You might have heard all the hype surrounding Lime Crime’s products, especially their Velvetine line, but what if you can’t afford the steep $20 (plus shipping) price tag on your college budget?
Don’t worry, I’ve done all the work for you. After hour of scouring the Internet, from beauty blogs to Amazon reviews, I think I have finally found the answer: Makeup Academy’s Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers.
For only £3.00 ($4.94 U.S. at the current exchange rate) you can enjoy the British equivalent of Lime Crime’s richly pigmented matte lip cream. It works out cheapest to buy more than one color since shipping from the U.K. is $12, but it is still cheaper to buy one Velvet Lip Lacquer for $17 total than to buy one of Lime Crime’s Velvetines for $27 total.
One of the biggest perks, besides it’s drugstore price tag, is the shade range. For the longest time, Lime Crime only had two colors available in their Velvetine Collection – a bright red, “Suedeberry”, and a deeper, cooler red, “Red Velvet”. They have since added a hot pink called “Pink Velvet” and have finally stepped up and released three new colors: black, brown and the deepest red yet as part of the “Clueless Witch” collection.
Makeup Academy’s range includes more wearable colors—there are two reds, two vibrant pinks and a true violet. I actually discovered this line because I was searching for a violet lip color that was actually violet, not just a deep mauve. MUA’s “Kooky” delivered as a perfect grape color.
What I loved in my pricey Velvetine, the Velvet Lip Lacquer definitely delivers: it’s utterly smooch-proof and doesn’t transfer to my fork or glass while eating or drinking. I apply it once at 8 a.m. when I start my day and don’t have to touch up until 7 p.m. most days. That’s an entire 11 hours of wear!
I will say that MUA’s Velvet Lip Lacquers tend to lean the tiniest bit drier than Lime Crime’s Velvetines (which actually makes them last longer on your lips) but a little lip exfoliation and balm are easy sacrifices to make for this fabulously cheap dupe.
Overall, it is definitely worth your while to order MUA’s Velvet Lip Lacquers online from the U.K. The color payoff is outrageous, as is the longevity of the product after it’s applied. It’s practically the same product as Lime Crime’s Velvetines, but it will leave your wallet a whole lot happier. What more could you ask for in a lippie?
