It is February, which means that Patent Purple Life will be focusing on lip products for the whole month in anticipation of Valentines Day and the onset of Spring.
I am starting the month with an amazing colour from Illamasqua that fuels my purple obsession.
ESP, Extra Special Purple (that is how I think of it anyway, Illamasqua may have means Extra Sensory Perception when they called it ESP!). This is my second Illamasqua lipstick, I reviewed Disciple here last year so I was already familiar with the formulation and packaging of an Illamasqua lippie.
ESP is described by Illamasqua as a vivid violet which sounds perfect but the creation of a purple shade is tricky for two reasons. The balance of the blue and especially the red/pink in the formula, and the undertone of the person wearing it means that a swatch is often necessary because you cannot guarantee the shade of the bullet will translate to the skin.
I also appreciate that a colour this vivid is matte rather then glossy or having a ‘moisturising’ formula. Not only does it create excellent longevity but it really does make it all about the colour rather then the finish. A slick of lip balm before applying it will help if dryness is an issue for you. I do not find that this colour is patchy so I apply it straight from the bullet without a lip pencil and I get even coverage across my two tone lips. There are lots of purples on the market but not all purples are made equally and this is a shade that you will not find a lot of dupes for.
I love the fact that the colour is the bullet is what you get on the lips. There is something almost neon about the colour – gorgeous. It really is a show stopper and for a purple obsessive like me it makes me very very happy.