Tom Ford Pussycat Lip Color Matte Review & Swatches

As promised in my October 2014 Favorites post, I have a review of the new Tom Ford lipstick line called Lip Color Matte to share with you today. Holiday is approaching us so fast. I felt like I was just reviewing the new Tom Ford lipsticks for Fall collection yesterday but here we are, another new collection already. I’m not complaining of course since you probably know by now how crazy I am with Tom Ford lipsticks! New formula? Yes, please! :)

The Lip Color Matte line is housed in the same Tom Ford’s signature dark brown packaging with gold trimming as the original formula. It also has the same sweet vanilla scent that disappears quickly upon application. There are 8 shades total in the line-up; 2 are limited-edition (First Time and Black Dahlia) and 6 are permanent (Flame, Pink Tease, Plum Lush, Pussycat, Ruby Rush, and Velvet Cherry). Since I didn’t know what to expect, I limited myself to purchasing just one shade to test out the formula first.

Pussycat applies true-to-color on my pigmented lips. It is basically a wearable medium mauve pink shade that is so close to my natural lip color that you could say it’s a MLBB shade on me. I selected this shade because it’s not too pale, too bright, or too dark. In my opinion, it’s a middle ground shade that should flatter a lot of skin tones.

Tom Ford’s matte formula is so different than anything else I have tried. It doesn’t have that thick, drying feel you often experience with the matte formula. Pussycat has the perfect balance of being matte and creamy with a bit of a lustre feel so it glides beautifully across the lips without any tugging or pulling. The color goes on evenly, doesn’t settle into lip lines, and appears opaque in one pass. I have tried applying it over my bare lips without a lip balm and was so surprised to see that it didn’t emphasize the dry areas at all. Though I will say the finish looks better when worn over a thin layer of lip balm or lip primer.

The pigment is incredibly rich but still feels lightweight during wear. I wouldn’t describe the finish as a true matte, though, as it definitely has a bit of soft shine to it. It is certainly more like a “velvet matte” than a flat matte. It seems to plump up my lips just a notch, too, which is always a plus in my book. The best part, however, has to be the longevity. Pussycat just lasts and lasts on my lips! I can easily get 5 full hours of wear with minimal fading and this is without a lip primer!

I am completely satisfied with my purchase. The formula far exceeded all my expectations and has impressed me so much that I am already planning to buy more shades. I’d like to try First Time next but sadly it is out of stock right now. Since it’s a LE shade, I’m not optimistic it will be restocked. My next option would be Pink Tease which looks like it could be a nice cool-toned pink that I always have a soft spot for. :) If you have any recommendations, please leave them down below.

Are you planning to pick up the new Tom Ford matte formula? If so, what colors are you looking forward to trying the most?

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