Michael Kors Lip Lacquer and Lip Luster - Bombshell, Siren, Muse

Michael Kors is a master of the Casual American Glam aesthetic - girl-next-door by way of the red carpet. His new makeup and fragrance collection taps into the different aspects of his signature style, and parses them out into three distinct styles: Sporty, Sexy, Glam. They wisely opted to hit the lucrative but mercurial cosmetics market with an edited line-up. When I saw the display, I was intrigued enough to pick up a few items.

Michael Kors has also had a long-time association with Estée Lauder (y'all know how I feel about EL), and it shows in the design. It's the MK brand, no doubt, but you can also feel the grande matriarch's influence as well. (And hell, it owes a nod in Tom Ford's direction as well, another EL-owned brand. I wouldn't be surprised if the coming Tory Burch line fits right in - a sibling trio of designer-branded luxury makeup.)

Clean-lined, simple, but not lacking in bling, the packaging proudly displays the Michael Kors label. It also feels surprisingly lightweight for a mid-priced, if aspirational, brand. That said, I do like it.

Lip Lacquer in Bombshell

The first item I tried is the Bombshell Lip Lacquer, from the Sexy line-up. A fuchsia colour (of course) with a teeny bit of shimmer, it applies demi-sheer, with a satin finish. It doesn't build to greater opacity very well, as it has a nice amount of slip that feels smooth when applied, but that doesn't lend itself well to building up layers. It ends up looking a bit patchy. Applied straight on or as a stain, it's quite lovely. If you're looking for intensity, this likely won't satisfy you, despite the vivid shade. On the other hand, if you want something that is both attention-getting but easy, then this is worth investigating.

Formula-wise, I don't think this stood out in any way. It's not particularly hydrating or drying, and the feel is fine, but nothing more. I was honestly expecting something more luxurious.

Bombshell Lip Lacquer

I also selected two lip glosses to try: Siren Lip Luster from the Sexy line, and Muse from the Sporty line.

top to bottom: Lip Lusters in Siren and Muse

top to bottom: Lip Lusters in Siren and Muse

Siren looks like a hot raspberry pink with gorgeous fuchsia shimmer. Unfortunately, a lot of that shimmer gets lost in translation. It swatches very similarly to the way it looks in the tube, but on the lips it looks a lot less impressive. It's quite glossy and juicy-looking when applied, and has a medium level of thickness and tackiness. Wear was average, 2-3 hours, with the glossiness fading throughout.

Siren Lip Luster

Muse is a soft, milky nude with pale pink shimmer. Shockingly, I liked this a lot more than Siren. While the shimmer also loses some oomph when applied to the lips, I also looked nicely nude and not chalky, and it didn't seep into lines like a lot of glosses in this kind of shade tend to do. Formula is the same as Siren's.

Muse Lip Luster

These are some arm swatches to give you an idea of how they look on their own. All of the lip products have a very faint, slightly sweet scent.

Bombshell, Siren, Muse

Availability: At The Bay and www.thebay.com. Price is 26$ CAD for both the Lip Lacquers and the Lip Lusters.

Pros: Packaging is clean yet glam, and is lightweight (good if you like to travel light). Bombshell has an easy-to-wear finish and texture. Muse is a great shade that avoids the pitfalls common to nude glosses.

Cons: Packaging is lightweight (bad if you want the heft to go with the brand name).  Siren's tube-to-lips colour and sparkle leaves something to be desired.

Not precisely a pro or con, but the generally average, unremarkable formulas are noteworthy in a higher-end brand seeking to enter the market.

(I purchased these items. This review is not sponsored or compensated. All opinions are my own.)