It is no secret that I love lip products. I LOVE a fun lip gloss or lip stick. And I LOVE playing around with fun colors and different shades. Well, I came across this stuff [Hare Magic Moroccan Lipstick] on the interwebs and I was skeptical. I decided to try it out for myself. I decided to do a little video and live demo for y’all… you know, just to give you the hands-on, immediate effect. Or something.
When it comes to lipstick, the two most important things are the color and how long it wears. We spend countless hours (and money) on different lipsticks, testing out how they look with our skin tone and whether or not they hold up to the all-day, all-night assessment. Most of the time, the swipe of color does not pass both challenges. (#Fail.) But what if I told you there was a lipstick that not only lasted all day, but was guaranteed to give you a perfect, natural pink every time?
Too good to be true, right? Wrong. Because I've tried it and it's as great as it sounds. The product in question goes by many names, but is most commonly referred to as Henna Lipstick or Magic Moroccan Hare Color Changing Lipstick.
In the summer I had visited Morrocco, where I realised a magic lipstick was sold everywhere. At first I did not pay attention to it, as the bright green plastic packaging had put me off. However, after visiting a spa, the consultant showed us this Moroccan magic lipstick in detail. She stated it was a magic lipstick that appeared green but changes pink on your lips.
Let's delve into the fascinating world of these color-transforming lipsticks and see what makes them so special.
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The Allure of Color-Changing Lipsticks
The idea of color-changing lip color isn’t new by any stretch. Old-school brand Tangee has a similar product that dates back to the 1920s, and Avon has some from the '70s (when the color-changing lipsticks really took off).
As I child of the '90s, I spent a solid part of my youth sporting a mood ring. There were the inferior 25-cent types that came out of dispensers at the grocery store. I collected those by the dozens. Then, there were the fancier ones in cool shapes that could be bought at funky bead shops or Claire’s. Those were the real prize. But regardless of their quality or provenance, mine always remained a cold sapphire hue. According to all the charts, blue meant “happy, calm, or peaceful.” Blue meant b oring. I longed for a fiery orange or at least a little green. Of course, it was only later that I learned that the colors were dependent on body temperature and, to absolutely nobody’s great shock except my own, the top of your finger doesn’t make major temperature swings throughout the day. After that, it didn’t take long for me to give up my mood rings and move on to other jewelry fads.
It should come as no surprise that the moment I heard about Dior’s Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm my nostalgia got the best of me, and I went out and bought some. A little more grown up than a mood ring, Lip Glow supposedly reacts to the “unique chemistry” of the wearer’s lips to create the perfect custom hue. It won't change if you get hot-tempered, but maybe that's a good thing. Then there's Smashbox’s O-Gloss Intuitive Lip Gloss With Goji Berry-C Complex and Sephora Collection Color Reveal Lip Balm, making similar claims about a custom color created by the lipstick’s reaction to the individual body’s pH levels.
Most exotic are the Hare Magic Moroccan ones. I tried the most ubiquitous one in a bright green shade first and was shocked when it turned a vibrant shade of berry pink upon contact with my lips-hello, cognitive dissonance.
Let's explore what makes these lipsticks unique.
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First Impressions and Application
When I first applied this on my lips, it was very smooth and smelt like aloe vera. My lips turned into a nice mid tone pink. I noticed as the day goes on, the colour becomes deeper and brighter, and becomes more of a hot pink! I would say this lipstick is more like a lip balm as it is very nourishing. The colour is not as pigmented as a lipstick but not as opaque as a lip balm, perhaps more like a lip stain.
Here is a before (left) and after (right). The color actually turned even a little pinkier after I took the photo on the right. Basically, the lipstick works with your body’s natural chemistry - so no two shades are going to be the same… or something. Each person is going to have a different color because each person’s body chemistry is different.
The packaging looks pretty cool, but admittedly feels kinda cheap in person. Oh well. Not the end of the world. I was so curious as to how this bright green thing was going to turn my lips a shade of pink.
