Quickie review today! I've been low key obsessed with Kylie Jenner since before she even got lipfillers (or maybe she just had less lipfillers back then, I honestly can't tell anymore), and I credit her + her team for truly popularizing the whole 90s revival thing going on in fashion and makeup. She has capitalized on her look by launching the Kylie lipkits, and even though I am forever a liquid lipstick sceptic (many of them truly suck), I've been lusting after the lipkits ever since she launched them.
However, ordering stuff from the USA if you live in Europe ain't easy. I mean it is, but it's also expensive in shipping and import duty. Also, spending $29 on a liquid lipstick + lip pencil you haven't even been able to swatch seems pretty cray to me. But then Kylie went and offered $5 flat rate international shipping a couple of weeks ago, and I noticed she also sold some of her liquids as singles (without the pencil) which meant I could order a Kylie liquid and have it shipped over for about €20, which is below the minimum that would be charged for import duty. In the end, I just went for it and ordered Candy K, the shade I first fell in love with.
The Kylie lipkits have come under fire recently for supposedly being overpriced, overhyped, repackaged Colourpop (read more about that here), and I've read all about the controversy. My personal thoughts are that most liquid lipsticks contain the same ingredients, and that order of ingredients in the ingredient list and proportions of each ingredient can make a huge difference for the quality of the formula, but until I get to try Colourpop liquid lipstick, I won't be able to compare the two. I can, however, share my honest thoughts on Candy K. For reference: my Candy K is the reformulated version, batch 2, which has replaced the old Candy K since early 2016.
Candy K comes in a 3.25ml tube, with a small, soft doefoot applicator. The formula smells very strongly of butterscotch (like sugary, caramel candy), and it is thin and feels sort of oily, if you know what I mean. It dries super fast on the lips and sets smudge-proof, to a powdery, non drying finish. If I plan on wearing liquid lipstick, I usually apply some vitamin E balm or lipgloss first while I do the rest of my makeup and then wipe off the excess before applying the liquid lipstick, this way my lips remain feeling soft and moisturized.
Candy K is basically my perfect nude: slightly rosey/peachy, dusty, light but still in the same tonality as my own lip colour, and the colour just brightens up my entire face. Incredibly flattering, even if I'm only wearing a little makeup.
The formula is best applied in a thin layer (like all liquid lipsticks), it does not emphasize fine lines like some of the more drying formulas out there, it does not crumble off the lips at any point and it is very easy to reapply after eating a meal. Kylie suggests applying a bit of lip balm on top when the formula wears down, and I concur: I generally use a bit of lip balm to add new moisture to my lips, and then apply some more Candy K. Works like a charm.
This is what Candy K looks like after a meal + a quick reapplication. I could have worked a bit neater around the edges, but you can see that the lipstick does not crumble and does not look caked on, nor does it look dry. You can see my own lipcolour along the insides of my bottom lip, but that's because I took this picture with my face looking up to catch some of the last daylight. Like all liquid lipsticks, Candy K wears off if you eat (especially oily foods), but otherwise it remains impeccable throughout the day. You remove it with a bit of oil, regular makeup remover does not work adequately.
Full face:
Ugh I am so into Candy K and I have zero regrets about buying it. It really is the colour I dreamed it would be, the shade and the matte finish make my lips look fuller than they really are (swear I didn't get fillers!), and the formula is among the most comfortable I've tried.
Since I am quite particular about liquid lipsticks, I find it hard to believe that the formula is identical to that of Colourpop since I've heard that the Colourpop liquids are rather drying and crumble off the lips if you add another layer. I can't wear the Sleek liquids because they feel like cardboard on my lips, even though many people love them, and the Kylie liquid lipstick is not even in the same ballpark comfortwise. I do find the Lime Crime Velvetines even more comfortable to wear, but that's for another review ;-)
In sum, yes, the Kylie liquids are worth their price to me, and I will continue to wear and love Candy K! Honestly, my experiences with the Milani mattalics and Kylie lipkit have warmed up my attitude towards liquid lipsticks considerably. Now I understand why liquids are so hyped. Just don't go for cheap alternatives, invest in some of the options that have garnered plenty of positive reviews from people who know what they are talking about, and you will fall in love.
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