Lime Crime Suedeberry Velvetine review

Ever since discovering Lime Crime on instagram I've been lusting over their products and couldn't wait to get my hands on some. Lime Crime are a US company and their products are highly pigmented, vegan and cruelty free, which really appealed to me. I found an online company in the UK called Cocktail Cosmetics who stock Lime Crime products (which you can find here) and decided to treat myself to one of the Velvetine range. I ordered Suedeberry which is described by Lime Crime as a "matte coral red" and was really impressed by the speedy service from Cocktail Cosmetics.





















As for the Velvetine itself, I was definitely not disappointed! The packaging is really nice, I find the sort of frosted glass effect on the tube and the pretty pink roses on the lid rather attractive. It is small and light, so easy to pop into your hand bag or pocket for makeup on the go. The applicator is fairly petite, making it easy to follow the shape of your lips accurately when applying the colour which I like, as I'm not the most light handed of people and usually end up with lipstick smeared around my lips as well as on them! 

What's interesting about the Velvetines is that they are applied as a liquid and then dry to a matte, waterproof finish as demonstrated by the swatch below. 

(left: freshly applied, right: dried)

Once dried, I found Suedeberry to be extremely long lasting. Through eating, drinking and chatting it didn't budge and only needed topping up around the corners of my mouth every 3-4 hours. The colour payout is fabulous, it's very vivid and bright yet I still find it wearable and love the coral hues which seem to be in this spring/summer. When wearing this product, I  get really positive comments saying how lovely the colour is, which is always great to hear! 

My only minor complaint about this product is that I find it tends to be a bit drying. My lips are very dry anyway and are prone to unsightly cracking unless I religiously apply lip balm throughout the day. Before using my Velvetine, I try to condition my lips by exfoliating and moisturising a few days before, so when I apply the colour I get a smooth finish. If I feel that my lips are in danger of drying out whilst wearing the lipstick, I take it off, apply a bit of balm until my lips are feeling more nourished, and then reapply the colour, but I generally only need to do this once if I am wearing it all day. (Note: it is best to remove this colour using an oil based makeup remover, I use Clinique's take the day off makeup remover for lids, lashes and lips)

Overall, I'm in love with this product and am planning on adding more to my makeup bag, which at £13.50 each won't break the bank. I think the colour is stunning and look forward wearing it, whether in the evenings or as a summery daytime look. I'd definitely recommend! 

Ellie xo