Opened my friend’s makeup bag. Saw it. Opened another. Saw it again.
The real magic? It’s not a true nude — it’s a pinky-mauve that somehow doesn’t wash anyone out. A statistical anomaly.
The OG matte lipstick from Charlotte Tilbury. $39. The claim? A “universally flattering” shade that feels comfortable.
The Square Bullet
Cuts the fumbling — you get a sharp line without a liner.
3D Gloss Pigment
Sounds like jargon, but it keeps the matte from looking flat and chalky.
Lipstick Queen Status
It’s the shade they named an entire collection after. Pressure’s on.
Photo: Nick Noel / Unsplash
It’s not just colored wax. They loaded it with hydrators so it doesn’t feel like the Sahara.
- Orchid Extract: A humectant to pull in moisture
- Peptide Complex: Claims to plump over time — I felt hydration, not filler
- Vitamin C Derivative: For antioxidant protection
- Lipstick Tree Extract: A natural emollient for slip
Photo: Evangeline Sarney / Unsplash
Applies like soft velvet — zero tug. Dries down in about 90 seconds to a true matte.
After two weeks? The novelty wore off. It’s a comfortable matte, but it still transfers on my coffee cup. The “universal” shade? Makes very fair, cool-toned skin look a bit… corpse-ish.
Photo: freestocks / Unsplash
My lips weren’t parched. Color lasted 4 hours through talking. But “universal” is a marketing fantasy.
Photo: ibnu ihza / Unsplash
A stellar comfortable matte formula trapped in a “universal” shade lie. The original is great — but it’s not for everyone.