Rimmel Stay Matte liquid lip colour in 'Urban Affair'.
I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in my local Sainsburys, and I’ve noticed they often have good makeup deals. Reduced to £4, this lipstick was the only colour remaining in the Rimmel stand, left behind in favour of its more wearable nude cousins. I immediately plopped it into my basket, where it promptly fell out again, and had to be nestled more securely against the onions.
Urban Affair is a rather unique colour. It’s a dark, cool-toned purple with a brown undertone. There’s no hint of red like there is with a comparable berry such as Rimmel’s Plum This Show, from the same family. Like all the Stay Matte liquid lipsticks it has a slightly odd fruity scent. It’s a moody, sultry shade, and one of the darkest shades I own.
I’ve tried several other colours of the Stay Matte liquid lipsticks, and their formula is superb across the board. They have a thick, and mousse-like texture. Urban Affair is easy to apply, and layer. It also dries quickly. It’s an extremely long-lasting lipstick and will survive eating and drinking with very minimal touching up required, even with oily food. This lipstick is not at all tacky or sticky like some long-lasting lipsticks, and I don’t find it drying, even after hours of wear. It doesn’t sink into my lip lines and make them look like dehydrated prunes, and of course, it goes almost without saying that the lipstick doesn’t bleed or feather. Like with all dark lipsticks, it can be prone to slight patchiness, and you really have to concentrate while applying.
The Rimmel Stay Matte liquid lipsticks are one of my favourite formulas. They have an excellent shade range, with colours ranging from nudes to blue. The only problem I’ve found is that after a certain amount of time, the formula starts to become clumpy and claggy, long before the product is meant to go off. However, if you’re going to be wearing a particular shade every day, you’ll probably use it up before this happens. These lipsticks currently retail at £6.99, which is very reasonable, considering what a long wearing formula they are. Urban Affair has reminded me of how much I enjoy the Stay Matte liquid lipsticks, and I’m planning to repurchase some old favourites, and some new shades to try.
Above: A full face with Urban Affair.