Maybelline Bold Matte (Mat 4) Lipstick Review and Swatches

This is yet another review that got stuck in the pipelines! I am sooo sorry I am gonna do this review now!

This is Maybelline’s Bold Matte Lipstick, their attempt in making a powderless matte formula. The promise is a comfortable, smooth feeling on the lips, but with a sophisticated matte lip look.

This shade is Mat 4, or what I’d call a slightly watered down chili red.

This is how the packaging looks like:

So here is my feedback over the collection as a whole:

Shade Selection: This is a “summary” collection of five shades so the shades are more or less the typical bright shades most girls would want. I have 3 of this overall, and in the Philippines there are two other shades. I have a pink one and two reds. The two other colors are fuchsia and orange, respectively. In other countries there are 7 shades I think. But in general, the 5 are mostly all the shades Pinays would typically eye for matte lips. After having reviewed everything they did this year for matte lipsticks, I don’t see any lack in this collection anymore because whatever isn’t in this collection is in the Creamy Mattes, Rosy Mattes, or Vivid Mattes.

Color Payoff: Color wise, what you see on the tube is what you get. All the colors are playful and cheery. They’re just the right kind of vibrant to liven up your day. They’re not the overpowering kind of colors. Maybelline has Vivid Mattes which is all about shock factor, so if you’re looking for shock, go for that. If you’re looking for less shocking versions of your favorite cheery shades, go for this one.

Pigmentation: This is not very pigmented and I think it’s designed more for the people who are looking to use lipsticks for the tint factor. Like a creamy kind of tint. This is not opaque the first time around you swatch, and it can take some time before it does become pigmented. Even at full blast I still wouldn’t call this 100% opaque because there is still this sort of translucent feel to it. From afar it looks opaque, but when you look up close, it’s as if you can still see through it 1-2%. It’s not as creamy as other Maybelline formulations.

Texture: Since this is powderless, it really behaves very differently from all other Maybelline matte releases in modern times. This glides on with less traction, and on the lips, it’s a lot like having lip balm on. It’s a lighter, wispier formula, perhaps akin to the Color Show lipsticks that they have, if I may say. This is not as matte as their powdered formulae, but for something powderless, this already is doing good enough of a job. It’s matte enough to be considered discernable from satin lipsticks, so I think it’s OK enough.

Comfort: These are very comfortable and I have loved using these since I got them. This feels a lot like lip balm, and it’s more lightweight because it’s powderless. Whenever you rub or smack your lips you can feel that there’s no powder whatsoever from the formula. It also feels more breathable compared to other Maybelline entries for this year. Maybelline’s powdered formulae are still comfy in general, but when you use this, you will feel the difference between this and the powdered ones.

Longevity: This moves around a lot and transfers a lot (especially when compared to other Maybelline collections), but leaves a good tint. Since this is powderless, it lasts shorter than the usual Maybelline lipstick. Expect this to be moist for about 2 hours. Tint wise, it does leave a good tint that can last a whole office day.

Value For Money: This retails at Php299 a pop, and I think that whether or not this is good value for money is dependent on the priorities of the buyer/user. If you want something exceptionally comfortable, lightweight, and breathable, then this is a good choice. However, if you value a matte and vivid appearance more heavily, then maybe it’s better to get something else from Maybelline.

Overall Feedback: Personally, I find this collection to be something that the older generations (buyers 40 years old and above) will like more as this resembles the lipsticks of the past a lot. Back then you would kind of see women who buy lipstick not to slather it on but to simply pat it on and get some color and nourishment from it. The lipsticks of the past came in cheery shades but not too much pigmentation, just like this one, so it’s enough to liven up one’s look without being overpowering. The texture, wispiness, and glide of this lipstick resemble a lot of Maybelline items from the past. For those who are looking for gifts for that age group, this is a good choice. For the younger generations, while this is not bad collection, I think there are other Maybelline collections that get the desires of younger generations more.

So yaaay, that’s it! This is Mat 4, and this is one of my top red picks from Maybelline because it’s perfect for Pinays. It’s this perfectly neutral red that’s still vivid but a tad little bit watered down so that it’s not overpowering. It gives the spunk that red lipstick gives to any look without the shock.

And this is what I mean that it’s not 100% opaque.

On the lips, it’s reaaally pretty. And whenever I am too tired to primp, there are days this is the only item I’d put on and miraculously my look would still feel polished.