Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipsticks

I was so excited to find out a while back that new shades of lipsticks were being added into a brand new collection in the Kat Von D brand.  I tried to wait about two weeks for some reviews to show up online before I decided which shades to order and I'm happy with the two I've chosen to start with.

Agatha is a light, peachy nude shade with slight pink tones and a very matte finish.  Swatched on my hand next to MAC Crème d'Nude, they look quite similar in color.  However, more of the pink tones in Agatha show up on my lips than Crème d'Nude.  It's a great nude for fair skin and it looks good on my face even when I'm wearing my yellow undertone foundation (considering it's a slightly pinky-nude).

The matte finish is very long wearing and indeed very matte in texture, so prepping the lips is crucial to a smooth application.  I don't use lip primers, but I do exfoliate my lips with my toothbrush and then moisturize with a good lip balm for at least a few minutes before I apply the product.  Immediately prior to application, I wipe off the balm and apply the lipstick.

Agatha lasted for several hours with no color fading, even in the center of the lips.  Once I ate a meal, however, the texture started to appear very dry, even though it didn't feel that way to me.  While an amazing nude shade, this formula seems to be less than ideal for touching up.  It isn't completely transfer-proof, but is very transfer-resistant in my experience.  Overall, I'm in love with this lipstick, but I'll skip it on a dry lip day.

"Agatha" in indoor/sunlight window lighting

Wearing no foundation or concealer; "Agatha" lipstick

 Gothica is a glittery, shimmering, warm bronze shade. It's a gorgeous color and very unique to anything else in my collection (though, it is definitely dupe-able). The glitter is fine and not too gritty feeling on the lips, but I can feel it a little bit when I wear this lipstick.

This lipstick applies much more smoothly than Agatha does and doesn't drag on my lips at all. Since the glitter isn't as finely cut as some other lip products, it can look patchy if you're not careful during application and prepping the lips is essential.  This shade doesn't last as long on me as Agatha does, but is still long wearing nonetheless.  It is definitely not transfer-proof, but it doesn't transfer that badly since it's not a very creamy formula.

"Gothica" in indoor/sunlight window lighting

Overall, I give these two particular lipsticks a big thumbs up.  Both shades are not exactly low maintenance, but I think the colors are worth it.  Before this matte version of Agatha became available, I'd put off buying a "wash-out nude" lipstick because I'm not a fan of satin finish lipsticks, so this is a great option for anybody looking for a pale nude that's matte.  I can see Gothica being an awesome shade for autumn and winter, though, nothing's stopping me from wearing it now in summer.

Studded Kiss lipsticks retail for $21 at Sephora stores and online.  Kat Von D brand does not test on animals; however, I'm not sure if some products may or may not contain animal products, so be sure to read the labels.