in place without losing their potency and luster for hours at a time, these nude lip colors wear off relatively quickly.

On a more positive note, I did appreciate the creamy consistency of the lipsticks and the moisturizing botanical oils in the formulas, which worked to soothe, soften, and nourish lips.

Below, you’ll find swatches of all seven shades I tested, starting with 910 Bare All, a very pale nude that’s reminiscent of French Vanilla ice cream; 915 Blushing Beige, a peachy cashew hue; and 920 Nude Lust, which is reminiscent of the froth atop a capuccino cu

Next, below you’ll find swatches of 930 Truffle Tease, 935 Sin-A-Mon, 950 Untainted Spice, and 960 Barely Bronze. The Truffle Tease actually reminds me of homemade peanut brittle and Unwanted Spice looks like the inside of a Cinnamon roll or, for that matter, a baked and glazed raisin. Check out these four shades:

Out of all these shades, I’d probably wear Barely Bronze the most, but I have to say that I’m still more likely to reach for one of the Hourglass Cosmetics Notorious Nude Lip Stylo hues.

As I mentioned, I really hoped the colors would have a higher opacity level and a bit more staying power, but they’re still good buys at $7.29 a piece at drug, food, and mass market retailers.