{Product Review}
Vice Cosmetics
Lip & Cheek Tint
This unassuming liquid in a bottle turned out to be a lovely surprise.
I am not a fan of Vice Ganda.
For those who don’t know it yet, Vice Ganda (a Filipino term which is “beautiful vice” in English translation), is Jose Marie Borja Viceral in real life. He is a Filipino comedian, television presenter, actor, and singer. He is a regular host-judge on ABS-CBN’s noontime variety show It’s Showtime and has starred in several films, eight of which are considered to be the highest-grossing in Philippine cinema. (Information from Wikipedia). A shrewd business man as well, he also put up his own Vice Cosmetics company.
I’m still not a fan.
But when you’re looking for something for your face that you can use every day, easy on the pocket, and safe for your skin, you have to consider his Water Gel Lip & Cheek Tints.
For a very low price, you get the best of two worlds: color for your cheek and lips. Not just that, he claims it’s paraben-free. Upon inspecting the full ingredient list, there really is no paraben there. He used phenoxyethanol as preservative. It’s a relatively safe preservative used in cosmetics to limit bacteria growth, and with this product being water-based, having a preservative is a must.
Vice’s Water Gel Lip and Cheek Tint comes in eight shades: Sisterette, Seswang, Beshie, Kyondi, Chozz, Paberjin, F na F, G na G.
I went for the Kyondi shade, which, according to the salesgirl at SM North Edsa, complements my morena skin tone. And I quite agree with her. It’s not too red on my skin. It looks natural, a tinge of reddish color. Not too loud and not dull, either.
Here are the things about this product which made me satisfied enough that I’m now using it for my every day low maintenance beauty regimen (a.k.a. those days when I have to go out of the house for a quick mall-shopping or run some errands):
1. The Price
For Php 145 (or $ 2.78), it’s a steal, no doubt about it. Yes, you read it right. It’s only Php 145, more or less equivalent to a complete one piece chicken meal of a popular Filipino fastfood. Doesn’t make a cash-strapped stay-at-home mom feel too guilty buying one for herself, right?
2. Not Sticky
Some gels I’ve tried in the past tend to leave my skin with a sticky feel. This one doesn’t. It glides smoothly on my cheek. Dries quickly, but not as quickly that you won’t get to blend it to your liking. Putting it on the lips at first was trying, maybe because I’m used to matte lip pens, not a lip wand. Luckily, I got the hang of it in no time.
Tip Trick: Apply the wand upright, tracing the outline of your upper lip and bottom lip first before sweeping it fully across the lips. I’m also a big fan of lip liners which I always use with lip products. It really helps in containing the tint inside the lips, not to mention making the lips fuller.
3. Staying Power
I am so happy to report that the color stayed on my cheeks for hours. And to think in one particular day, I was occasionally walking under the heat of the sun, hopping between school buildings. I went home with pinkish cheeks, not looking like the tired, haggard person I was feeling inside.
The lips were another matter, though. It didn’t stay long enough because, well, lipsticks don’t stay long with me, either. I have this habit of running my tongue on my lips or puckering both lips, especially when I’m anxious. Doesn’t matter, because it’s easy to reapply the tint and I’ve got coloured lips again in a snap.
4. The Taste
Sweet but in a light, natural way. Other lip products usually taste awful.
There’s Just One Thing, Though:
The product description in their website claims it has Vitamin E:
Specially formulated for easy blending; intensely pigmented and long-lasting for vibrant color that stays put; lightweight texture delivers all-day comfort. Infused with comfort enhancing ingredients and antioxidants including Vitamin E.
But the full ingredient list doesn’t have any Vitamin E in there.
Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, PVP, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Flavor, Sodium Citrate. May Contain (+/-) Red 40 (CI 16035), Red 33 (CI 17200), CI 42090 (Blue 1), Red 27 (CI 45410), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Yellow 5 (CI 19140). Made in China. Designed in USA.
RATING:
4/5
Inspite of the lack of Vitamin E, I still recommend this. Available at SM Department Stores and at Vice Cosmetics website at Php 145 (3.5 mL).
This is truly useful, thanks.