Anytime anyone asks me about what lipstick I use the answer is always ‘Creeper’ Ultra Matte liquid lipstick by Colourpop Cosmetics, because 95% of the time that’s what I wear. Still, despite my dedication to that particular product and shade, I still regularly like to try out other liquid lipsticks just in case there is, unlikely as it is, a product out there that will rate a perfect 5 out of 5.

When it comes to liquid lipsticks, I’ve also learned it’s a fairly individual thing which formulas work for you. What might feel too drying for one person might be perfect for someone else. What melts off in the corners of my mouth might stay unsmudged on someone with differently shaped lips. So while the Colourpop Ultra Mattes are my Holy Grail, my friend Hope prefers Jeffree Star’s Velour liquid lipstick range, and sweet little angel that she is, she sent me one to try out.

Unicorn Blood, the shade she chose, is a very dark russet red. It’s the kind of shade that’s incredibly vampy and autumnal on someone as pale and dark haired as I am, an almost perfect match to my dark red bottle dyed hair, so it’s not an every day colour for me.

Natural light. L to R: Colourpop ‘Avenue’, ‘LAX’ and ‘Rooch’, Lime Crime ‘Wicked’, MUA Luxe Lip Lacquer ‘Firecracker’, Jeffree Star Velour ‘Unicorn Blood’

Flash. L to R: Colourpop ‘Avenue’, ‘LAX’ and ‘Rooch’, Lime Crime ‘Wicked’, MUA Luxe Lip Lacquer ‘Firecracker’, Jeffree Star Velour ‘Unicorn Blood’

In terms of formula, this is very pigmented and creamy, taking a minute or so to dry down to be matte on the lips and several minutes to feel completely dry. I prefer my liquid lipsticks to have a very lightweight but entirely dry formula so that I know they won’t budge or transfer off my lips without feeling especially heavy or cakey. Normally, softer, more moisture-retaining formulas melt at the corners of my mouth a little because of the set of my lips, and transfer more when I drink and eat or kiss my niblings on their squidgy little cheeks. This Jeffree Star Velour lipstick falls more in that latter category. It feels medium weight on my lips and is more comfortable than the more dry liquid lipsticks, having a softer, velvety touch feel left over when totally dry, even though it’s almost entirely transfer-proof when dry.

I like my liquid lipstick applicators to be doe foot wands that have very short hairs or are almost hard. This applicator is a doe’s foot wand that has relatively long hairs, similar to Lime Crime’s Velveteens, so personally I find it very hard to get a crisp, defined line around my outer lip line using this kind of applicator, especially on my upper lip. I get better control applying this when using a lip brush, even though I hate those too, so if you feel the same way about hairy applicators as I do then bear that in mind.

In terms of wear, I wasn’t bowled over as it performed like many other liquid lipsticks I’ve tried, but it’s definitely in the well performing range and not the range of disapppointing products. My Holy Grail Colourpop definitely holds up better through eating, and it’s important to note that not all foods are created equal in terms of how they will effect your lipstick–anything fatty or greasy is going to break down the formula way more than something drier, like a cracker or sandwich, so judging a lipstick by how it holds up during eating is affected by what you’re eating.

Saying that, I do also find across the board in all brands that very dark reds or russet browns never last as well as true reds do, including such shades from my beloved Colourpop, so it’s possible the pink or red shades from this line might last better through eating than Unicorn Blood did. It didn’t flake off, like a lot of liquid lipsticks do during eating, but instead just softened and melted, wearing off in the middle of my lips and feathering a little, and necessitating a napkin wipe and a touch up. It was a smooth reapplication, though, without clumping or flaking, so I’m pleased it’s comfortable even after touch ups.

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks come in 36 different shades, from soft pinks and natural nudes to funky unearthly tones like violet purple, electric blue and vibrant mint green. They’re listed as 100% vegan, paraben-, gluten- and cruelty-free. They cost $18 each and are available shipped internationally from Jeffreestar.com directly, but can be found at many other stockists internationally.