Review ~ Obsessive Complusive Cosmetics Lip Tar

Posted by Tamara in lip gloss, review | 5 comments

Category: Lip Gloss

Product Name: Obsessive Complusive Cosmetics Lip Tar

Product Description: A stunning new innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of a lipstick, with the ease of application of a gloss. Goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish. Ultra-saturated in color, OCC Lip Tar contains an unprecedented amount of pigment, so a little goes a very, very long way. An intense yet featherweight layer of color that stands up to the scrutiny of Hi-Def Video and Digital Photography, without ever looking (or feeling!) heavy. Meant to be mixed, OCC Lip Tars come in concise range of colors (and black and white!) for a limitless selection of shades made by you!

Like all of our products, OCC Lip Tar is 100% Vegan and Cruelty-Free, and is also free of parabens and other harsh preservatives. A simple, elegant formula that contains Hemp Oil, Peppermint Oil and Vitamin E, OCC Lip Tar feels as good on the lips as it looks! (from www.occmakeup.com)

Price: $12.50 USD

Amount: 8 mL (0.27 fl oz)

Packaging: Transparent squeeze tube with the traditional hard plastic slanted angle applicator.

Product: This was a product that I was very excited to try.  There has been a lot of hype about this product and I was interested to see how much truth was behind it.   In fact, because of all the buzz about Lip Tars, I held off on doing an immediate review because I wanted to see how I felt about these over time, rather than solely a first impression.  I picked these up at the Toronto IMATS in November of 2009, which means that I’ve been using these for months.

The first thing that I noticed was that while a little does go a very long way, I found that I needed to use more than the dot of product I’d seen others use.  Adding a little at a time allowed me to build to a smooth, streak-free finish.  I had no problems with feathering, which was an initial concern of mine and I experienced no bleeding through the day (or night).  The product goes on very glossy, but it sets to a satin finish.  It also wears very well, which was very noticeable with Anime, since it’s such a bright colour.  However, Anime also stained my skin, on my arm from swatches and my lips from regular application.  It didn’t bother me personally, but since it is not advertised as a lip stain, it was an unexpected experience.  Due to the blend of oils in the formula, it feels very rich on the lips.  I did notice a few times that my lips felt oily, which isn’t to be confused with feeling moisturized – it is a very moisturizing formula.  This was a peculiar sensation since the formula generally feels light on the lips.

As far as application goes, a lip brush is a must.  This fact is recommended on the website, but the design of the package suggests otherwise.  There is no indication on the package to do so, so for those using the product who are not professionals – the first few experiences may not be positive.  I used Petty Beige directly from the tube to experiment and found that far too much product is applied this way, not to mention a lot of product is wasted.  It may even be enough to turn someone off the product or give a bad first impression.

From the time I first heard about this product to the time I was able to see it in person, the biggest appeal to me was the fact that it lends itself to custom mixing.  Some people might find this tedious, but for makeup artists or those into theatrical or avante garde styling — it’s very appealing.  The availability of primary colours and shades allow for endless colour combinations which is absolutely fabulous.

• Clear: great for mixing with loose colour & pigment
• Petty Beige: opaque and true, deep-toned ecru (perfect nude lip color for me)
• Plum: deep, intense true plum (this is a very deep colour, it’s darker than expected)
• Anime: intensely neon pink-fuschia (very bright and very awesome pink)

Pros: colour selection, intense pigmentation, lightweight, moisturizing, versatility

Cons: oiliness, packaging, staining (w/ Anime)

Rating: 8.5/10