Read My Lips — The Scoop on the Latest Lip Tar Shades from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
A bold lip is always in vogue — just think of the number of red pouts on the Golden Globes red carpet last weekend or check out the last three Rihanna album covers. And, beauty aficionados like myself know that, when it comes to creating a striking pout, you can always count on Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, the purveyors of the richly pigmented, slick-looking, long-lasting, moisturizing Lip Tar liquid lip color ($18 each at OCCmakeup.com). Each squeezable 10ml tube of Lip Tar contains a color so saturated with pigment that it will even make Golden Artist Colors acrylic paints and Crayola crayons envious.
The latest OCC Makeup Lip Tar shades will help you accomplish stand-out lip looks — whether you’re craving a goth-flavored, metallic black cherry pout or toy with a glossy orchid purple shade. Over the past few months, I’ve been playing with the following shades: Role Play, which is described as a maroon with red pearl, but which I personally think has the coloration of the red of the Maraschino cherries you’d prop atop a sundae, amplified with red pearls; Black Metal Dahlia, a tempestuous, sinful, mysterious black cherry color with metallic pigments that give the color greater dimension and punch, along with red pearls for added shimmer; Sebastian, a matte and opaque grayish, plum-toned taupe shade that remains slick-looking even when dry; and Dekadent, a pink-tinged purple reminiscent of an Imperial Purple Orchid, and the latest addition to the OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss collection which aims to mimic the look of stained glass (high-impact color with a transparent feel and a glossy, shiny finish).
As usual, all of these Lip Tars are 100% vegan and contain organic hemp oil, an antioxidant-rich lubricant and humectant; soybean-derived vitamin E, which protects your lips from free radical damage and keeps your lip color from fading; and refreshing, soothing peppermint oil.
Below, you’ll find swatches of all four shades:
Next, take a closer look at Black Metal Dahlia and Role Play, my two favorites:
Now, look a bit closer at Sebastian and Dekadent:
The Dekadent shade is really great for those of you who love the ease and fun-loving feel of lipgloss, but if you want a truly bold pout, I’d suggest using it only atop another color (one of the great things about OCC Lip Tars is precisely that they can be layered and blended to create new hues). The Sebastian shade, meanwhile, is adventurous in its own way but, given its grayish and almost putty-like hue, it won’t necessarily prove flattering on all skin tones (it made me look a bit dead). I do, however, recommend blending it with other colors to soften and neutralize them.
As for the Role Play and Black Metal Dahlia, they are both completely irresistible in their own ways.
I was slightly intimidated by the Black Metal Dahlia shade since, given I’m rather fair —especially in the winter months where my pallor borders on ghastly — and I didn’t want to wind up looking like Fairuza Balk in The Craft. And yet, when I brushed the color onto my lips, I was surprised to discover that I actually liked how it looked — a lot! Sure, it reads a bit gothic on someone as fair as me, but the red pigments give the color enough of a lovely feel as to elevate it from the realm of the sinister and occult. The metallic finish, combined with the red undertones, give this deep black cherry color an edgy attitude that’s not the least bit scary or emo. Check out how the shade looks on my lips:
Next, check out how the Role Play shade looks on my pout. I was getting ready to hit the gym in the pics below so my apologies for the slightly disheveled appearance (and yes, I am so ridiculous as to wear lipstick to the gym!). This red shade has a coquettish quality that reminds me of pin-up girls and Guy Bourdin photographs. Check it out:
Are you sold on any of these shades? Which would you like to try?
