Item: (Overseas) Pure Color Envy High Luster Lipstick [432 Plum Bite]
Rating: 5
Author: uh********

Purchasing motivation: The moment I saw the 2020 Holiday Collection, I knew it was destiny. Appearance: Since I bought the Holiday Collection, the case design differs from the regular Envy lipstick. It's a square gold case, similar to YSL lipsticks. The Estée Lauder name is engraved on the top of the lid, giving it a luxurious feel. The front has a snow-like dotted print in the lipstick's plum color, making it easy to distinguish. Color payoff: It's incredibly beautiful. I didn't look closely when purchasing, so I didn't know Plum Bite had shimmer. When I swatched it on my wrist, I was surprised by the subtle sparkles. I thought it might look tacky, but it's so pretty that I feel silly for doubting it. The shimmer is perfectly balanced - it sparkles from all angles without being overwhelmingly flashy. I keep saying it's pretty because it truly is - there's no other way to describe it. Plum Bite is a deep plum shade with subtle shimmer that's perfect for cool skin tones. It's not tacky at all and looks even better in person. I hope they start selling it in Korea too, as it seems to be only available overseas. Application: The lipstick itself is quite moisturizing, but you can feel a slight grittiness when applying, probably due to the shimmer. It's not uncomfortable, just noticeable. As someone who prefers gradient lips, I applied it with light strokes and blended with my fingertips. It spreads evenly without any patchiness. The shimmer distributes well without clumping. Great job. There was minimal emphasis on dead skin cells or fine lines. Staying power: The other four lipsticks in the Holiday Collection were very moisturizing but had short staying power. However, this one, perhaps due to the shimmer or a different formula, feels moisturizing yet long-lasting. It does transfer when touched, but not annoyingly so, and a quick touch-up makes it look perfect again. It seems to last about 5 hours. There's minimal staining, so you'll need to reapply after eating. Overall: It's uniquely different from common lipsticks. The shimmer isn't tacky at all... it's fantastic... The plum shade suits my complexion well, and the sparkle is so beautiful I want to give it an award. Please sell it in Korea too... P.S. It's a shame the photos don't capture the ethereal beauty of the shimmer.

The staying power isn't bad either, so I didn't find any downsides. If I had to nitpick, it would be that shimmer gets on your fingers when blending for a gradient look. But that's really stretching for a con... so yeah.