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This product was sent to me by StyleKorean for review purposes. I was not paid for this post but please note that affiliate links are used on my blog. These go towards supporting Oh My Stellar and future content.
Admittedly, I am a total sucker for Banila Co. I use their oil cleansing balm almost religiously and have also liked most of the cosmetics that I’ve tried out as well. For me, my love for Banila Co started when they brought in Taeyeon as their model and – aside from just loving her in general – I loved how they did her make up and styling for all of the advertising campaigns. I felt like they were so much more trend-forward and lively than the previous Nature Republic advertisements (they started to look real weird in later years).
Since then, I’ve been really keen on the brand and keeping a close eye on their new releases. I find that Banila Co is a bit hard to buy online, since they are mostly just famous for their cleanser, so I practically jumped when I saw that B. By Banila was being stocked at StyleKorean! This is their new sister brand that specialises in cosmetics – so it’s right down my alley.
There are a handful of products from them that are available on the StyleKorean website but I decided to start my first foray into this sub-brand with their Lip Motion lipsticks! These are selling on the website for USD$18 and also come in two different finishes – and I tried out both, of course. I found that I lean towards the matte formula because thats what I’m used to wearing every day but the glossier version is also really pretty and versatile too.
So, let’s get into this review!
Product Description
These are, to be honest, essentially lipsticks so there is little that I can say about the product. I can talk about the different finishes and shades though!
The Lip Motion lipsticks come in two different formulas – the Melting Serum (which has a ‘jelly’, glossy look) and the Matte Blast (which is an opaque matte formula) – which is actually what drew me to reviewing this product in the first place. It’s quite uncommon and I like that they’re both almost opposites, which makes them suitable for any preference. They have different product claims too, although both promise great colour pay off:
Melting Serum Stick
- A serum lipstick with a soft melting transparent shine
- High colour pigmentation and high shine formula
Matte Blast Stick
- With clear and vivid colour
- Lightweight
- Clean and silky application
Shade wise, there are 10 very different shades in total on the StyleKorean website, with 8 of them currently in stock – though B. By Banila actually launched an extra 8 shades in the matte formula recently and I really hope that we can get those soon too! There is really no way that you wouldn’t find something to suit you and I personally had a really hard time choosing my shades. I actually think that I’ll be going back to buy more of them in the future since I also really like the formulas.
Here’s a list of the (very amusing) shades names:
- Ta-daaa! (Glossy) – Light Pink
- Water-melong (Glossy) – Warm, watermelon pink
- Berry BOMB (Glossy) – Berry fuschia
- Cherry-Chu (Glossy) – Blue toned red
- So Swag (Glossy) – Terracotta brown
- Hip-Gal (Matte) – Mauve pink
- Tone-Breaker (Matte) – Medium mauve berry
- Zip-! (Matte) – Caramel brown
- Grrr (Matte) – Warm rosy-brown
- BAAM-FIRE (Matte) – Deep blackened berry
Packaging
So the packaging – the packaging! The way they designed the unit carton of this lipstick actually reminds me a lot of what 16 Brand would usually do – very unique and trendy, though the execution of this is more ‘simple’ and in line with the new B. By Banila brand image. The lipstick comes in a really interesting triangular box (which you can see above) – they are all colour coded with the shade and also have photos of the lip swatches on them. The design is very bold, bright and colourful which I personally love.
The quality of the box and print is sufficient but average – nothing too fancy here – but the uniqueness of the shape and design is enough. Rather than a standard road shop brand, B. By Banila looks more like a high street brand (like 3CE) and the new designs are way better than a few years ago.
Opening it up, the lipsticks have a soft matte finish case with the logo printed in white, which feels really nice. The tubes are colour coded to match the lipstick shades (which is something I always want) so it’s easy to pick them out if you have a larger collection like myself. Alternatively, the names are also listed on a sticker on the bottom.
