CAL Los Angeles Intense Matte Lipsticks: Review, Swatches

Hey everyone!

I posted on my Facebook page yesterday that this week will be dedicated to reviews from the brand ‘C.A.L. Los Angeles’. It’s a lesser known brand and I previously talked about it when I reviewed some of its lipsticks HERE. Their products have been on a discounted price since more than 6 months on Amazon and given the lipstick lover I’m, it felt like the perfect opportunity to try more lippies from them.

Since matte lips have been trending ,I decided to first experiment with matte lipsticks. I bought CAL Los Angeles Intense Matte lipsticks in a total of 3 shades.

Product description:

• Intensely Matte
• Exquisitely Long Stay
• Color Fountain
• Intense Finish
• Endless Comfort

My experience with CAL Los Angeles intense matte lipsticks:

Packaging: All the lipsticks are encased in a golden colored cardboard packaging. It carries the ingredients list, shade name and weight. The shade name mentioned on the website is written only on the plastic cover. Otherwise, the actual packaging has different names for it. See the picture below to understand better. The actual lipsticks come in a glossy light gold color packaging and have the shade name and number written on the bottom.

Texture: They have a dry and stiff formula which makes it tough to apply them straight from the tube. This is just how the traditional concentrated matte lipsticks work. If you’ve ever tried applying a shade from the MAC matte lipstick range, you’ll understand.

It’s where soaking your lips in a lip balm/oil at least 15 mins before applying them makes a world of difference! They apply easily, don’t tug and feel comfortable for the initial hours. Also, they don’t dry completely. You will feel some dryness on your lips after some 3-4 hours but that’s how matte finish lipsticks work. None of the shades smudge. So, you don’t have to worry about them transferring on your teeth. Another thing, I do detect a faint smell. Nothing bothersome.

Pigmentation: All the shades are buildable for a coverage that hides the natural color of lips to a very good extent. They will not offer full coverage for very pigmented lips.

Staying power: None of the shades wear off completely leaving lips look colorless. They adhere to lips really well without sucking all the moisture out of them. A stain is left behind which makes their wear-off less noticeable. Even after having a full meal, the formula doesn’t turn crumbly.

Shades: CAL Los Angeles intense matte lipstick ‘Carnation Pink’ is a beautiful brownish pink apt for fair-light medium skin tones. ‘Hollywood Pink’ is a vivid, ‘in-your-face’ shade. ‘Crimson Red’ is a classic red that should flatter a variety of skin tones.

How I apply matte lipsticks: I begin with filling my lips with a *ude lip liner or one in a similar shade and fill in my lips using it. This extend the longevity of a lipstick. Then, I use a lip liner to get a precise application and finally, follow up with some concealer to clean up the edges.

How I re-apply matte lipsticks: I wet a tissue and rub it lightly on my lips to take the color off. Then, I dab some lip balm, blot it and re-apply the lipstick.

Ordering from Amazon:

97% of the times, I majorly shop from Amazon only. I received one broken piece (Crimson Red) and a replacement was offered the very next day. This is why I like shopping from them! They listen, understand and it hardly takes 2 minutes to get in touch with their customer representative.

I’m so glad they have an instant chat support as making phone calls makes me nervous. Not to them, just in general. Talk of phone anxiety or just anxiety!

Summary:

Priced at Rs. 295, CAL Los Angeles intense matte lipsticks offer a lot. They apply evenly, set well and last for long without sucking every moisture bit from lips. They are one of the best affordable matte lipsticks in India.

Where can you buy them: On Amazon HERE

Price: Rs. 295

Quantity: 3.5 g

VCB rating: 4.25/5