Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick | Review

When it comes to lipsticks and lip products in general I've mostly stuck to sheer and moisturising products in the past, nothing too bold. However, more recently (thanks to some fellow bloggers, Sarah mainly) I've been drawn into the world of matte liquid lipsticks. Over the past month I've been trying out quite a few different ones but one has really stuck out to me and it's from a brand that I hadn't even heard of until a couple of months back. You can only buy Gerard Cosmetics online in the UK from what I've seen, but don't quote me on that, so I made my order through Beauty Bay and I think I'll be making another one very soon.

When I first saw that you had to buy the brand from Beauty Bay and not in highstreet stores like Boots or Superdrug I did think that it would be quite pricey but this product at £9.50 is quite close to what some brands like Revlon charge so I was more than happy to give them a go. There are 15 different shades to pick from on there and with a bit of help from online reviews and swatches I ended up going with Serenity, one of the more everyday wearable shades to help ease me into wearing matte lip products again.

The packaging is simple but I really like the frosted effect on the outside, it makes it look really high quality and reflects the product inside well. It has a doe-foot applicator that is neither too big or too small and it makes applying the product super easy. This was probably the thing that I worried about the most as frankly I'm pretty bad at applying lipstick but I was surprised at how easy I found it. It dries quite quickly but I still had plenty of time to correct any mistakes, I definitely didn't need to add a second coat though as this is so pigmented. 

I picked up the shade 'Serenity' as it appeared to be one of the more wearable shades compared to some of the much bolder colours that perhaps I might brave eventually. Even this is probably a little bolder than products that I would usually wear but it has helped build up my confidence a lot in regards to that. This shade has pink and nude tones in it as well as some brown and a little peach, it all combines to create the perfect everyday shade that would also work well during the evening to take you from day to night. The photo above was taken a little prematurely before the product had properly dried so you can't see the full effect of how matte it becomes (apologies on my part) but it does dry completely matte and it stays in place for most of the day. I have to touch it up a little after eating but it really is only to give it a little boost rather than having to totally reapply.

The only thing that I did worry about with it being a matte product was whether it would feel uncomfortable or dry at all but it really doesn't. I apply a light layer of lip balm first just to help with any potential dryness but once it's on I really do forget about it as it's so lightweight and comfortable which I didn't expect at all due to how pigmented it is. I have to say I really have tried hard to find any kind of fault with this but I just can't. It's affordable, long wearing, pigmented and this shade is stunning. I've got my eye on the shade Cher now, I'm sure it won't be long before I'm ordering again!

You can buy this and other Gerard Cosmetics products on the Beauty Bay website.