After a few swipes the color began showing clearly. The pink was a bit brighter than I expected (mostly because I NEVER wear pink lipstick), but it was still very natural. I see it as part of the whole no-makeup makeup ordeal.
Furthermore, many henna lipsticks are made with argan oil, or "liquid gold." Basically, you've got yourself a custom, moisturizing color without emptying your pockets.
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The Science Behind the Magic
For starters, there is no hard-hitting proof that there is any actual henna in this lipstick. While there is an elusive product type only available in Morocco (some secrets you just can't get to) that could possibly contain the flower dye, the options available for purchase most likely retain the moniker as a nod to the long-wearing color. They are actually more similar to mood lipsticks of the '80s and contain Red 27, a synthetic dye that reacts to the pH of your lips and accounts for the variation of color from person to person.
In the end, all the lip colors turned a fairly uniform shade of berry. Of course those that were already dyed a deep shade of pink or red went on more cherry-hued than the clearer (or yellower) ones, but I have to admit that the final results were all basically the same.
Turns out, it’s all due to an ingredient called Red 27. A dye the FDA lists as safe for use in drugs and cosmetics (but not those that will be used close to the eyes…), its specific formulation allows it to be colorless when dissolved in a waterless base (i.e. a waxy lipstick). Once exposed to moisture, it turns a bright pinkish-red. So, yes, it is technically reacting to your individual skin in that your skin has a higher pH than the lipstick tube and also has water in it, but other than that, things aren’t much more personalized. The only real difference lays in your skin tone. It will obviously look different on someone with dark skin than it does on someone with a pale complexion.
Because I really wanted to believe in the magic of the lipstick, I even swiped a few sticks across a dry paper towel. Then, I dripped a bit of water onto them. Sure enough, they turned the same bright pink that I had seen on my lips. Bummer.
It also has some kind of something-or-other in it (I’ve read Henna) and so it is semi-permanent. Yes, this stuff stays on ALL DAY LONG.
Longevity and Transfer Resistance
Not only is this magic for changing from green to pink. It is also magic as this lipstick lasts all day! I can eat, drink, kiss and it does not budge nor transfer!! At the end of the day of course there is a little fading after doing all that, but after 8 hours of wear its definitely much better than any other lipstick out there!
I slightly reapplied after lunch to even out the color but by evening, my lips were still pink. I had to break out the makeup remover to get it all off at night. The moral of this story: don't use the magic lipstick wand on days you're planning to wear lipstick for a night out-because that rosy color is a 24-hour commitment.
Comparison with Other Color-Changing Lipsticks
Because I loved this Moroccan Magic Lipstick soo much, I wanted to see if I could find something similar in the UK. Also, I wanted to find a red magic lipstick as I usually find red lipsticks are the hardest to maintain without it moving across my face whilst eating! This lipstick comes in a standard plastic black and transparent packaging. Again, this lipstick is suppose to change colour due to your mood.
This lipstick smells like lipstick compared to the lip balm feel/scent of the Moroccan version. This lipstick is red and once applied it is a pinky-red lipstick. Again, as the day goes on, this lipstick leans more towards a red. This lipstick does have great staying power but not as transfer proof as the Moroccan lipstick. This lipstick takes a good couple of hours to fully dry, as the day goes on I find this lipstick becomes more transfer proof.
Final Thoughts
Both these lipsticks are great, they both have excellent staying power and are transfer proof. Sometimes even after make up remover and washing my face I can still see a slight lip stain on my lips. Shows how much these lipsticks don’t want to budge!!
I will also note that I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin on my lips (READ: I AM ALLERGIC to ALL THE THINGS) and the Hare Magic Moroccan Lipstick hasn’t bothered my lips at all.
I would give this lipstick 5 out of 5 stars. I don’t care if the packaging is worn out and peeling of, it may look cheap,but it is by far my favorite lipstick.
Moroccan Magic Lipstick - I had purchased this from Morrocco for 90p - If you visit you will find these everywhere for soo cheap!
Overall I think it’s pretty rad! What about you? Have you heard of this stuff? Will you try it out?
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tags: #Moroccan
