Product Review: Gabriel Color Lipstick {tea rose}

I received a wholefoods gift card for Christmas, and ended up using most of it to purchase a lovely natural lipstick, and I loved it so much that I thought I would do a review on it. If you enjoy this, and are interested in me doing more product reviews, please do let me know!

https://www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com/index.cfm/category/1/gabriel-color.cfm

While shopping for a lipstick, I was looking for something a little special, more pigmented than a tinted balm or my lipstick from Juice which is a very light shimmery baby pink color. I had been scoping out Ecco Bella, but was hesitant to pay such a price without trying out the colors in person. So I was super excited to find the Gabriel and Zuzu Luxe liptstick at my local wholefoods, with a full range of testers. One very pink stained hand later I finally decided on the color Tea Rose. I almost chose starlet from the Zuzu luxe which I think is the same color, but the packaging is much nicer. In the end my good sense prevailed, and I chose the cheaper packaging.

The color I chose is a perfect hot pink, not fushia and not neon. Bold enough for special occasions, but definitely wearable for everyday, if not applied too heavily and especially wearable if paired it with a nice lipgloss. The formula is very matte, no shimmer that I can detect.  At Just under $17 dollars, this lipstick is tad pricey, but totally worth it and definitely comparable to other high end lipsticks, and you're getting good ingredients into the bargain.

The thing that made me fall in love with this product is that I didn't feel at all like I was using a "natural" lipstick - in a good way. Sometimes it's nice to have something every bit as stunning as it's conventional counterpart


Gabriel Color Lipstick in Tea Rose:

Pros:
Long lasting
The color and pigmentation.
The color is amazing. A perfect hot pink with no strong orange or purple/blue undertones (though my pictures look a little purple tinted and it's listed online as a red-orange. hmmm.)
 Incredibly pigmented - You can just dab it on for a brilliant stain or apply normally for a bold lip.
No strong taste or smell.
Fairly straightforward and natural ingredients
Not gloopy or sticky at all.
Layers well with lipbalm under and gloss on top if desired. (I even like to pair with with my juicy beauty lipstick as a base with this over the top for a softer look.)
The formula is free of -

Coal Tar Derivatives or FD&C agents
·        Parabens
·        Mineral Oil
·        Lanolin
·        Talc
·        Propylene Glycol
·        Hydrogenated Oils
·        Gluten
·        Phthalates
·        DBP
·        Toluene
·        Formaldehyde
·        Nano/Micro sized particles

Cons:

Not organic
The formula is so pigmented that it is very dry, and is  drying to the lips if not paired with something with a little moisture to it.
Very generic tube/packaging that feels just a bit flimsy, but all in all it's ok. (next time I think I actually would pay the extra few dollars for the nicer luxe packaging)

Again, if you enjoyed this and would like to see more review posts, please do let me know! ~Elissa