COLORS OF THE FALL! SPICE UP YOUR FACE!

You already know we're all about the coral tones for Autumn. Not only are they underrated in the cornucopia of lip shades, but they warm up the oh-so-fleeting crisp and cozy time between Summer and Holiday. So for this episode of the CXO Kiss Off, we're taking three of our go-to orange lips and putting them to the test to see how they stack up in terms of performance, longevity, finish, texture, and the #PSL (that's PUMPKIN SPICE LIPS). Don't judge. 😘

 

THE LINEUP

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Light My Fire $26

CRUSHXO Demi-Matte Liquid Lip in Sorry Not Sorry $18

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana $34

NYX Lip Butter in Bonfire $4

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment 

PROS:
Dries to the truest matte orange-red and doesn't budge once dried! No lip-print transfers to our PSL lid. 👊🏽

CONS:
The formula is super unwieldy and watery so you best have a steady hand when applying this lip. It tends to settle into the cracks and is very drying, despite priming lips with balm. 

CRUSHXO Demi-Matte Liquid Lip in Sorry Not Sorry

PROS:
This light creamy formula applies like a dream, doesn't bleed, is much easier to control and isn't nearly as drying – the subtle gemstone shimmer is just the icing on the pumpkin pie. 

CONS:
Matte-lovers will find the demi-matte finish a little too glossy. Shimmer lovers will want more of a glittery payoff. The formula is creamy, but it is light, so you might have to build up to the level you want. 

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana


PROS:
High-pigment, super saturated color payoff, and creamy satin texture make this lipstick a treat just to apply! True to its name, the color is truly that of a silver-screen star. 

CONS:
It is smudge city with this one, and was impossible to NOT get this lipstick on my teeth. While the formula felt glorious on my lips, it seemed to slip-and-slide everywhere, and didn't stand a chance against my latte. 

NYX Lip Butter in Bonfire 

PROS:
Besides the $4 price tag, this lipstick is everything that the Nars Audacious wants to be. True to its name, the smooth-as-butta application packs a delicious dose of saturated pigment in a cruelty-free formula and recyclable packaging. It doesn't last as long as the liquid formulas but for the price and the payoff, you can't really knock it! 

CONS:
Don't count on this lasting through a meal, much less the workday. Despite the color payoff and buttery application, the color faded significantly by the end of my latte. 



IN CONCLUSION

As it were, the highest priced NARS lipstick was the worst-performing of the bunch. At $34, major sad face! Surprisingly enough, the NYX lip packed the most value in terms of price and application but fell short in longevity. But at $4, you can probably afford to reapply. For $14 more, you can level up to the CXO Liquid Lip formula which not only contains crushed gemstones for a gilded shimmer and a demi-matte finish that won't require you to reapply every hour. And did we mention 5% goes to charity?

In the spirit of the season of giving, why not give yourself the gift of glow while supporting a beauty brand that gives back? Shop the CXO Lip Lineup here. 

CRUSHXO is a purpose-driven beauty brand formulated with actual crushed gemstones. 5% of net proceeds go toward a nonprofit of your choice, so your beauty truly makes a difference for women across the globe.