The lids for these tubes have a magnetic closure and they’re very sturdy and tight. I personally struggle a little to open them with one hand, but I don’t mind that since the tight close means I don’t have to worry about them opening in my bag. Overall, the lipstick tube packaging is simple, well designed and highly functional. The quality is also really nice too – sturdy and also relatively compact, so suitable for carrying it around.
The only complaint that I have would be the bullet – this lipstick has a flat sided bullet which is great if you have a sheer formula and want quick application. However, it isn’t as precise as I personally like, especially for full pigment lipsticks. I can use this because I tend to blend out the edges of my application but this sort of bullet shape isn’t suitable for a full lip at all.
Formula & Personal Experiences
The two different formulas are actually really different but they both have their own charms. I personally use matte finish lipsticks a lot so that was definitely the one that I gravitated towards, but I still like them both depending on what type of look I’m going for.
The Matte Blaster, which I got in the shade Grrr is a warm toned rosy-brown. It’s a really flattering and easy to wear shade, so I find myself using it a lot during the day. The pigmentation is great – you can get full opacity with a single swipe or easily blend it out yourself. As its claims, it is also smooth and lightweight on the lips, so it makes for a really comfortable wear. It does transfer a bit but lasts as long as you aren’t eating anything, and fades quite evenly if you do. It’s easy to reapply too and doesn’t dry out your lips so this formula is a winner for me!
On the other hand, there is the Melting Serum which is almost a complete opposite formula wise. I have it in the shade Berry-BOMB which looks very strikingly purple in the lip swatches but is actually a much more wearable berry shade. This one has a very soft, ‘melting’ texture that has a sheer opacity and vibrant, buildable pigmentation (which makes it perfect for a gradient lip). It has a glossy, hydrating finish that is great for minimal make up days. That being said, this formula isn’t long-wearing at all (which is to be expected), so it will fade and transfer quite easily. It isn’t as drying as standard lip glosses though, so I don’t mind having to reapply it. I just wish that it left a bit more of a stain for in-between applications.
And above are the swatches on my hand and on my lips. For the Melting Serum formula, the colour will definitely vary depending on your natural lip colour and how intensely you apply it. It isn’t as intense as the official swatch, though I much prefer this. For the Matte Blaster, the colour is actually very similar to the official swatch. In general, their photos are probably a good reference for when you’re shopping these online, though the arm swatches are more accurate than the lips.
I personally think that both of these are great quality and good formulas. I like that the Melting Serum formula isn’t too soft (which is an issue I’ve had in the past with lipstick bullets becoming messy) and really only ‘melts’ only application. The Matte Blaster formula is more of a standard for me so isn’t too different from the usual comfort matte lipstick – but is exactly the type of formula I love.
And so, here’s the verdict!
SO WHAT IS IT?
Vibrant bullet lipsticks in matte or gloss finishes
THE GOOD
- Good variety of shades
- Well designed and cute packaging
- Secure magnetic closure
- Compact design which is easy to carry around
- Pleasant vanilla scent
- Comfortable wear
- For Matte
- Comfortable and easy to reapply
- Lightweight
- One swipe opacity or can be blended out
- For Gloss
- Buildable vibrancy and pigmentation – very versatile
- Melts on application
THE BAD
- Fades and transfers (especially the gloss)
- Flat top bullet (imprecise)
RATINGS
- PACKAGING | 4/5
- PRICE POINT | 4/5
- SHADE RANGE | 5/5
- FINISH | 4/5
- WEAR TIME | 3/5
OVERALL RATING? 8/10
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
I like these and I would recommend checking them out, if only because I’m planning on getting more of them myself! These would be good for people who like a gradient lip or a softer lip look (because of the bullet shape), but the two different finishes and range of different shades mean that there’s a lot to choose from. I’m sure that most people would find at least one shade that would suit them!
Personally, I have my eye on at least four more of the matte formula and maybe one or two more of the gloss (that finish only have five shades anyway).
WHERE TO GET IT FROM
The Lip Motion lipsticks were sent to me for review from StyleKorean to jump over to their website to get these, they’re selling for USD$18 each – which is actually a pretty good price!
