Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color Review & Swatches

Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color ($6 at Walmart) is brand new for Spring 2016 and I am so excited to review them for you guys because I think you'll really like the formula compared to the other matte liquid lipsticks at the drugstore right now. Let's take a look! 

Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color comes in 7 shades (see my photo of the display here) and the most adorable packaging I've seen for a lipstick...maybe ever. The flat, oval-shaped tube itself isn't all that remarkable...it's sleek and clean-looking with a silver cap and it's see-through so you can clearly see the color inside. The real point of difference is the beautiful metal tin they come in. Each one has a different watercolor floral design and there's a mirror inside the lid. Also, I love that the top is hinged, rather than coming off completely. It's a beautiful presentation for any lip product, but especially for a $6 lip product. It kind of reminds me of the Nudestix packaging, except those tins are solid black and I like the feminine, floral design better.

Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Lip Color in Daffodil, Sweet Pea, and Cherry Blossom

The applicator is long and flat and gets even flatter toward the tip, making it easy to apply around the lip line. I prefer this type over the standard short doe-foot applicator because you can cover a lot more surface area and usually don't have to dip the wand back into the tube to get more product because it holds more.
This formula has a vanilla cupcake scent that I much prefer over the fruity scent of the Revlon Ultra HD ones or the Maybelline Vivid Mattes.

When I saw the name Velvet Mousse, I instantly thought of some of the newer formulas we've seen coming out from Revlon, L'Oreal and Maybelline that aren't truly matte and don't ever dry down completely. Yes, these are similar, but they're a lot closer to a true matte lipstick, while still keeping that hydrating feel.
First of all, they're incredibly pigmented and the three shades I got go on smoothly and not patchy at all. One swipe on my bottom lip and all I have to do is press my lips together and it transfers right to my top lip and covers it completely. Then I just have to go around my lip line and I'm done. They have a soft, mousse-like texture that goes on with a little bit of shine, but not as much as the other drugstore formulas I mentioned. A quick blot with a tissue helps them dry down to matte right away and they stay put for a good 6 hours or so. The other night I didn't bother removing it, I just put a lip balm on top and went to bed. In the morning, my lips were still stained the color of the lipstick, so the staying power is very impressive. They also didn't dry out my lips, which is a huge plus!
Word of warning though, these do transfer quite a bit before they finally stay put. I think that these mousse-like formulas go on thick, so they just naturally have to wear down a bit, while a thinner liquid lipstick sinks into your lips easily rather than sitting on top, therefore they don't transfer.

I ended up purchasing Daffodil (a nude-brown), Sweet Pea (a cool-toned Barbie pink) and Cherry Blossom (a berry shade). On me, I'm not crazy about these shades on it's own...Daffodil is too brown, Sweet Pea is too light, and Cherry Blossom is a lot brighter than I would wear on a daily basis. I was craving a more natural-looking shade, I guess. 

So I ended up mixing the three together on my hand and applying it with a lip brush and I'm loving the shade it makes (see the photo on the bottom right)....it's more of a rosy MLBB shade.

Top Row: Daffodil, Sweet Pea
Bottom Row: Cherry Blossom, All 3 Shades Mixed

Overall, I really love these, from the adorable packaging to the formula that's a bit closer to a true matte lipstick, all the while still keeping that soft, velvety feeling that doesn't dry out your lips. I wish there were some more shades in the range, but I'm happy to have found a way to wear all three shades that I bought. 

Unfortunately, these aren't online yet so I'm not able to link to them, but hopefully your local Walmart carries Hard Candy and they've already put these out. 

Have you seen these yet? Tried 'em? What do you think?