Rosy kisses.

Around the first few days of November 2016, I was browsing through a Watsons store in Singapore when I noticed the shelf beauty brand Palladio! I've heard of Palladio six years back, thanks to MakeupGeek, one of the Youtubers I was obsessed with that time. MakeupGeek, or Marlena, was a big fan of Palladio's Rice Powder and she would use it a lot of times in her videos so as a fan, I got curious. Of course I ended up not trying it because I always forget to check it out in Beauty Bar but that was how I ended up not forgetting about Palladio. Fast forward to now, they have a ton of products to choose from, from bases to eyeshadows to tools. So much growth!

Upon looking at their shelf in Watsons, ngl, I was *this close* to getting the Rice Powder but held back since I really want to finish my powder foundations first. Plus, I know I can still get it here in the PH in Beauty Bar so I didn't feel the need to get it asap. The lip colors on the other hand...

I have to say, Palladio's Velvet Matte line has such pretty colors it was so hard to choose which one I should get! The Velvet Matte line has 12 liquid lipsticks that are claimed to be velvety and moisturizing despite having a matte finish. As with most of Palladio's products, the lippies are botanical and vitamin infused, meaning there are ingredients in the products that are antioxidants and humectants so not only are you wearing makeup, you're wearing skin loving and preserving products.

Out of the twelve shades, Boucle stood out to me the most. What can I say, the cool muted rosy brown hue is just irresistible! This shade is the perfect balance between light and dark; it's not too bright that it looks neon but not too dark that it looks vampy. It's one you can use on a daily basis and I gotta say, I feel bomb when I wear this. Can I marry this color, please?

Okay, so let's talk about the formula. This one, I'm gonna say it right here, right now, does not dry down. If you're looking for a finish that's like the Kat Von D or Kylie liquid lipsticks, the Palladio ones do not have it. No matter how long you wait for it to dry down, it won't. The Velvet Mattes will still feel creamy, albeit not sticky, on the lips but they have that soft matte finish that won't make your lips look cemented and parched. It does feel a little dry, because it's still matte after all, but not as drying as a proper, full-on matte. Because they don't dry down, expect transfer to pretty much anything. 

Ugh, isn't this shade so beautiful? It just brightens up my complexion and skintone and I feel made up with only this on. It's quite a statement lip in a way but it's not too attention grabbing, which is nice. The doe foot applicator is one I can really work with. Like, I experience no difficulty at all because it's not flimsy, its handle isn't too long, and the tip holds a good amount of product.

As for its coverage, I'd say this has a medium one but you can totally layer it to have a more opaque coverage. But that causes a problem: the more you pile it on, the more chances you'll have lipstick on your teeth. Like, no kidding, this one gets on my teeth like no other. I find that the best thing to do is to blot after the first layer to remove excess product and to avoid putting too much on the inner rims of the lips. But still, I can't help but check on the mirror now and then because it's so sneaky, haha!

Overall, despite its shortcomings, I still like this product. The color is one I can't resist and one that really complements my skintone. To be honest, I don't treat this as a liquid lippie; I view it as a bullet lipstick in fluid form because of the finish and formula. So if you're looking for something that won't budge, this isn't the one for you. But if you're okay with a liquid lippie-like product that performs like a traditional lipstick, then this one is worth a try.