So, Rimmel… and their “apocaliptic” hybrid gloss/lipstick. Available in eight shades of lip-smacking colour from vampy plum through to pale nude, has been setting the blogging world alight from day one. Except, I can’t for the life of me work out why.
First things first, they smell bad. I’m not the kind of blogger that harps on about scented products being the root of all evil, I couldn’t normally give a chuff about scented/flavoured products but these are so horribly synthetic, I find them almost offensive. Smell and taste are so closely linked, that if something smells bad… it often tastes bad too and I just don’t want this genetically-modified Jolly Rancher crap on my lips with it’s faux fruit salad gooeyness mere centimeters from my nostrils.
When it comes to application, the wand – complete with product dip/well – doesn’t work properly. There’s no real give to the sponge, the product contained within the well is staying there. For all eternity. It’s not coating your lips, you’re just double dipping it back into the container each time you use it. Give it up.
When I headed down to Boots, finally giving into the hype I was reading everywhere, I umm’ed and ahh’ed over the shades… in the end, I settled for Celestial, and the colour is indeed very, very, pretty. That neutral kind of pink that goes with everything… looking good on practically every skin-tone. But my love for the shade just cannot overcome. Let me tell you what else I hate about this product.
It feels heavy on the lips. Like tar. Like a new kind of tar that has been created from lead. Spread over my lips and left to bake in the sun. It’s 2013, lip products don’t feel like this anymore. I crave lightweight textures that deliver strong pigment without making me feel like my lips have been glued together with eye bogies. And because the product just kinda sits there… it travels. Within the hour, I experienced the kind of feathering you’d expect from a siren-red lipstick that had been applied with a trowel.
At least you’d think with that kind of “creamy” coverage, your lips would stay well-nourished underneath? No. I found the formula drying and unforgiving to my “not even very dry” lips. The product settled in the furrows and felt less and less comfortable with every passing minute.
And so, for its parting demonstration… did it stay on for long? No… it lasted no more than a couple of hours before wearing away without leaving even a hint of a stain to see me through the afternoon.
I have basically been violated by a lipstick. And that my friends, is a hugely disappointing sensation.
Rimmel Apocalips are priced at £4.49 each and are available to buy instore or online from boots.com, superdrug.com, and asos.com
Hello! I also encountered the same problem about the smell of this product. I have not liked, but I liked the fact that lasts a long time on my lips.
If you like, my review about this product find it here:http://thesweetbeauty.blogspot.it/2013/02/apocalips-lip-lacquer-by-rimmel.html
Kisses!!
P.S. Sorry for my bad english! 😛
Seriously interesting blog post, thanks for posting, will think twice before buying Apocalips now :/
It’s interesting how perceptions are so different from person to person. I’m not at all bother by the Apocalips scent and I really like the product. On the other hand, I like the Rimmel by Kate Moss lipsticks but to me they have the most revolting scent ever added to a beauty product: sort of like cheap strawberry bubblegum. Thankfully it only lasts ten seconds or so… (and curiously enough, the red tube matte lipsticks don’t have that scent).
I totally agree! I bought ‘Nova’ to wear to a wedding over Easter. Wore it all day and night, and it dried my lips out so badly it literally took weeks for them to fully recover! X
“Glued together with eye bogies” – this is why you and your blog are AWESOME xx
This review was hilarious and, rather unfortunate. As the gloss looks beautiful on you!
I don’t mind the consistency but they certainly dry out the lips something chronic and I also find it ‘gathers’ in the corners or my mouth after a little while, not attractive!
*Snort*…very funny write up! Didn’t fancy the look of these just from photos – you have just confirmed my suspicions. Although looks fine on you!
Are the Revlon Lip butters better? They’ve been over hyped too…what are your thoughts…
I tried the lip butters. Colour I bought was sugar plum I think. Not half as shiny and slippy as I was expecting. Colour is lovely. I’ve probably been spoilt by lanolips but I didn’t find it moisturising at all. It’s not drying though. Lasted maybe an hour…maybe. Its great to put on quickly but I prefer the no.7 lip bb’s.
