Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar

     Being the lover of makeup that I am, my dream is to someday make it to IMATS- the International Make-up Artist Trade Show. Each year they have this show in numerous cities with speakers and demonstrations. Companies like Sigma, Inglot, Makeup Geek, and Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (just to name a few) set up booths where you can buy their products too! I watch every beauty guru under the sun's "IMATS Haul" year after year (which usually include an OCC makeup product) and always wanted to get my hands on my very own. I was shocked when I heard Sephora started selling OCC cosmetics online and thrilled when I found the display in a Sephora close to me. This was a line of products that I had only dreamt about trying. Their best selling and most popular product is their lip tars but they also have eyeshadows, foundation, etc. As I eagerly searched through the unbelievably messy array of shades this company offers, I found my perfect match and here is my review!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar:
Price: $18.00
Size: 0.33 FL. OZ.
Shade: Strumpet
Shade Selection: 41
Marketed As: "A stunning new innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of a lipstick, with the ease of application of a gloss. Goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish. Ultra-saturated in color, Lip Tar contains an unprecedented amount of pigment- a little goes a long way! An intense yet featherweight layer of color that never looks or feels heavy. Meant to be mixed, Lip Tar comes in a concise array of colors for a limitless selection of shades made by you! A simple, elegant formula that contains Hemp Oil, Peppermint Oil and Vitamin E, OCC Lip Tar feels as good on the lips as it looks".
Directions: "Apply the tiniest bead of Lip Tar with our newly-included Precision Lip Brush for complete, opaque coverage, either mixed with other shades or on its own. Applying too much product can result in feathering outside the lip line, so remember: a little goes a long way!"
Finish: Satin- matte

Product Photos:

Overall Application: Application can be a little tricky but it is definitely worth the extra time. With the lip brush included I followed the directions and began with a tiny drop. It spreads evenly and smoothly across the lips but gets tricky around the edges. Even with the brush it was hard for me to achieve a perfectly lined pout.

Overall Color: This color is gorgeous and right up my alley. The shade selection in this line is downright outrageous. There is everything from wearable colors to green, yellow and orange shades. There is also a clear version that is meant to be applied under the colored products but in my opinion you don't need it. I looked at some reviews on Sephora's website and they were about even. Some said the clear is essential because it moisturizes and helps the product feel less dry on the lips. Others said that a simple lip balm base will do. To me, it is just another $18 that I didn't need to spend.
Overall Formula: I applied this in the store and thought the formula was really neat and different from anything I have tried in the past. It applied with a very opaque color and had a satin finish which I loved. It went on very creamy and felt nice on the lips after application. It can get a little dry throughout the day after it sets but I will touch on that in a second. This line also contains products that are 100% vegan and cruelty-free which is an added bonus! 

Overall Packaging: This was so-so for me. I could see the compact, plastic packaging being nice if I was traveling because it would keep it from leaking (and these can get very messy very quickly). On the other hand there was nothing special about it either and I sort of expect better packaging from a more expensive brand. The brush was an added bonus though. It's pretty small but fits my lips nicely. 

Overall Scent: This had a very unexpected scent for me. It smells minty! Even though I tend to lean towards floral scents, this was still appealing and not too strong.

Overall Wear: I did find these drying after it had been on my lips for an hour or so. I noticed that it would settle into the cracks of my lips causing them to look even drier than they were. They lady checking me out at Sephora warned me that these would feather (where the color creeps up into the fine lines around your lips) if you applied too much product. I tried my best but found it hard to get a thin application around my lip line. The product feathered slightly and wore off after eating/drinking. I was slightly disappointed with the staying power but these are not marketed as a long-lasting lip product.

-Before and After Dinner-

Bottom Line: After getting my hopes up after finally seeing this line in stores I was a little let down. For a lip "tar" I expected a little more staying power. I love the shade but wouldn't consider buying any more for the time being because I didn't see any other colors that would compliment my skin tone. They are fairly drying so I won't be using this on a daily basis but it is a nice product to have in my collection.  I have decided to keep this product and reach for it occasionally because of three reasons...

1. Staying Power

2. Feathering

3. Drying

 Love, Lacey