Review: Impulse Cosmetics Lipsticks

The moment I saw bold, bright, matte lip colors come strutting down the runways early this spring, I was sold.  From neon hues to pretty pastels, there were colors galore and colors to suit everyone.  I suddenly wanted to try every possible shade, but found many mainstream brands just hadn't caught my rainbow fever and were playing it safe with bright pinks and peaches.  Enter the wonderful world of "Cult Cosmetics" - the relatively unknown but much loved cosmetics lines available for sale online.

One of the first "Culties" (read: my word for internet cosmetics brands you need to know but haven't met yet) I came across in my search was Impulse Cosmetics. Based in Pennsylvania, PA, Impulse Cosmetics offers a range of products from matte and metallic lipsticks to eye shadows and glitters.  The Impulse Cosmetics shop on Etsy boasts almost 4,000, 5-star reviews and over 16,000 happy admirers.  Of their 30+ lipstick shades, I purchased 6; 2 from their metallic finish, Metaluxe line, and the other 4 from their Opaque Matte Finish line.   

The Colors:

Note that all photographs are not Photoshopped or filtered so as not to alter the colors shown.  In addition, all photographs were taken using natural light at the same time, in the same place, to give you the truest possible depiction of the shades.

The Pros:

These vegan lipsticks, whether metallic or matte, apply smoothly right from the tube with minimal drag.  They don't feel excessively dry, and they boast a long wear time - "TEXAS TEA" lasted me an entire dinner without reapplication.  These babies pack major pigment so brights are very bright and pastels are very pastel.  BIG color payoff!  Another plus?  At under $7 a tube, you can afford to try several shades without breaking the bank.

The Cons:

As with any matte lipsticks, dryness and peeling can be an issue.  This is actually one of the least drying formulas I've tried, however.  If you're a girl who loves fancy, girly packaging to your beauty products, you will be disappointed with the very basic, very homemade plastic tubes these lipsticks come in.  

Application Tips:

At first these super-pigmented shades can seem a bit daunting as they are opaque and don't have the shiny, glossy quality you may be familiar with in lipsticks.  For the best, most even application, exfoliate your lips prior to application (I use a warm, wet washcloth and simply rub in a circular motion until dry skin is removed).  If you have a lip primer you love, use it.  Have trouble with lipsticks that bleed or settle into fine lines around your mouth?  A clear lip liner, or lip liner in a similar shade, would work wonders with these lipsticks.  Unfortunately, Impulse Cosmetics does not offer lip liners in corresponding shades at this time.  

The Bottom-line:

I have had a lot of fun with these colors and at such a reasonable price, I can play with runway-worthy color.  Impulse Cosmetics ships in safe, durable packaging and all orders come with tracking information.  Although Impulse Cosmetics seems to be swamped with orders at this time, the 4 to 7 day turn around time is reasonable in light of all this seller offers: high quality, highly pigmented, cruelty-free cosmetics in a wide range of colors and finishes.  Trust me, you'll be glad to add Impulse Cosmetics to your beauty routine.

Impulse Cosmetics can be found at: Impulse Co on Etsy.