Thanks :-), I’ve got a coloured lanolips one with SPF..they are nice but a gloss really – I wanted a proper nice growed up lippie. Think you recommend the YSL one being top notch?
OH MY GOD I SO AGREE. Both me and my sister tried these and we just hate them! Both of us love lipstick (and different kinds too) but neither of us get the hype. They just seem so gloopy, are difficult to put on neatly, smudge badly and don’t last- there are so much better products out there! I tried the Bareminerals Pretty Amazing liquid lipstick not long after and that seemed much better in terms of lasting power and easiness to put on. Glad it’s not just me! xxx
I liked the look of these but not the colours… Look’s like I might have had a lucky escape! x
Such a shame! I quite like the Apocolips range and I’ve never noticed the smell. Each to their own 🙂
Nicky
xx
[…] tide with her distaste for Rimmel’s much-lauded Apocalips line, find out why she thinks they’re some of the worst lip products she’s ever had the misfortune to […]
[…] tide with her distaste for Rimmel’s much-lauded Apocalips line, find out why she thinks they’re some of the worst lip products she’s ever had the misfortune to […]
Thanks so much for your honest review!! it’s really too bad cause the color is gorgeous on you and looks great…..oh well
I didn’t get the hype around these. I love the shade of the one I have, and on initial application it looks just beautiful, but if feathers like a mofo and gets all over my teeth. I wish they dried down a little – I love the look of a bright colour with a really thin layer of product. It’s just a bit…boo.
[…] Why Rimmel Apocalips isn’t so great [Lipglossiping] […]
LOL! You have been “violated by a lipstick”! Another bblogger friend of mine tried these and had the same result. She couldn’t get paste the scent/taste and thought they weren’t all they were hyped up to be. Thanks for this hilariously honest review!
thanks for the honest review. i love when ppl give an opinion contrary to the norm. some products are sometimes not worth the hype.
The smeeeeeeell. So terrible and it’s the exact same scent as their matte line that just came out. The regular line of Kate Moss lipsticks has a strong scent at first but at least it’s somewhat sweet and not the smell of old musty floral tea bags. Like opening a box that got shoved to the back of your cupboard. I had purchase 2 and dislike both but 101 Celestial is a wearable color for me, unlike Luna which looks much too bright out of the tub. I find the formula has a very fine gritty texture and doesn’t sit evenly on my lips either. Totally agree with the review.
I completely agree with you!! I hated these, I got the bright pink shade and the applicator applied way too much product and got all over my teeth midday. After about 2 hours it settles into the line of your lips. Egh a nightmare.
I actually really like the product… But the scent, I totally agree. Blech!
And this is why you are simply not allowed to give up blogging. Ever. Thank you for such an honest review. Have you tried any of the bourjois rouge edition lipsticks would really welcome your review.
It does smell really REALLY bad but I didn’t have any problems with feathering nor transfering. I blot it a bit, put some more and it stains. You have to whipe the excess off the aplicator,you only need to apply it on one lip and then whipe them against each other eeee voila! Try this, it might work (if you haven’t figured that yourself already!)
xo from a greek reader!
Lol, I’ve been lusting after the Apocalips lacquers recently. In a weird sort of way I’m finally glad to hear that it’s not all ‘daises and sunshine’. Personally I don’t mind fragrance much, as long as it’s not too overpowering or just plain stinky.
Eye boogie … ew. But it still looks great on you!
I’d like to say that I’ll avoid it and save my lips from apocalips cruel assault but, knowing me that probably might not happen.
Thanks for making someone on a makeup spending ban feel a bit better. Oh + yeah sorry to hear it didn’t work for you, maybe it was just that one ;)?
Finally someone shares my opinion, when they came out I was so excited and headed straight to try them on… disappointment! The smell is awful and the texture is really tacky.
Never understood the hype.
Just found your blog and I’m loving it 🙂
xx
[…] tide with her distaste for Rimmel’s much-lauded Apocalips line, find out why she thinks they’re some of the worst lip products she’s ever had the misfortune to […]
OMG! Thank you so much for your honest rewiev!
When i bought it, i thought “why nobody says that it has just a horrible smell??????”
I don’t trust these kind of hypes anymore…