I’ve had a couple of weeks of pretty deep or bold colours so this week I wanted to go back to my usual low maintenance, MLBB sort of shade. I purchased the Barry M Matte Me Up in 3 towards the end of the summer time and I didn’t really get a chance to use it much. So it’s been really fun wearing this all seven days of the week, as (finally) its a shade I get to wear to work as well as to uni - woohoo!
Price: £4.99
Colour: A gorgeous pinky nude shade, which is very very close to my natural lip colour but a little brighter. I think that is what makes it so wearable because it’s not too light, not beige or peachy in tone, it actually is similar to my lips. With one swipe it appears a little more nude, with two swipes it leans more on the pink shade on my pigmented lips. Worn alone it does look a little more pink than I prefer, so I balance this out with using one of my HG lip liners, which I’ll discuss below!
One Swipe, Two Swipes, MUFE 3C Lipliner
Formula and Lasting time: These are called ‘matte me ups’ however they’re in a crayon, twist up form so I half expected a balm type of product, similar to the Rimmel colour rush balms. I should add that they do actually come in more of a tip form, but clearly that has worn away. Luckily the fact that the nib is more flat doesn't make application messy or challenging at all. I wouldn’t describe it as totally matte, its somewhere in-between a matte and a creamy satin formula, which works really well. So its not like a glossy balm at all, rather it is as comfortable as matte formula can get because technically its NOT a hard core matte. So if you're expecting that, or avoiding these because you're not a fan of matte lipsticks then that is important to note!
The product doesn't feather or bleed, nor does it dry out my lips at all and it also packs a punch with the pigmentation! Alone it lasts around 3 hours before fading and with lipliner as a base it lasts decently for 4.5/5 hours (which is why lipliners are the key to makeup success!). It does sort of transfer, which brings me back to the fact that it is not totally matte, but overall the formula is such that it stays in place which is awesome.
Favourite Way To Wear It: By far my favourite way is to line and half fill in the lips with the Make Up For Ever Aqua Lipliner in 3C (reviewed here and swatched above on right right) and then to swipe this once or twice all over the lips. I've raved about this lipliner in the review and basically named it as my HG liner, because its the only shade that really gives me a believably larger pout when I over-line a little. The 3C liner with Dress Rehearsal over the top achieves a lovely fuller lips look, without being over the top in any way. I felt comfortable wearing this anywhere and I loved how I could apply it and then just forget about it, which is something I can never do when wearing a bold or bright look that is not totally matte!
Overall: I love this lip product from Barry M, the colour is so workable for me, despite being a little on the pink side on my lips (although it doesn’t really come across like that in the swatch!) I love how easy it is to wear. On the weeks I have a crazy colour which I can’t wear to work, I’ll keep this in my handbag and just swipe it on as its the type of shade that is understated, yet still manages to make me look pulled together. I don’t even need a mirror when I apply it and the fact that you can pretty much just twist up the product makes it even better. I don’t think the actual packaging is super sturdy but I really cannot complain for the price and for how well it works.
Available from: Boots, Superdrugs
and ASOS!
Rating: 8.5
Repurchase? Yes I would pick this
shade up again, its the type of product that could live in my car and just be a
back up if I don’t have time in the morning y’know?
Have you tried any of the Barry M Matte Me Ups?
Thank-you for reading ♥
