I’m totally a lipstick girl. I can’t remember when lip lacquer came around and took the beauty world by storm but I do remember I did not jump onto the bandwagon. I was not sure if it’s a lipstick or a lip gloss or is it something else. Lip lacquer can be in so many types and form. Some are a hybrid between a lipstick and a lip gloss, while some are just a liquified lipstick. Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer is a liquified lipstick + stain that I’m currently using. This product has a long list of claims up their sleeve. Does it live up to all of them? Does it beats every other lip lacquer in the market? Let’s find out 😀

Before I start, let’s talk about lip gloss. Yes, let’s talk about something that I’m not fond of using. I found out about something interesting while I was doing some research on Smashbox. The great-grandfather of Smashbox founder, Davis Factor is also the beauty legend known as Max Factor. Max Factor was the one who invented lip gloss way back in 1930. It took Smashbox decades later to improvised and introduces a totally new formula. And that is the one that you’re reading now! Isn’t that interesting?

Davis Factor, the founder of Smashbox started to work on the new lip gloss formula based on the age of super HD. When it comes to HD makeup, Davis understood that the product will require more than shine. It need maximum staying power so that photo shooting can be carried on without reapplication. Models has been complaining about dry lips, which leads to discomfort and hair sticking onto the lip gloss. We all know this hair-sticking-on-the-lips is the reason why I hate lip gloss! Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer is kinda unique. It has maximum high-lacquered color that goes on the lip as lacquer and then adjusts to a stain for 8 hours of long-lasting color.

I had two shades with me, Knockout which is right down my alley and After Dark, which is the total opposite in so many reasons.

Let’s talk about the applicator. The sponge tip applicator is in hour glass shape and the wand is not too long considering the short tube. Personally I would prefer this applicator wand length for easy control during application. The sponge tip shape on the other hand is rather large for my personal preference but it works fine as it is. The round shape of the tip does helps in precise lip shaping as well as application. However I do get carried away sometimes and over-line my lips lol. It does require some practise and getting used to the unique applicator.

There are 16 shades available for Malaysia namely Rosewater, Coral, Orange Crush, Firecracker, Fuchsia, Off-Duty, Currant, Pink Social, Bordeaux, Legendary, Flamingo, After Dark, Calypso, Keepsake, Knockout, Flushed.

I learnt from a beauty workshop previously that the correct way to apply any lip product is from the corner to center. It’s a technique I don’t practise for lipstick but I find it work so much better with lip lacquer especially this Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer. Whenever I’m using this, I make sure I connect the end of upper lip with lower lips. It does make a difference.

Davis Factor’s latest formula for lip lacquer is a combination of a proprietary triplex of 1) vibrant staining pigments, 2) glossy-finish pearls and 3) conditioning vitamin E. The philosophy behind it is that the formula pushes saturated, long-wearing color to the limit by literally maxing out the amount of staining pigments we could blend in. Then by mixing it with glossy-finish pearls and conditioning vitamin E for a velvety, lacquer-like finish that stays put all day without feeling tacky or drying.

Knockout is more of a bright, dark, deep pink shade. Between the two shades I have, Knockout is more opaque and intensely pigmented. This one lasted me the whole day. Just like what it was claimed to do. My fear has always been the stickiness. I’m glad to report that there is not even a bit stickiness at all. I’m quite surprised that it felt extremely comfortable and moisturizing on my lips. The lip somehow feels bouncy and pouty even after the product disappear for quite a bit. Some lip gloss / lip lacquer tend to ‘peel’ all the skin from the lip surface, which this one doesn’t do any of those. With color so intense like this Knockout, my other fear would be lipstick sticking on my teeth. Well, there was none too!

After Dark is more of a vampy shade. If you are into gothic look or vampy look, this is the shade for you. I watched a lot of YouTube tutorial to know which shade can be worn daily and which is not. After Dark is a shade that can be worn out without freaking other people 😀 . Why? I’ll tell you why. For some reason, I find that this shade is not opaque at all. I nearly cry from the application itself because it is so hard to get the shade on. It does goes on blotchy or patchy as some might call it. I don’t know why it is just not as opaque as Knockout. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. Because of how the formula is, I find that the shade on the lips is quite forgiving as there are some skin or brightness peeking through, making the look not as frightening as it is. The glossiness is the same as Knockout. Both are seriously intense and long lasting. Removing with a proper makeup remover is a must and recommended. This shade however does gets onto the teeth ya so please please do the one finger thingamajig. Heeeeee!

Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer hit all the right buttons with the exception of shade selection. I can’t promise you that all of the 16 shades will deliver the same opaqueness as Knockout after what I’ve experienced with After Dark. A quick swatch on the hand or lip is something that I would do if I were to get this product.

I’m someone who like to remove all lip product before each meal and I like that this doesn’t get all the tissue on my lips like some lip gloss do but instead it removes everything with breeze, leaving a stain behind so that I don’t look too ghastly ghost. It is also scentless in a way. Good because I can get quite nauseas during migrain or during menstrual period.

Does it live up to alllll the claim? For this product I’d say YES, YES and YES!

Disclaimer: Product was sent to me for review consideration. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.