20160729

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks (& The Controversy)


It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of matte liquid lipsticks and they really seem to be having a moment right now. When I came across Jeffree Star's products, which had so much hype online, of course I wanted to try them.

Background & Product Information

Until about 2 months ago, I'd honestly never heard of Jeffree Star! I only really know him through his cosmetics brand but, from what I gather, Jeffree Star is an androgynous internet scene kid turned musician turned YouTuber who came out with his own cosmetics range a year or two ago. I did actually watch some of his videos after discovering the lipsticks and he *seemed* at the time like a breath of fresh air. Since originally putting together this post I have come across some less-than-savoury information on Jeffree. I'm not here to do an analysis with receipts of his character, however the videos (the first I watched kicked off the backlash by rounding everything up) are not hard to find so I'd suggest searching YouTube for that in order to make a fully-informed decision on whether or not to buy these products. Obviously stuff changes and might do by the time you read this but I'd start with the videos Stephanie Nicole and Sanders Kennedy did because they pretty much sum it up. 

There's not much point in re-hashing it because like I said, others have done it much better than I could. I'm feeling conflicted in all honesty because obviously I was not aware of all this when I bought these products a couple of months back and I wouldn't have done so if I had. There were some things said a good few years ago which Jeffree Star has apparently 'addressed' but it still doesn't sit quite right with me and there have been occasions more recently where he's apparently been really quite rude to people online. I'm sure a lot of it was down to attempts at being edgy and controversial but to me that's not an excuse. We will see if he does a video or something more than a tweet that will address all of this because these exposé videos are getting millions of views... A lot of people are saying it was a long time ago and he's changed and have pointed out that he uses black models for his products sometimes. However, firstly, I am not accepting that he's changed until he sits down and addresses all of this coherently. Secondly, I don't buy the 'I'm not racist: I once brushed past a black person in the street!' arguments. By that logic: can a man not be sexist if he has a wife? Maybe he will apologise fully and sincerely but I doubt it would be enough to remove the bad taste from my mouth.

(UPDATE: He's now addressed Kat Von D's video but not the racist and all-round sh*tty behaviour! Which to me makes him look worse. And no, I don't consider a few vague tweets to be 'addressing' the issues) 

I thought I would leave this post more or less as it was because it was an unbiased look at these products. I have some alternatives listed below with comparison swatches if you want to try those instead. 

Jeffree Star products are available directly through his website, however that means shipping from the US. The UK stockist is Cocktail Cosmetics, a shop in Birmingham that also has a website. The liquid lipsticks cost £14 each from Cocktail Cosmetics. The strange thing about both websites is that there's never enough stock to meet demand so you have to follow their accounts on social media to find out the re-stock day and spend ages refreshing the page so you can get one before they go. It's pretty annoying and you'd think after them selling out every single time they'd start getting enough units in, but it is what it is! I probably would've bought more of these at the time I bought the shades I have but I really couldn't be bothered with all the fuss it took to order them every time. 

The restocks come in dribs and drabs so they may re-stock 3 shades on a Monday and a different 5 on a Friday, and the shipping is over £4 so it can be frustrating. However on the plus side, Cocktail Cosmetics is quite a small operation so I've been able to order one shade then order another one that was released the next day and because the first hadn't been dispatched I was able to email them and get both shades sent together without having to pay the £4 twice. Overall though, it reeks of deliberately under-producing products in order to make them seem more in-demand and desirable.

Packaging

So each liquid lipstick comes in a bright neon pink box with metallic pink which matches the lid of the lipstick. It's a little bit flamboyant but not overly tacky. I do appreciate that the writing hasn't rubbed off any of mine yet too.


The applicator wand isn't your standard doe foot shape; it has a sort of dip in it. I personally find this so much easier to use with this formula's consistency. I find the shape really helps me get a clean application on the first attempt.

The Formula

I have to say that this is one of my favourite liquid lipstick formulas. It's quite fluid but doesn't bleed or run at all. It's also very pigmented and opaque. It sets down within a few seconds of application, however it has this very slight tackiness to it that stops it becoming drying on the lips. It also doesn't cling to or enhance any slightly dry patches on my lips. I find that when it starts to wear off or if I make a mistake, it's pretty easy to layer with this because it doesn't flake at all. Overall I find the formula to be consistent across the shades, however these are all medium tones so I can't speak for the darkest and lightest colours in the range.

