Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer [review]

So I was supposed to write this review like two weeks ago. Sometimes I am a slacker. Nonetheless, here is what I think of the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. 

I was super excited when I saw that the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers were finally available in Canada. I picked up three shades.  I swatched all the shades available in Canada in this post if you're interested in seeing the rest of the collection. I chose to buy Celestial, Stellar and Big Bang. These seemed to be the stand-out shades when I was reading reviews. Another stand-out shade is Apocaliptic, which is a hot pink/fuchsia shade. I didn't pick this one up because I own too many hot pinks. Two cheers for self control.

First, can we just talk about how all of these lip laquers have phenomenal, out-of-this-world themed names. Love them. I also love the packaging on these products. They are a regular lip-gloss tube style but they have definitely added some flair to it. I love the diamond-esque shaped cap. It's very unique. I also like that the bottom of the tube is clear so that you can see the actual colour of the product and how much product you have left in the tube. The most interesting feature is the doe-foot applicator. Instead of having a standard doe-foot, the Apocalips have a small dent in the doe-foot. This helps the applicator hold more products and means that you can apply the lacquer to the lips in one go. You don't have to re-submerge the applicator to pick up more product.

In Canada these products come double-sealed. Lately I have found that a lot of drugstore products have no seal. This makes me weary of hygiene and whether or not someone has stuck their fingers in something I'm about to spread all over my face. These come with a plastic piece over the tube and a sticker to ensure the tube hasn't been opened. Another way to tell if your lacquer has been opened is the clear plastic piece at the opening. In the photo below you can see the colour of the lip laquer inside the clear opening.The first time you open these, you will see that this clear plastic section is empty. The first time you pull the applicator out of the tube this section fills with the product. It's pretty cool to watch and very comforting to know that there are multiple mechanisms in place to ensure everything is hygienic. You can see a demonstration of this in my recent haul video(at 8:48).

The Apocalips Lip Lacquers live somewhere between a lipstick and a lip gloss. They have a thin consistency but they are very opaque. They remind me a lot of the MAC Kissible Lipcolors which were released a few years ago except they are more than half the price.The Apocalips have a glossy finish with the opaque coverage of a lipstick. The colour payoff is beyond amazing and they are not sticky at all. I am the kind of person that hates, and never wears, lip gloss and I really enjoy the way that these feel on the lips. They are not drying at all and they last. The applicator is very easy to use and one coat will easily cover your lips. I have very pigmented lips naturally and I don't have a problem with these being remotely sheer. I only own cream finishes. Three of the colours (Stargazer, Galaxy & Light Year) have a shimmery finish and those seem to be the shades that are more sheer.

The Apocalips apply very glossy but the glossyness is what seems to fade first. The glossy appearance disappears within an hour or two and the finish appears to be more of a satin/matte finish. I find that they last about four hours before they begin to fade. They also leave a nice stain to the lips. The photo below shows the stain they left on my arm after sitting for just 15 minutes. Even Celestial, which is pretty light and neutral, left a stain on my skin. They also have a strange fruity scent. It honestly smells like rubbing a fruit smoothie on your lips. It's not as strange as I make it sound and the scent fades quickly. It is just a scent that you wouldn't expect from a lip product.

The Apocalips aren't perfect. I have one issue with them. Their thin consistency makes them transfer too easily. Most times I have applied the brighter colours they have transferred onto my teeth. This happens even if I wipe some product off of the applicator before applying and if I use the finger-in-the-mouth trick (that sounds dirty!). I think they are just so slick that it is easy for them to get everywhere. I don't experience any feathering but I do find that it is easy to mess up the application if you touch anywhere around your mouth. It's not something you can apply and just forget about. Basically, it smears easily. Once it has mattified it is less likely to smear. 

 Rimmel Apocalips "Celestial"

Rimmel Apocalips "Stellar"

Rimmel Apocalips "Big Bang"

Overall I really do like the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. The colours are gorgeous. My favourites are Stellar and Big Bang because I am obsessed with bright lips. Big Bang is a nice neutral red that I feel would work on any skin tone and look amazing on everyone! If you hate the stickiness of lip gloss you will love the consistency of these lip lacquers. They are pigmented, come in a great shade range and stay on the lips pretty well. Even though they transfer very easily, I would still recommend them. They are the perfect combination of a lip gloss and a lipstick. They dry to a nice satin finish and last a pretty decent amount of time. I would suggest these to anyone who loves opaque lip products.