Hello, Vibrant: Shien Silk Matte Lipstick Reviews, Photos, Swatches

As a lipstick lover, I jumped on the chance to try Shien Silk Matte Lipstick ($18). Even though I haven’t heard of the brand before, the beautiful images on their website and all the bold lipstick shades totally captivated me from the start. The lipsticks below are part of Shien’s debut collection, Viper’s Dream, a collection of 8 shades formulated to flatter gold- and olive-toned Asian complexion.

Shanghai Rose is a warm nude with a touch of rose. Wild Peony is a vibrant hot pink. Lust Caution is a blue-toned red. Cobra Lily is a deep burgundy. All of the shades I received are fully opaque in one pass. They aren’t fragranced as far as I can tell.

The packaging is just beautiful on these lipsticks. The case is made of shiny black metal that isn’t fingerprint-hungry (I don’t know how they do it!), and the cover closes with an audible click. The Shien logo is engraved on top of the lipstick caps.

I found some differences in the lipstick’s formula from the shades I tried. Shanghai Rose had a sheen instead of being purely matte. The rest of the shades have a satin matte finish and are very long wearing. I wore this for 7 hours with eating and drinking and the formula barely moved at all.

Shien Lipsticks contain “natural, antioxidant-rich beautifying ingredients from Chinese and Japanese herbology including luxurious white camellia oil, green tea extract, and red algae extract” for comfortable wear. Unfortunately, here’s the downside: the formula. I found the waxy, matte formula incredibly drying for my lips. After wearing Lust Caution for 7 hours long, my usually problem-free lips were dry, chapped and uncomfortable for 3 days. A bit of caution if you suffer from dry lips. I recommend a very rich balm before application and after removal. We are having a very dry winter, so the dryness in the air might also be adding to it.

Drying formula aside, I found that all the shades I tried do complement the strong golden undertones to my skin. If you love your matte and bold lipstick, Shien Silk Matte lipsticks are worth a look. They are available online.