The main way in which they vary is the wear-time, however I'm not sure if it's a case of it being less noticeable when the lighter shades begin to fade. The least long-wearing is Gemini, however I personally still can go at least 4 hours before I need to retouch it. Celebrity Skin lasts a little longer; I'd say 4-6 hours. Finally Rose Matter has the most amazing lasting power at around the 6-8 hour mark. I don't particularly go out of my way not to ruin my lipstick, so this is all when I've just been eating, drinking and going about my day as normal.

The Shades


I really wasn't sure when I Googled swatches of this shade because it looked like a completely different colour on various people. However I decided to take the plunge because it would be easy enough to sell on Depop or something if it didn't look right. Although a nude lip is nothing new for me, this is definitely a lot cooler than my usual. I have a very warm skin tone so for me this is almost a greyish-brown light nude that's still very wearable. It's one of the lightest nudes I own however the tone of it stops it from being a case of 'concealer lips'. Overall I really like this colour!


This is another shade that's something really special. It's quite hard to explain but I'll try! It's like a very warm-toned brown nude with these reddish-rust and slightly pink undertones. I absolutely love this shade for my skin tone; it's the perfect day-to-evening colour that I can wear when I want something a little bolder than a nude but not a full-on colour.


Again, this is a very unique shade. It's almost like one notch below a neon pink; it has a slightly muted tone to it but it's still a very vibrant rose colour. I know that most people don't think 'matte lips' for Summer but this is just perfect for this time of year and looks amazing with a tan. It's definitely a 'weekend' colour for me but I really rate it.


Shade Dupes


Although Celebrity Skin isn't *quite* like anything else in my collection, I managed to pull out some similar shades for you. The NYX Lip Lingerie in 08 Bedtime Flirt (£6.50) is more affordable and relatively similar. However it does have a slightly warmer undertone and some hints of pink in there. Personally I do find the formula more drying and a little thicker in texture so I do prefer Celebrity Skin, however this is a lot easier to get hold of, cheaper and (to my knowledge) NYX are not shady! I also have the Dose of Colors Matte Lipstick in Truffle (£14.50), which is actually even harder to find than Celebrity Skin because BeautyBay always seem to be out of stock in the nude shades of this range (I somehow luckily managed to get one). I find the packaging and formula to be SO similar to the Jeffree Star so to me the main difference is the colour. I always thought Truffle was quite cool-toned on me, however as you can see it's much warmer and pink than Celebrity Skin. I'd say to check out the Dose of Colors range if you're after a formula that's almost identical to Jeffree's, though the shade range is entirely different outside of Truffle and Celebrity Skin's similarities. When I first tried his products I Googled whether he was affiliated with them (I didn't find anything to suggest he was) because the packaging, applicator and formula are so alike.



Again, I couldn't find anything exactly like Gemini, as the colour is so unusual, but I've done my best. Lime Crime's Velvetine in Riot (£13.95) is quite a bit more red and rusty in tone; it doesn't have as much pink or nude in it as Gemini (it's also a little deeper). As a side-note I've now discovered this brand is at the centre of various dramas! I just picked this up in-store on a whim in New York and had no knowledge of the controversy because this isn't a known brand in the UK at all. I guess these days you can't even randomly throw something in your shopping basket without having to Google if the owner of the brand is an a-hole... I don't find the formula to be quite as long-lasting as Gemini's and it's a tad more drying but it's still a really nice one. The LA Splash Lip Couture Waterproof Matte Lipstick in Latte Confession (£9.95) is again deeper and has a richer, slightly more plummy undertone to it. Whilst this is a stunning colour, unfortunately I do find it flakes on me a bit. 



It was really hard to find a comparable shade to Rose Matter and the closest I could get were the Jouer Long-Wear Lip Creme Liquid Lipstick in Framboise (£14) and the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Double Dare ($20). Framboise is actually even more vibrant that Rose Matter - it's close to being too much! I find the formula a little more sheer and creamy, however it dries down to quite a powdery finish, which means I have to make sure my lips are hydrated and exfoliated. Double Dare has a much more muted strawberry tone to it. I find the wear-time and pigmentation similar, however I do find Jeffree Star's formula considerably less drying. Overall though I do prefer the more  everyday shade of Double Dare. 



