Fara Homidi has painted the faces of everyone you’ve ever wanted to look like. But when a makeup artist launches a lipstick, you’re paying for the name — or the pigment.
The gloss is in the branding. The real test is whether this $38 tube survives a coffee run without a mirror check.
The Essential Lipstick is a “soft matte” that claims to feel like nothing on your lips. I bought shade “Film” — a nude that promises to be the one.
Weightless Feel
You forget it’s there after 30 seconds. No cake, no tug.
One-Swipe Color
Pigment loads in one pass. No layering required.
Subtle Scent
Smells like a vanilla candle. Not like a grandma’s purse.
Photo: The Design Lady / Unsplash
She threw in meadowfoam seed oil and shea butter — the kind of stuff that keeps your lips from crumbling halfway through a workday. No drying alcohols, which is rare for a matte.
- Meadowfoam Seed Oil: Locks moisture without greasy shine
- Shea Butter: Softens on contact, not after 20 minutes
- Vitamin E: Fights the dreaded lip line crack
- Candelilla Wax: Holds pigment in place without waxiness
Photo: Lidye / Unsplash
Out of the tube, it’s creamy like a balm — glides on like butter left out too long. Sets to a matte that feels like nothing. No squeak, no drag.
Week two: It survived a bagel. Barely. The center faded, but the edges stayed sharp — weirdly flattering if you’re into the “just kissed” look.
Photo: Karly Jones / Unsplash
My lips stayed soft for 4 hours. No peeling. No need to reapply after water. But a greasy meal? Gone in two bites.
Photo: Jocelyn Morales / Unsplash
This lipstick doesn’t need Fara Homidi’s name to sell itself — the formula actually delivers. It’s a solid matte that won’t wreck your lips, but don’t expect it to survive dinner.