A close friend of mine recently ventured into selling LipSense, so naturally, she invited me to join her Facebook sales group. As a good friend, I felt it was only right to check it out.
To be honest, I’m not really into makeup. My go-to is usually lip gloss or balm. I find lipstick to be a bit too daring for my taste, and when I do wear it, I typically stick to the most sheer or nude shades I can find. Therefore, I was initially uninterested in LipSense, especially after learning that the starter kit costs $55. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the price.
That price tag—especially for just one lip color and a gloss—felt extravagant for someone whose interest in lipstick is minimal. At the end of the day, it’s still a multi-level marketing (MLM) product, meaning sellers often flood your newsfeed with posts, pics, and tutorials. If that’s not your vibe, I completely understand. Fortunately, my friend was quite laid-back about it and let me try the product without any pressure, which made me more willing to give it a go.
The main selling point of LipSense is that it’s entirely smudge-proof and stays put until you decide to remove it. If you’ve seen anyone demonstrating it, you know the routine—rubbing their lips with their fingers to show how clean they remain. Those videos can be a little strange and even annoying, but I have to admit, the product really does stay on. After going through the application process and dealing with the price, it better be worth it!
Initially, I found the application to be somewhat intimidating. It requires you to apply three coats of color, allowing each layer to dry before sealing it with the gloss. If you happen to go outside the lines (which I did), you’ll need to buy their special remover, which adds to the cost. Clearly, this isn’t something you can slap on when you’re in a hurry. It’s more of a commitment—a “you better be prepared to wear this all day” kind of lipstick. The color does leave your lips feeling dry at first, likely due to the alcohol content. While some users report a burning sensation, I only felt a slight tingle. Thankfully, the gloss topcoat helps ease that dryness.
You’ll probably find yourself using the gloss frequently to combat that dry appearance. The gloss is quite thick, so use it judiciously. Plus, be ready to buy replacements often. (I anticipate some comments suggesting you won’t need to repurchase for years, but personal experiences can vary.)
LipSense offers around 36 colors, and there’s even a secondary market for retired shades on eBay, with some selling for hundreds of dollars. I honestly don’t understand the hype, but I’ve paid more for quirky leggings in the past, so who am I to judge?
Since I’m not a fan of vibrant shades, I eliminated about 75% of the color options right away. However, I did find a nude shade that I didn’t mind. For those with brown skin tones, finding a good nude can be tricky since many can appear chalky or washed out. I settled on “Bella,” one of their best-selling colors, which I found acceptable. I would have preferred it slightly darker, but I was encouraged to try other shades for a fuller effect. I only agreed to do so under the condition that I could remove it right after.
“Mauve Ice,” while appealing, was too frosty for my complexion, so we layered it with “Purple Reign,” the boldest shade in their lineup—a deep purple. I’m not a fan of bright colors, and while pink is my favorite, this shade was a stretch. The other two neutral colors helped tone it down, but I still felt like I had just eaten a grape lollipop. It wasn’t awful, but I quickly reached for the remover after we snapped a picture. I painstakingly used my petroleum-based lip balm to remove it, but I’d suggest using coconut oil or something thicker. Just a heads up—the removal process is as tedious as application!
In conclusion, while I don’t plan on purchasing LipSense anytime soon due to the application process and the price, I don’t think it’s a bad product at all. I remain firmly in the “Team No Lipstick” camp. I’m grateful my friend took the time to guide me through it without the pressure of a sales pitch and welcomed my honest feedback. It’ll likely be a while before I consider spending $55 on a lip kit, but I’m still on the lookout for something perfect, so no hard feelings.
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Summary:
In this candid review, Aisha Green shares her experience trying LipSense, a long-lasting lipstick, after being invited by a friend who sells it. Despite her initial reservations about makeup and the hefty price tag, she finds the product effective but tedious to apply and remove. Ultimately, while she appreciates the effort put into the demonstration, she remains averse to lipstick and isn’t planning to buy it anytime soon.