They're good products and unfortunately I've already given him my money, so I will continue to use these. However I hope this encourages you to do your research before spending your money (it has definitely been a learning curve for me). If you're reading this post, you're probably a grown woman (or man or non-gender-specific person) so you can spend your money how you want. I just can't support this brand and Jeffree could give the best apology in the world but I doubt he'd get any more of my money. I hope this has been useful for those of you looking to find some alternatives to his products.

Have you tried any of these liquid lipsticks? Have you been keeping up with the Jeffree Star drama?


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43 comments

  1. I've been searching for some more liquid lipsticks recently and have had my eye on the Jeffree Star products for a while now. I think your post has convinced me otherwise. I don't think I could support Jeffree

    Amirah @ www.herbooksandbeauty16.blogspot.co.uk

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  2. In a way it's such a shame that his products are so good, if his products were crap then he wouldn't have anything to fall back on. Like you I never really knew who he was, I heard his name but I think he's a lot bigger in America. I probably wouldn't buy his products however good now and I imagine his sales will go down. Shame as the products look like they're fab quality.

    The Makeup Directory

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    1. I know right :( I would definitely try Dose of Colours as the formulas seem identical to me! xx

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  3. I agree and I have seen some video's and some comments he has made and some of it is disgusting. Especially when you are supposed to be a role model and acting like that is so wrong. His products are amazing, I did have Im Nude but it was just too pale for me but I don't think I will be buying anymore from his line.

    Emmy | EmmysBeautyCave | Bloglovin

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  4. I've never heard any of this about Jeffree Star but I know that I now will not be buying his products. It's a shame because they look beautiful! I'll definitely try the NYX or jouer alternatives instead. Thanks for sharing x
    FloralsAndCoralsx // Our Blog x

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  5. Some really good dupes, sign me up for NYX's Bedtime Flirt, and I agree he should really address how he behaved. I think a sincere apology would go a long way, but unfortunately as it happened so long ago I think if he did apologise it's a little too late. It's a shame, it comes across that he cares more about issues that could effect his brand and sales i.e. KVD saga, and less about the damage to his character. I kind of hate that the products are so good. Xx

    AlLittleKiran | Bloglovin

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    1. Those were exactly my thoughts - someone famous calls him out and he responds within a couple of days, whereas dozens and dozens of videos exposing his racist comments are made and nothing...xx

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  6. I'm so glad you've made this post and offered dupes because I will never be buying Jeffree Star's lipsticks again. Thank you for sharing Jasmine!
    Ambar | Her Little Loves

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  7. I really like the way you addressed this issue and it is super classy. Well done dear!! I fleetingly heard about Jefree a while ago (maybe he came up on recommended videos on YouTube) but a few seconds into the video and I knew he definitely was not my cup of tea. Hearing all the disgusting stuff about him lately has made me even more unlikely to patronise his products. I do have to admit that his lippies and highlighters look incredible and I am tempted to just try one for myself but I can't be fuelling his disgusting attitude with my coins!! An apology right now from him will be kind of watery unless it is backed up with a serious change of attitude. I do wish him well and hope he does what's right. On another note, thank you for including such beautiful dupes which I will be checking out instead...xx

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    1. I definitely agree - to be honest I'm sure I've heard bad thinks about Kat in the past but she seems to have genuinely grown up and apologised etc., whereas Jeffree doesn't seem to be legitimately sorry... I've heard the highlighters are not very wearable and have quite a lot of chunky glitter in them so I think I will stick to Becca (who are the same price after importing the JS ones anyway!) xx

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  8. I own one of his liquid lipsticks and like you, think the formula is fantastic. But I agree, I don't think I'll be buying anymore just based on his reputation.
    Rhi x
    www.rinkydinkyrhi.com

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  9. I had no idea about all this drama! Honestly, after reading up on it I don't think I will be buying these products!

    www.whynotblog.co.uk

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  10. I actually have a post coming up about the Jeffree Star Drama. There is just so much from those two, it is ridiculous. You really don't know where to believe and where not to believe.
    On the Lime Crime drama, that started in early-mid 2000, and honestly Do Deere hasn't stopped. So many people disagree with her practice. I know a lot of women who were affected by the hack on her site. It was very nasty.
    Angie | Chocolate & Lipstick | Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle Blog

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  11. Thank you for this post! I have to admit that when I first read your title, I was a little bit spectical, because a lot of people tend to address the controversy only to gain more readers! But I couldn't agree more with you! It's quite rare to know a lot about the person behind a brand, but when I do and it isn't good, I tend to stay away from that brand!

    http://fannyanddailybeauty.com

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    1. It is getting to a point where everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for YT views when they don't have anything new to say! xx

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  12. I purchased mine last year but I don't think I'll be reviewing them on my blog. I really hope someone else comes out with something similar to rose matter as it's such a pretty shade.

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  13. I didn't know much about Jeffree until about half a year agoish, I love his makeup videos and he's a pretty amazing makeup artist - but like you said, that doesn't excuse shitty behaviour and I hope he addresses it in the future. Although I'd love to try his liquid lipsticks, these look beautiful! Such a shame they're always sold out when I want to buy some!

    Lucy | Forever September

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  14. You addressed the controversy perfectly hun. I am pretty sure his formula is top notch as ive only ever seen good reviews, but his attitude and behaviour is a good enough reason for me not to waste my money. Such a shame. Good review xx

    Laura| www.lauralivinglife.com

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    1. I know right! I'd definitely recommend Dose of Colours instead as they're so similar in formula! xx

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  15. This was a great review, and I think you addressed the controversy well.

    Nicola // pink-confetti.co.uk

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  16. I think I spent around 2 hours watching various videos of Jeffree Star the other night, followed by some of his responses and I too just don't know what to feel about it all, a tweet doesn't make up for years of shitty behaviour!! I do however really want to try some of these along with his highlighters! Gemini is so gorgeous x

    www.shayholly.co.uk

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  17. I can't believe you've never heard of Jeffree before the whole waffle of everything! I've never really taken notice of anything nor their products. Of course their products are quite nice and the pigmentation is incredible but it doesn't take it away from the fact that the person behind the products isn't what we approve of.
    Charlotte // www.charlottespicks.com

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  18. The colours you've chosen are really beautiful but I am happy to see your dupes because I wouldn't buy anything from him! xx

    Beautylymin| Abercrombie & Fitch First Instinct Giveaway

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  19. I can't say Jeffree star is my cup of tea, even before all the drama came about. I did want to try his Liquid lipsticks but since hearing about it all the drama i really don't want to give him my money! I think the whole racist thing was disgusting and I agree he really should address it. And just really don't like his whole 'I'm rich' mentality. Like when he says stuff like 'call me when our checking accounts match'. Just because you have money doesn't make you a better person! xx

    LPage Beauty

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    1. Yes I wasn't aware of that - he has come off as very materialistic in all of the receipts people have shown of him being nasty online xx

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  20. I've heard of Jeffree Star but never watched his videos and I'm not massively into liquid lipsticks or his other products so haven't been following too closely but the fact he hasn't properly addressed anything speaks volumes! I remember reading about Lime Crime a few years ago so have always been a bit wary of them then I just saw today Asos will be stocking them! On another note, can't freaking wait for KVD to land in Debenhams!

    Danielle's Beauty Blog

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  21. I won't be supporting his brand anymore, so will look at the suggestions you've written about! Thanks for writing about them.
    Lexie | nail girl

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  22. A few months ago, I loved Jeffree, thought he was so new, different, amazing to watch on youtube, but after all this I just don't know what to think anymore, and due to the difficulty of getting his product I just cannot be bothered with it now, its just too much drama! Even if I do love his lipsticks & Highlighter :(

    Erin || MakeErinOver

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    1. He really did seem like a breath of fresh air amongst all the super-clean-cut Pinterest-y YouTubers :( xx

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  23. I guess I've seen the basis of the whole drama and it definitely makes me not like JS, he doesn't seem very nice! Gemini on the other hand.. instantly drawn to that shade, I know I can always come to you for 'darker nude' recommendations!

    www.Barely There Beauty.com | British Beauty & Lifestyle blog

    xx

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  24. I had no idea who Jeffree was until about last week when I stumbled upon Kat's video and then I got sucked into all the drama and wanted to know what the heck was going on and what was causing so much commotion. From what I've gathered, no matter how good his products are I just don't want to endorse him in any way so I can't see myself buying anything from his line. He'd need to seriously pick up his game first!

    www.thesundaymode.com

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  25. It's a shame that so many nasty things have surfaced about him lately- I always enjoyed his videos and have been way tempted by the lipsticks, but I now feel super iffy about supporting him. That said, these are some beautiful shades and your comparison swatches are ultra helpful!

    -Jen

    www.vibrantbeautyblog.com

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  26. I never could take to him. I tried to watch some of his YouTube videos a while back as so many people raved about his products and one of the first ones I watched he was on there bonging with his friend. I hated the way he tried to glamorise that and make it look 'cool'. How many young followers do you think he has? What an irresponsible idiot to use his influence like that.

    Great post though Jasmine. I love that you've offered up similar products for people who don't want to buy from him.

    www.clearconsciencebeauty.com

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    1. One of the expose videos I saw on him also said he did a What's in my Handbag and pulled out a gun DDD: xx

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  27. What pretty shades! I've always wanted to try stuff from Lime Crime :)

    Blessings,
    Edye | Http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com

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  28. I had heard of him a couple of months back and like you I did enjoy how different he was compared to the majority of vloggers, but when I saw his Shayla stuff I was pretty disappointed :/ and then more and more came out...until Kat Von D's video - that was the final straw and I was like nope unsubscribing and not giving him any of my money. I think he's very sweet tongued, but the fact that he has shown no remorse or regret about how disgustingly racist he was just shows his character isn't worth a penny. A damn shame because his formulas are supposed to be some of the best!

    Iqra | The Blushing Giraffe x

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  29. Great post! I think Gemini is my favorite shade!

    Xx
    Molly
    www.trendychickadee.com

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  30. Thank you for your comments - I really hope the information and suggestions were helpful xx

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  31. I'm so torn. I love the liquid lipsticks that I have from him, and really want Rose Matter, but all this controversy definitely has me thinking about whose pocket my money goes to. I really like how you pointed out that a man can still be sexist even if he has a wife. Very true! The good thing about liquid lipsticks becoming very popular is that there are a bunch of other brands to choose from instead!

    xx
    Nida | Caked To The Nines

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  32. I really can't bring myself to support him. He uses black women as accessories in his advertisements and that just doesn't sit right with me. Not to mention his casual racism a few years back and use of the N word. I like to think there are better places for my money to go than to someone like him. I think if he had changed, he wouldn't constantly be rude to people even today.

    I'm happy with my NYX liquid lipsticks and won't ever support Jeffree Star, as nice as some of his colours are.

    Also, did you know that Cocktail Cosmetics won't be stocking them anymore! I'm in a Facebook make-up page and the lady who owns it said that they would have to increase the price to £19 if they wanted to keep selling due to customs, a bad exchange rate and shipping fees from the US, so they won't do them anymore! .. Maybe she saw the videos, haha.

    Natasha Kendall

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    1. Hmm personally I think even if it is just bad timing and it's nothing to do with the drama - if it hadn't been for all of this stuff coming out they probably would've been able to sell them for £19 easily! Before I knew all this I know I'd still have paid that for them... xx

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  33. I personally adore JS and have 2 highlighters and 5 liquid velour lipsticks as well as the lip scrub. The formula is exceptional and I have tried almost all liquid lipsticks. Jeffree's is without a doubt my go-to. I don't care about celebrity drama. Bring on the ratings. He has worked his amazing butt off for his money and overcome many obstacles in this judgemental world, so glow, baby, glow. Perfection all the way! Everyone always has to whine about getting their feelings hurt. Suck it up buttercup.

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    1. Some people have ethics when it comes to who they want to give their money to - this post is aimed at people who want all the information before making an informed decision :)

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