I actually thought that I had this review already written quite a while ago but it was only looking back in my drafts that I realised I hadn’t! If you think back a few months, Earlypicker had sent me a big package of products for review – most of these consisted of AprilSkin and Medicube. Although I had reviewed some of the main products, I seemed to have forgotten about this one! This is the Fixing Tint from AprilSkin and, contrary to the product name, it is more of a super matte lipstick than a tint.
This is one of the most long wearing lipsticks that I have ever worn on my life! It survived some of my most greasy eating dates – which included fries, fried chicken and frozen coke – and wore throughout the day without any transfer or smearing. As soon as I wore it, I had my friends asking me about the product and wanting to get one themselves.
However, it isn’t without it’s negatives and I certainly have mixed feelings about this product now that I’ve tried it out more. So, without further ado, lets move onto the review!
When it comes to packaging, AprilSkin certainly kills it in a way that I didn’t anticipate. I absolutely love the packaging design of these lip products – the pink is soft and feminine, and the use of gloss and frosted finishes is really subtle and elegant. For the price that it is (it is currently on sale for USD$12 and is 1+1 too), it looks more high end than I would think!
This tint comes in three shades – Bloody Mary (red), Tomato Lady (orange-red) and Peach Crush (peach pink). As you can see below, I got the first and last shade because I was hesitant about how any orange colour would look on my skintone.
The Fixing Tints are all sealed with a black sticker – similar to 3CE products – so that you know that they are untampered with. It has a white cap and a cute tube that has a little bit of weight to it but it isn’t heavy and it is a fairly standard size to carry around.
It has the appearance of a metal finish, but I think that it’s actually plastic. It is very sturdy feeling though and the cap screws on tightly so you shouldn’t have any issues with mess.
The applicator is a slightly wide, flat doe foot applicator with makes application smooth and quick – but can be a little messy around the edges if you’re not careful. The formula is very thick and fast drying, so it’s important to work quickly and to be very careful. Since it is also very difficult to remove, any mistakes can be difficult to fix. The lip tint formula smells very sweet and strong, which I don’t mind but other people might not like so much.
The two colours that I got were quite pretty – I especially like Bloody Mary, which is a very bright and bold red. Peach Crush is also nice; however, I find that it doesn’t apply as well as the other. I tried to get good swatches but, unfortunately, the colour just won’t turn out accurate on my camera. So, please refer to my swatch for the super matte finish, but the examples from their website (also below) for the most accurate representation of colour.
The colour of these are quite pretty and, true to the promise, it is extremely long wearing – it lasts through most of the day for me, depending on what I am eating, and has no transfer. The finish is very matte and can be a bit drying on the lips, as most would be.
My main issue with this product, however, is that it’s so thick that it’s impossible to reapply without it becoming extremely patchy. The lighter colour (i.e Peach Pink) are particularly bad while I can work with Bloody Mary if I’m careful enough.
The best way to wear this product, in my opinion, is by sheering it out slightly (like in the example pictures) so that it is slightly gradient. This makes the thick formula bit lighter to wear. Reapplication would have to be done carefully or (and I usually do this) the full lip will need to be removed and then reapplied.
This Fixing Tint from AprilSkin definitely works and it is one of the most long wearing and stubborn colours that I have ever used. However, it’s strengths also become it’s flaw – in that it is too long wearing and stubborn to be easy to use. After all of these months, I don’t find myself reaching for these products often.
Here’s the verdict!
SO WHAT IS IT?
A super long wearing matte lip colour
THE GOOD
- Very pretty, sturdy packaging
- Affordable
- Smells good
- Super long wearing
- Bright, pigmented colours
- Smooth application with applicator
THE BAD
- Thick formula
- Difficult to reapply
- Stubborn and difficult to remove
- Limited colour selection
RATINGS
- PACKAGING | 2/5
- COLOUR | 1/5
- HYDRATION | 0/5
- LONGWEARING | 5/5
OVERALL RATING? 4/10
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
If you are after a very longwearing and bright colour, I would recommend to check out the Bloody Mary colour – as I feel it is the most wearable of the range. However, I wouldn’t recommend getting the lighter colours as they are very difficult to work with.
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
The Fixing Tint is at Earlypicker for USD$12 – discounted from the full price of USD$15 and also on special as 1+1. Click their name to go to their homepage or, alternatively, click the below banner to go straight to the product page:
