Mouth Off with the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Collection
If the new bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie collection is any indication, the ladies at San Francisco-based mineral makeup company Bare Escentuals are feeling coquettish, coy, and playfully mouthy these days. Consisting of moisturizing, ultra-pigmented, vivid, creamy lipsticks, lip pencils, and lip glosses, the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie collection places the spotlight on a woman’s pucker.
First, there’s the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick ($18 at bareescentuals.com and Sephora.com), which feels deliciously creamy and buttery on lips. Available in 18 shades, the lipstick is enriched with: conditioning abyssinian oil, which has a high concentration of erucic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, and oleic acid, another softening and replenishing omega-9 fatty acid; peppermint oil, a natural antiseptic with a cooling and soothing effect; safflower seed oil, a natural source of vitamin E that works to fortify the skin’s natural moisture barrier; antioxidant-rich apple extract, which has anti-aging benefits; coconut oil, which has a 91% concentration of saturated fatty acids, mainly lauric acid, which accounts for about 45% of this total and has antibacterial and antiseptic benefits, along with nourishing properties; jojoba oil, which has a molecular composition similar to that of the sebum, making it easily absorbed by the skin; olive oil, which is rife with monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, and squalene; gardenia extract, which is believed to improve moisture retention and soothe the skin. The vitamins A, C, and E in the formula deliver antioxidant protection, while the fatty acids soften, nourish, and moisturize lips, making your pout feel extra comfortable as you wear the vibrant color of your choice (a refreshing change from the plethora of lipsticks that dry out your pout).
The Marvelous Moxie lipstick glides onto lips easily and feels as yummy as a lip butter when first applied. The colors meanwhile are saturated with pigment for a maximum wow factor, plus they boast a satin finish that amplifies their brilliance. That being said, the lipsticks aren’t as long-lasting as, say, Make Up For Ever’s Rouge Artist lipsticks or OCC’s Lip Tars. Also, the color can run and migrate a bit so that, after a few sips of coffee, you might find that most of your lipstick is gathered around the perimeter of your mouth, giving you that dreaded “pastrami lips” look. I’d suggest wearing a lip primer with your Marvelous Moxie shade of choice and reapplying relatively often. Also, if you apply one of the Marvelous Moxie Lipliners atop the lipstick of your choice, it will help to lock the color in for a bit longer.
Perhaps my biggest gripe regarding the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick is its packaging. Each lipstick comes in a sleek black tube, and its cylindrical cap, which features a slanted tip to create a modern look, extends all the way to the base of the lipstick, covering the actual tube containing the creamy color. This cap has a slim slit along the side with a silver-toned, flattened button that you can slide up to lock the lipstick in place or slide down to release the lipstick. The first time I tried to open the lipstick, I was on the verge of despair since it took me entirely too long to figure out how to use this slide lock system — and, once I did, I was just flustered by the whole thing. I do appreciate that the system ensures the cap doesn’t fall of your lipstick, but I think there could be a more user-friendly way to achieve this feat.
In terms of the colors, I tried four shades: Risk It All, a reddish magenta; Stand Out, a warm fudge-y brown with russet undertones; Light It Up, a punchy melon shade; and Lead the Way, a deep berry purple. The colors are all pretty, but I didn’t find them incredibly innovative. Perhaps the only shade that had me swooning was Lead the Way, a plummy mulberry color with a gorgeous all-over luster. Check out swatches of all four lipstick hues below:
Next, there’s the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss ($18 at bareescentuals.com and Sephora.com), which is enriched with fatty acid-rich shea, avocado and murumuru butters that nourish, hydrate, soften and soothe lips. The gloss comes in 16 shades that vary in intensity, some offering sheer coverage and others yielding medium-strength coverage, but all packing a punch in the shine department. What I love most about the Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss formula is the peppermint oil therein since it cools and soothes lips as soon as you apply the product to your pout, creating a deliciously comfortable sensation. Another plus is the sponge applicator tip, which has a slightly slanted shape, allowing for greater precision when navigating through the trickier areas of the mouth (the corners and widow’s peak, for instance).
I had the chance to try four Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss shades: Trail Blazer, a nude-tinged gold shade with a glistening finish; Smooth Talker, a golden pink reminiscent of the inside of a conch shell but with even more of a warm, sunset-like sheen and a shimmering finish achieved via golden pearl particles; Maverick, a deep medium brown with reddish undertones; and Game Changer, a blue-toned, medium-strength red with an icy, mirror-like sheen.
I was immediately smitten with the Smooth Talker and Game Changer shades. Check out swatches of all four hues below:
Last but not least, there’s the bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner ($15 at bareescentuals.com and Sephora.com), which contains antioxidant-rich vitamin E, moisturizing jojoba oil, a soothing and conditioning mineral mixture, and filling spheres that pump up your pout’s volume (without any weird tingling sensation!). The lip pencils have a nice creamy texture that won’t tug or yank at your pout, plus the twist-up tip allows you to eschew the whole headache-inducing sharpening routine.
Check out swatches of the four shades I tested out: Energized, an electric melon peach shade; Electrified, a deep plum color; Jazzed, a retro honeysuckle pink; and Revved, a raisin-like brown.
For more details, visit BareEscentuals.com. And make sure to pucker up, my buttercups!