Pros: Long-lasting, non-drying, with a wide range of flattering colors.
Cons: Doesn't hold up to greasy foods, becomes grainy after a few hours
The Bottom Line: When it comes to long-lasting lip color, Outlast is the best of a bad lot. It's not perfect, but it's as good as you can get right now.
tlbwriter's Full Review: Cover Girl Outlast Lipcolor
Cover Girl’s Outlast is not quite the holy grail of long-lasting lip colors, but it’s the closest one yet.
What is it?
Outlast is the newest member of the everlasting lip color pack. Unlike other long-wearing lip colors, which are dry and cakey lipsticks, Outlast looks like a gloss. It comes in a small bottle (with a deceptively long top) and is applied with a sponge applicator. Combined with its special gloss, Outlast is an outstanding lip color that lasts and lasts.
How do you use it?
The first step is to carefully apply the Outlast color. Outlast must be applied over clean lips; any existing lipstick or balm must be removed or it will ruin the application. Use the angled sponge applicator to apply a thin layer to your lips. Outlast is slightly more difficult to apply than other lip colors that use sponge applicators, so you’ll need to use a little care. For example, you cannot blot your lips together, since it begins to “set up” immediately after applying. It has a faint “makeupy” smell that I did not find offensive.
The next step is to let your lips dry. Keep your lips slightly separated for at least a minute, or until they no longer stick when you press them together.
You’ll find that Outlast feels slightly less dry than other long-lasting lip colors, but still dryer than traditional lipsticks or glosses. It’s nothing to write home about until you get to the third step -- the magical Outlast gloss. Every tube of Outlast comes with a slim tube of a special lip gloss. This oil-free gloss not only makes your lips feel moist and look beautifully shiny (without looking greasy), but it does not remove the Outlast color. You cannot use not use other glosses or balms over your Outlast color, as they will remove it.
Does it really last?
Outlast is not completely indelible. A test blot onto a tissue reveals a few tiny flecks of color. The heavier you apply the color, the more likely you are to leave these small flecks. And the gloss acts like any lip gloss, leaving lip imprints everywhere. But the color itself stays on and stays true. It can be removed with oil-based products such as petroleum jelly or baby oil. Unfortunately, because it is susceptible to oils, Outlast will come off if you eat foods with any kind of fat content (which is why the ad shows a model biting into an apple and not a plate of nachos). However, it remains fast during activities such as drinking, kissing, and probably smoking (I wasn’t willing to go that far to test it). When it does come off, it may wear off gracefully (as it did when I ate ice cream), or it may come off in crumbly flakes (which it did after eating Mexican food). After several hours, the texture becomes unpleasantly grainy.
If you find that you need to reapply your Outlast, you must remove it completely and start over from scratch. If you try to apply over existing color, you will end up with a grainy, flaky mess.
What about the colors?
The color selection is lovely. Outlast comes in a wide variety of natural shades. The darker shades are slightly more difficult to apply evenly than the lighter shades, though in my experience this is true of any lip color that comes with a sponge applicator.
What do I think?
Well, it’s not perfect. The ultimate long-lasting lipstick would be easier to apply and would make it through an enchilada without disintegrating into unsightly flakes. But it’s still a very good lip color. If you’ve written off long-wearing lipsticks, don’t be afraid to give Outlast a try.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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