My first holographic lip gloss review!
But first, a note about terminology. I’ve watched and read my share of videos, comments, reviews, etc. about the holographic makeup trend in the last year and there’s always that one person that says “THAT’S NOT HOLO!!!!!1111” Okay, chill. Don’t try to be the Royal Smart Person and think you’re dropping some major truth bomb by calling attention to the fact that something isn’t holographic. It’s a marketing term. True holographic requires laser, mirrors, and optical trickery to create a 3-dimensional image. That’s obviously not happening in lip gloss. A more accurate term would be iridescent (…or duo-chrome or light-shifting…) but holographic just sounds more futuristic, fun, and marketable. And WHAT!? Companies, marketers, and advertisers using inaccurate words and terms to sell things? I’ve NEVER heard of that! So let’s just get over semantics and pedantics. Also, I don’t like the word “holosexual.”
ON WITH THE REVIEW!
I thought I would start with the gloss that started the trend and talk about Sigma’s Lip Switch in the color “Transcend.” It cost $14 for a 0.11 oz/3g bottle. I wish I could link the lip gloss, but it’s sadly not available anymore.
Looks pretty cool in the bottle
It also has a brush applicator! Which I really like because it’s easier to control the application and not mix it with your lip color since it’s meant as a lip topper.
Like painting your face
And it tastes a little vanilla-ey.
When I first got the Sigma glosses, I was a little disappointed because I felt the holographic effect was too subtle. Pictures and videos I saw made the holographic color look much more extreme. But these folks also had the benefit of better lighting and Photoshop. I felt like I had to really glob it on for as extreme of an effect. Over time, I have figured out how best to wear it and I think it looks best alone. Here’s what it looks like alone. I’ve just glossed my bottom lip so you can see a comparison.
Just taken in sunlight
I’m not sure how true-to-life my phone camera is, but these photos are taken on a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and I’ve used the highest resolution setting and I haven’t done any touch-ups or editing. I think it makes my lips look neon purple!
Then I put on some purple lipstick and layered on Sigma’s Transcend. Once again, just on the bottom lip.
Oh, you’re over there now
I think it looks cool, but maybe purple-on-purple isn’t the best combination because I think the effect is too subtle and maybe the color just overpowers the holographic effect. If I have time, I’ll experiment with different colors and do an update.
***EDIT***
Taste: There isn’t a distinct taste or smell. It tastes a little like vanilla, but it’s very subtle. I kinda like the smell because once again, there’s not a specific smell, but it’s pleasant. Once again, kind of like vanilla.
Viscosity: I think it’s a little oily. It glides onto the lips very easily but it’s easy to rub off. Expect to reapply a few times throughout the day. It also had kind of a warming effect on my lips. Maybe they just felt very insulated.
tabbythetailor 