Not so 'Barely There' - A True Colour Lipstick Post

Posted by on Sunday, August 07, 2011

I'm sure regular readers know exactly how I feel about the revamped Sleek lipstick range (hint - if you don't, follow the link) but since my last lipstick post got such a good response (and I haven't even technically reviewed that one yet. Lol) I thought it was high time I properly sampled the new range for myself.
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I'm sure you'll recognise 'Mystic' from my 'Prom Face' post - that's the colour I wore to my afterprom. Me, a lipstick virgin, wearing bright purple to afterprom...good times. The origin of 'Barely There' is a little more convoluted to explain...
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I've been reading the lovely Shamini's blog for a while, and during my hunt for Sleek lippies on a slight discount, I read a post in which she'd won a Sleek competition and was happy to send the two colours she wasn't keen on to blog readers. But I misunderstood (typical) and was like, 'Blog sale? How much do you want for them?' She then explained in terms my simple mind could understand, and I was happy to pay postage but then she refused, posted it, and skipped the country (on holiday, lol. But still) This lovely woman paid postage for the lipstick all the way from Norway <3 an act that firmly placed her on my 'Things I love about Norway' list which was started in 2009 and currently consists of:
Alexander Rybak (ETERNAL crush on that man...stole my heart at Eurovision 2009)
Shamini

Subsequent amazing hosting of Eurovision 2010
Being so much classier when it comes to pretty much everything 

General Awesome
One of my Uncles lives there and his wife is Norwegian and she's really pretty and nice.

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I digress. Back to the lipstick, lol. When I requested it, I didn't actually realise how light it was! Perhaps I was mentally still thinking of the old Sleek Lipstick range, in which I could have worn pretty much ANY shade and have it fit my skin tone. I like that this range has plenty of nudes and 'my lips but better' shades for those with lighter skin (which, I'll be fair here, the old range lacked that) but really dislike the fact that it has NONE for those that aren't, well, Caucasian.

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The range only needed a little tweaking to be inclusive rather than exclusive which is what they've done - they've moved from what is essentially one extreme to the other, alienating those that propped them up for so many years (namely the Afro Hair and Beauty shops who have stocked Sleek since forever.) Would it have killed Sleek to leave the two brown shades in, while adding all the new ones? I still sound really angry about this. Read the post, it's kind of a masterpiece. *modest*

Even though a Sleek rep assured me that they'd be coming out with two brown ones later in the year, so far I've seen zilch and it really seems to me like it was just said to appease the angry blogger (me).
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'Barely There' is part of their 'Sheen' finish range, which when these came out a few months ago, bloggers left right and centre (a suspicious amount of whom seemed to get the product free to review) were saying were really moisturising. I was hoping that they would be, because my lips really need the moisture...sadly, it wasn't to be. You'd think that I was applying a matte lipstick by how it looked on and how not-moisturising it was. Which was a bit of a bummer, as I personally didn't find the sheen lipsticks from their old range drying at all.

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My lips weren't in the greatest condition when I applied it but I really needed to take it off, condition, exfoliate and reapply just as I would for a matte lipstick when I was taking these shots. Wasn't impressed.
Oh, no need to say that the colour is hideous on me. I dare the great Nicki Minaj to try and pull a lip colour THIS light off. Nope. Not possible.
It turns peach on me? Don't quite understand it, lol - it looks pink on everyone else and in the tube.

Luckily, I found a way (quite by accident) to make this work.

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The photos are a bit crap, but work with me here.
By applying a layer of Miner's Lip Tint (cherry) beforehand (I really needed the moisture), the colour was altered into a far more flattering rose pink that is slightly darker than what you're seeing in the photo now.

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I actually quite like it and wore it like this to drop off my application for a job as a lifeguard.

Anyone else tried this particular lipstick?

7 Comments

  1. Do you think the chlorine has dried your lips (assuming your training wasn't mostly theory) or are they always like this?

    I don't even HAVE any Sleek (yet) but I am enraged that they aren't seeming to cater for their loyal previous-target-market (makes sense?).

    You're young. You look good in all colours but I can see that you'd want shades that are more 'sympathetic' (?) to your natural colouring.

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  2. If only, jaljen. Nope, my lips have been this bad since I was cooked and popped out nearly 17 years ago :( No idea why! No one else in my family has them this bad.

    I'm really tempted to say DON'T BUY ANY SLEEK THEY'RE THE DEVIL but their products are bloody good 9/10 times so if you see something that takes your fancy, go for it. But I hate that they've abandoned who they started out to cater for and I kind of feel awkward complaining about it, because most of my readers are actually in the new target market :L So obviously, it's good for them. lol. Though you guys have been very lovely about listening to my rants.

    Aww, thanks Jen. I looked really dumb in this colour though :L I think sympathetic is a good word there! No need to quote mark it. Generally, on me and most people with my colouring, darker/brighter colours look better (exception - Nicki Minaj) so yeah, that's what I go for. But Sleek keep bringing out all these stupid peaches and light caramels and I'm like 'I can't wear these. Where are the old onessss'

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  3. Are you going to review the Sleek Pout Paints?

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  4. These DO convince me, hope the German online stores will get them soon

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  5. Might do, Anonymous...all depends on whether I get some cash, lol.

    These have been out for ages, Anna - I'm surprised German webstores haven't got them in yet!

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  6. Didn't know the brand previously, but it seems quite odd to me what they've done with their range. Anyhow, the peachy (supposed-to-be-pink) shade on your lips doesn't look bad at all to me.

    By the way, I chose you to receive the "One Lovely Blog" award here in my blog:
    http://talon-ted.blogspot.com/2011/08/one-lovely-blog-award.html

    - just to thank you for your lovely blog and show my support to your battle against any makeup policies you might encounter.
    <3

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  7. Thanks for your comment, Eugenia! And for your kind words in support/about my blog :)

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