Lots of makeup products bear long-lasting claims on their labels, like “12-hour wear,” “fade-resistant color,” and “continuous coverage,” but it can be hard to tell which ones are legit without putting them to the test. The ultimate test: a class at Derby Lite, a “fitness skating” franchise dedicated to teaching students the skills necessary to try out for a roller derby team.
We figured if a so-called “long-lasting” product can survive 90 minutes of profuse sweating, falling down, and heavy gear (think helmets, pads, and mouth guards), then it can survive just about anything. So we picked up a tube of Maybelline Superstay 24 Color and gave it a go.
The product comes in a two-sided tube. On one end there’s a pigmented lip gloss with a wand applicator, and on the other, a translucent lip balm stick. You’re supposed to apply the gloss, wait until it dries completely (about 2–3 minutes), and then follow with the balm—and then re-apply the balm any time you feel you need a hit of extra moisture. To determine the overall score, we ranked the lip color on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 = highest) across five categories.
The Claim: The product is supposed to last up to 24 hours with no crumbling, caking, or fading.
Price: I paid $10.49; may vary.
The Results
Lasting power
Score: 4
Pros: The color stayed put through a 90-minute derby class without rubbing off on my mouth guard or water bottle. It also lasted through a hot shower, power-nap, and dinner with friends.
Cons: About ten hours in, the pigment started to peel off unevenly. Reapplying left behind a dry, crumbly texture that I couldn’t fix without taking it all off and starting fresh.
Feel
Score: 2
Pros: The balm feels silky and gives the lipstick a glossy finish.
Cons: It really dried out my lips. I had to keep re-applying the balm every half hour, and after eating and drinking, to keep them hydrated.
Color range
Score: 3
Pros: There are more than 30 shades to choose from. I picked All Day Cherry, which reminds me of cherry Kool-Aid with a slightly pinker undertone.
cons: There are no true reds or mattes. Most of the shades are a variation on pink or purple and have a sparkly sheen.
Ease of application
Score: 3
Pros: Application is pretty straightforward. The key is to get a thin layer of color (I recommend scraping the wand against the sides of the tube to get rid of excess product) and then wait a few minutes before applying the balm.
Cons: It takes time to get used to. Though it looks like a lip gloss, don’t try to apply it like one! The wand holds way too much product for a single application. If you use too much, it leaves behind big globs of color that have to be scrubbed off if you want to redo it. Plus, I had to apply the balm frequently to keep the color from drying out.
Ease of removal
Score: 2
Pros: Maybelline recommends using an oil-based makeup remover (I like rms beauty raw coconut cream), which helped dissolve the lip color a bit.
Cons: I had to scrub pretty hard to remove the product completely.
Overall score: 3
Even though it didn’t live up to its 24-hour claim, the color lasted for a surprisingly long time (especially under our extra-tough conditions). It would be perfect for work, a night out, and, yes, a roller derby bout.
View Original Article