OCC Lip Tars: Review & Swatches

 

OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) Lip Tars, are probably one of the coolest things ever created.  They come in tiny tubes, and it gives very concentrated rich, pigmented color with just the tiniest dallop.  The ones I have are of the old package variety, now they don't have the big caps and are a little longer/streamlined because the tip of the applicator has changed.  Any hoo, the product is still top notch.  You can buy them from Sephora or from the source directly, and it retails for $16 (they used to be cheaper, stupid inflation).  Now the colors I'll review are of the "normal" variety, but the whole purpose of these lip tars is that you can custom mix your colors, as well as use the product as is.  For that reason there are pure pigment lip tars available as well.  I mean yellow, green, black, blue, etc.  I'm thinking of dabbling in those mixing colors in the future, I just haven't taken the plunge yet.

To read the review and see the swatches, click below.

The lip tars are comfortable to wear as it's not drying (I do put balm on before).  When you first put it on, you'll notice a minty smell that disappears quickly (I feel like I've been reviewing a bunch of minty lip products lately...).  It starts off as a semi-matte that has a nice sheen, and as it dries completely it becomes closer to a true matte (but it never becomes a flat ugly color).  These are long lasting and fades pretty evenly.  Longetivity can be increased by using a lip pencil underneath.  If you have the lip pencil and lip tar combo, it lasts pretty well through eating without needing much of a touch up.  It lasts about 5-6 hours on me.  The key to the lip tars is to use a lip brush to apply it precisely. You really only need a tiny amount, so if you just squeezed the product out directly onto your lips, you'll end up with a big mess.  Since these are for my personal use, I just squeeze a tiny amount out and scoop it directly onto my lip brush to apply.

The color choices as hinted above are varied and many.  There are even matching nail polishes for some of these colors.  Also by the ability to be easily mixed, the potential color variations are truly endless.  OCC also makes new colors for each new season.  They're are soon coming out with metallic colors!!!!  Last, but not least, you can keep track of the color since the name is printed on the back of the tube along with the ingredients.

Swatches

Hand swatches below indicate the amount of product needed for the lips (itty bitty).  The product isn't watery as it appears with the swatch on the far right. I had lotion or something on my hand and the color bled.  On the lips there are no feathering issues.  The colors in order from right to left are: Trollop, Anime, Grape (I think, I'll explain later), Pageant, Grandma, Memento (which is a great movie, btw).

Sunlight photo

Shade photo (same order as above): Trollop, Anime, Grape, Pageant, Grandma, Memento

Trollop is a mid tone pink with a slightly coral bent.  It leans slightly on the cooler side. It's a nice summer color technically, but I don't believe in only wearing certain colors at a specific time year. I think it's a shade that's still in the realm of being work appropriate.

Anime is such a fun color!  This is a true, in your face HOT pink that's almost neon (but not quite). I L.O.V.E. it!  Call me crazy, but this is a color that would suite any skin color or tone. It's one of those colors that flatter everyone, as long as you have the guts to wear it. Of the shades I have, this is my fav.

So the reason I don't know if this is really called Grape is because there is no label on it.  It was a last call/Twitter sale that I jumped on, and I'm pretty sure the name is correct, maybe.  Grape is a maroony mid-tone purple.  This is as vampy as I'm comfortable with in terms of lip color.  I have no problem wearing uber bright colors, but I shy away as a general rule from crazy dark lips.  I feel like it washes me out.  Luckily, this isn't one of those.  It is definitely cool toned in color. You can always tone down the intensity by mixing with another lip tar, or adding gloss on top.  Note: I know my skin is a weird color, but the color of the lip tar is accurate.

Memento is my "nude" color of the bunch.  It's a slightly dusky pink with a hint of peach.  It's what I consider a demure color.  Noticeable without over powering your face or making you look like a corpse (like some nudes).  A light color like Memento is a great example of how opaque these lip tars truly are.  You can't see my lip color underneath at all. This picture shows after wearing for a couple of hours.  It's nice as shiny.

Pageant is aptly named.  It's a cool, mid-tone pink with a hint of lilac.  It's not as Barbie Doll pink as it appears in the swatch, but close.  It is easy to think of 80's pageant contestants wearing a color like this.

Grandma, despite it's name is not just for grannies. (I am a believer that you shouldn't be limited by age as to what you want to wear; if you want to, why not?).  It's a super pretty coral color that leans toward orange more than pink.  It's warm in color.  On my lips it comes off more orangey than it is in real life.

Bottom Line: These are great.  They're long lasting, great colors, and totally worth the price if you consider the amount of product needed with the amount in the tube.  You can even mix and match your way to the whims of your own color fancy.  Hint: it might be a good idea to buy a few shades with a friend and share.   Just get empty jars that are relatively inexpensive to store the product.