Hello, USM! I am back with another review! I'm very excited about this one because I myself have heard stellar reviews about this product and have been anticipating its arrival!
The item in question is Me Now Generation II Long Lasting Lip Gloss. I'm a big fan of lipstick, especially bold reds, but I hate all the 'babysitting' you have to do when you wear it; reapplying it throughout the day, checking for smears and feathering, having it come off completely when you eat, getting it all over your cup or your significant other's cheek, etc. And then there's the times when I wear a lip ring and my lipstick gets all over the ring. I know about liquid lipsticks, but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg that liquid lipsticks usually cost.
Now don't be fooled by the name. It may say "lip gloss" but it actually works like a liquid lipstick; it goes on as a gloss would with a doe-foot applicator, but dries to a perfectly matte finish. You can kiss someone, eat, drink, and do all kinds of stuff and the product is supposed to remain in place without smudging, fading, or feathering.
There's 35-36 colors in total and they go by numbers, not names. I ordered #03, which I received today, and I am still waiting on #32, #33, and #22 because I ordered them all on different days.
What I love about #03 is that it is the exact same color as my lips, something that I've been seeking for a very long time. All the other lipsticks I find are just too pink to be natural, so they end up looking weird on me. This one is a perfect match for my lip color. :)
First thing I did was apply the product on the back of my hand and when it dried, I rubbed at it furiously with my finger. It did not smear, flake, or budge at all, and my finger came away clean! Then I applied the product to my lips and did a kiss test on my arm. Again, no transfer at all. I had a drink; no lip marks on the glass and the color wasn't rubbed off. Now I have to warn you that if you wear this while eating, do NOT eat greasy foods. Makeup is oil soluble, so if you eat fries or a burger or something else that's oily or greasy, the product is going to come off.
I've been wearing this all day - a couple hours, at least - and it looks just as good as it did when first applied; no flaking or smearing to be seen! It took a little while to get used to having the lip gloss on. See, I tend to lick my lips a lot and even though the product was totally dry, I was afraid I would smear it or lick it off. Fear not, for lick it off I did not. It doesn't dry out your lips and it doesn't make you feel like you're wearing anything, but if you have dry lips like I do, I would definitely recommend exfoliating and moisturizing them prior to application, otherwise this product will make the dryness of your lips extremely obvious and it might feel very uncomfortable to wear.
I don't know of any stores where you can buy this. It's a Chinese product that I got off eBay, where dozens of different sellers have it for sale. You can search it by name, but I recommend searching "matte liquid lipstick" or something similar because most hits don't refer to it by name. It's easy to recognize, don't worry. :)
Now comes the big question: Is this product budget-friendly? Why, yes! Surprisingly, these puppies range from 99 cents to $2 each, which is an extremely good deal considering these are comparable to high-end products like Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks and Lime Crime Velvetines, both retailing at $20. In fact, #18 and #33 of the Me Now lip glosses make perfect dupes for the Lime Crime Velvetines in the colors Cashmere and Wicked respectively.
I cannot recommend this product enough, especially if you're tired of having to be on guard all the time when you wear lipstick. The only downside is that there are no 'crazy' colors, just reds, pinks, and nudes, so if you're looking for something a little more wild, you won't find that here.
