Lime Crime Velvetines, Review, Swatches, Photos and Credit Card Scandal

Lime Crime Velvetines

It's safe to say that over the past year the popularity of liquid to matte lipsticks has exploded.  Although drugstore brands have carried long wear liquid lipsticks in a variety of forms for ages now many in the beauty community would agree that Lime Crime revolutionized the liquid lipstick genre with their Velvetine line.  I won't assert that they are the originator of this fad because I am not known to be the most accurate historian, but I will say that Red Velvet from the Velvetines line had a large role in establishing the liquid to matte lipstick trend.  

Currently there are 9 Velvetine shades to chose from; Red Velvet (a blue toned red), Suedeberry (inconsistent in shade that ranges from coral to a soft pinkish red), Pink Velvet (radioactive hot pink), Salem (a milk chocolate brown), Wicked (a deep brownish burgundy), Black Velvet (…black), Utopia (fluorescent purple), Pansy ( a deep blueish purple), and Cashmere (nude with a touch of grey).  Lime Crime has been poised to release their 10th shade Riot for some time now but distribution and productions issues now coupled with their latest controversy have pushed back it's release and there is no official word on when it will be available.   I've seen it portrayed, however, as a warm taupey neutral to a soft earthy pink.

Lime Crime Velvetine Swatches

I have been having a love affair with Lime Crime since a MAC makeup artist told me about the brand almost 3 years ago.  Centrifuchsia was my first Lime Crime purchase and continues to be my favorite fuchsia lipstick to this day.  I adore the packaging, the pigmentation, and just everything about the "unicorn lifestyle"  that this brand represents.  Still, I can't ignore that this is a brand that has been riddled with controversy over the years.  The most recent being a security breach, alleged by Lime Crime themselves, on their website causing credit card information to be taken from a number of customers.  Thus far I don't believe that I was among those affected as I always use Paypal for online shopping but I am still diligently checking my paypal and bank statements.  My heart goes out to those who have been compromised though.  I have had my identity stolen twice and despite my bank taking the brunt of the impact it was still a burden financially and even though it was many years ago I still have to dispute the occasional collections letter or phone call demanding I repay charges incurred fraudulently in my name.

Part of an official statement issued by Lime Crime via Instagram

I don't really want to get too deep into the scandal and allegations involving Lime Crime as you can google them and find many a blog or tumbler devoted to disseminating that kind of information.  I just want to impart my opinion that we live in a time where everyone wants to market themselves as a brand.  A new makeup line pops up everyday.  Instagram is flooded with jewelry and clothing "boutiques" that just appear out of nowhere.  The beauty community in particular is saturated with MUAs plugging the latest boutique or hair extensions and so many of these products are private label or straight from Aliexpress.  I urge you to do some research before you spend money with any company small or large.  Can you find the same item on eBay for 1/10 of the price?  Is this product unique to this company?  Is the product ethically produced?  Do the companies values align with your own?  At the very least is the ownership of the company grateful to you,  the consumer?  If I'm going to make someone else rich, personally, I really want to make sure it is someone with at least a shred of human decency.
Ok, someone help me down of this soapbox.  I have rambled enough so let's get to what this blog is really about…makeup! I won't go on and on because Lime Crime Velvetines have been reviewed to death and by now most of you all probably have at least one in your collection.   I'll just briefly say that they are very opaque and pigmented, Utopia and Cashmere I find to be particularly unique shades in the sea of liquid lipsticks on the market today.  The packaging is adorable and they smell like Funfetti cupcakes.  The only downside I see with these compared to other liquid to mattes (all controversy aside) is that they aren't as smudge proof.  They are much longer wear than a typical lipstick but if you drink, eat, or kiss they will smear.  This can be particularly annoying with your liquid to matte formulas because once they smear onto your face they are extremely difficult to get off without ruining your foundation.  So without further adieu here are the swatches.  I hope you enjoy them.

Cashmere

Suedeberry

Pink Velvet 

Red Velvet 

Wicked 

Salem

Utopia

Pansy

Black Velvet